Hydrastis Canadensis is the botanical name for Goldenseal, also known as Orangeroot or Yellow Paccoon. Goldenseal is a small perennial (long-lived) herbaceous plant belonging to the buttercup family, buttercups, although its leaves and fruits somewhat resemble those of the raspberry and the Rubus genus in general. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Goldenseal has a thick, gnarled, yellowish-brown rhizome, about 5 centimeters long and 1 centimeter thick, with numerous rootlets. This herb has a strong odor and bitter taste. It produces a fruit similar in appearance to raspberries. Distinguishing Characteristics: • Distinguished from other members of the Ranunculaceae family during anthesis (the flowering period of a plant) because it has only 2 simple stem leaves and solitary white flowers, which lack petals. •Flowers 8 to 18 cm wide with numerous extruded white stamens; sepals 3, falling after flower opens; petals absent. •Red fruits with 1 to 2 seeds per pistil, 5 to 8 mm. •Features related to the leaf can be identified from it. Basal leaf generally solitary and quickly deciduous; stem leaves 2, alternate, near the apex, toothed, 5-lobed and notched-veined, 3 to 10 cm when the flower opens, but spread to 25 to 30 cm. Where it lives: In North America, the Goldensea is found throughout the eastern half. It is found from Vermont to Minnesota and south to Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, Georgia and Alabama. For various parts of its range it is considered rare, including Ontario, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Vermont, North Carolina, Wisconsin , Virginia, Alabama, Indiana, Tennessee and Delaware. Timing: Proper flowering of flowers occurs approximately from late April to early May. During the ripening period, its fruits first appear green and then ripen into an aggregate of bright red achenes. These are visible from mid to late season, from June to early August and perhaps later in some localities, depending on their climate. Habitat: Goldenseal is typically an inhabitant of rich, shady mesic forests in the south, usually under a canopy of beech and sugar maple or red-colored oak and sugar maple. Its most frequent occurrence is found in most microhabitats near vernal pools, along wooded streams, as well as in southern floodplain forests, often in clay loam, moist sandy loam, or even organic soils ( potting soils). Harvesting Instructions: The roots of Hydrastis Canadensis are harvested in the fall after the tops have faded. Usually, harvesting begins 5-7 years after sowing or 4-6 years after planting the rhizome pieces. Care should be taken when digging roots, fibrous roots should be kept intact. The fork can be used to dig small plots, however, a larger field requires a mechanical shovel, just like a modified potato, horseradish or bulb shovel. The bed will recover, making replanting in this area unnecessary, if sufficient fibrous roots remain. Per acre, goldenseal yield depends on production method and location and generally ranges from 800 to 3,000 pounds of dried root per acre. Edible Status: Its raspberry-like fruit is not edible. Its roots are, however, used to make tea. Medicinal use:.