U

nited States 

Department 

of Agriculture 

Forest Service 

Pacific Southwest 

Research Station 

General Technical 

A Guide to Selected Non-Timber 

Forest Products of the Hayfork 

Adaptive Management Area, 

ShastaTrinity and Six Rivers 

National Forests, California 

Yvonne Everett 

Report PSW-GTR-162 
Publisher: 

Albany, California


Mailing address:


PO Box 245, Berkeley CA


94701-0245


510 559-6300 

http://www.psw.fs.fed.us 

March 1997 

Pacific Southwest Research Station 

Forest Service


U.S. Department of Agriculture


Abstract 

Everett, Yvonne. 1997. A guide to selected non-timber 

forest products of the Hayfork Adaptive Management 

Area, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests, 

California. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. Albany, CA: 

Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture; 64 p. 

Demand for non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is increasing, 

and growing numbers of people are enhancing their incomes by 

harvesting NTFPs from the wild. If forest ecosystems are to 

continue to produce NTFPs in the long run, harvesters must 

learn how to gather them in ways that minimize harvest damage 

to woods and wildlife. This guide, developed in a collaborative, 

information-sharing effort with harvesters, non-governmental 

organizations and USDA Forest Service employees, provides 

guidelines for sustainable harvesting of 24 NTFP plant species 

found in the Hayfork Adaptive Management Area on the ShastaTrinity and Six Rivers National Forests of northern California. 

Illustrations for each species were prepared by Jolie Lonner. 

Photographs are by Roger Jaegel. 

Retrieval Terms: community forestry, ecological sustainability,

medicinal herbs, non-timber forest products, wildcrafting

The Author


Yvonne Everett is Director of Research at the Watershed

Research and Training Center, P.O. Box 356, Hayfork, CA

96041.
The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, is responsible for Federal Leadership in forestry. 

It carries out this role through four main activities: 

• Protection and management of resources on 191 million acres of 

National Forest System lands 

• Cooperation with State and local governments, forest industries, 

and private landowners to help protect and manage non-Federal 

forest and associated range and watershed lands 

• Participation with other agencies in human resource and community 

assistance programs to improve living conditions in rural areas 

•	 Research on all aspects of forestry, rangeland management, and 

forest resources utilization. 

The Pacific Southwest Research Station 

• Represents the research branch of the Forest Service in California, 

Hawaii, American Samoa, and the western Pacific. 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

prohibits discrimination in its 

programs on the basis of 

race, color, national origin, 

sex, religion, age, disability, 

political beliefs, and marital 

or familial status. (Not all 

prohibited bases apply to 

all programs.) Persons with 

disabilities who require 

alternative means for 

communication of program 

information (braille, large 

print, audiotape, etc.) should 

contact USDA's TARGET 

Center at 202-720-2600 

(voice and TDD). 

To file a complaint, write the 

Secretary of Agriculture, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, 

or call 1-800-245-6340 (voice) 

or 202-720-1127 (TDD). 

USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer. 

A Guide to Selected Non-Timber Forest Products 

of the Hayfork Adaptive Management Area, Shasta-Trinity 

and Six Rivers National Forests, California 

Yvonne Everett 

Contents 

In Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii


Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii


Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1


Key to Summary Information for Included Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8


Plant Descriptions


Least Sensitive to Harvest


(exotics and weedy native annuals and perennials) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11


Curly Dock - Rumex crispus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12


Dandelion - Taraxacum officinale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14


Mullein - Verbascum thapsus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16


Oxeye Daisy - Leucanthemum vulgare (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) . 18


Plantain - Plantago lanceolata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20


Sheep Sorrel - Rumex acetosella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22


Shepherd’s Purse - Capsella bursa-pastoris. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24


St. John’s Wort - Hypericum perforatum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26


Vervain - Verbena lasiostachys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28


Yarrow - Achillea millefolium. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30


Moderately Sensitive to Harvest (native perennials) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33


Elderberry - Sambucus melanocarpa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34


Elderberry, Blue - Sambucus mexicana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36


Horsetail, Common - Equisetum arvense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38


Horsetail, Common Scouring Rush - Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine . . . 40


Horsetail, Smooth Scouring Rush - Equisetum laevigatum . . . . . . . . . . 42


Manzanita, Greenleaf - Arctostaphylos patula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44


Manzanita, Pinemat - Arctostaphylos nevadensis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46


Manzanita, Whiteleaf - Arctostaphylos viscida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48


Mugwort - Artemisia douglasiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50


Self-Heal - Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52


Yerba Santa - Eriodictyon californicum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54


Sensitive to Harvest (slow growing native perennials) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57


Coltsfoot, Western - Petasites frigidus var. palmatus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58


Oregon Grape - Berberis nervosa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60


Prince’s Pine - Chimaphila umbellata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62


References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

ii USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

In Brief 

Everett, Yvonne. 1997. A guide to selected non-timber forest products of the 

Hayfork Adaptive Management Area, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National 

Forests, California. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest 

Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 64 p. 

Demand for non-timber forest products (NTFPs), including floral greens, 

mushrooms, berries, and medicinal herbs, is increasing globally, and in response, 

growing numbers of people are enhancing their incomes by harvesting NTFPs from 

the wild. The interest in NTFPs is particularly strong in the Pacific Northwestern 

states of Washington and Oregon and in northern California. In these areas, 

especially where gathering occurs on public lands, concerns are being raised over 

the impacts of overharvesting on forest ecosystems, and over who should have access 

rights to NTFP resources. Controlling access to vast areas of public land when 

valuable and comparatively mobile resources, e.g., mushrooms, are involved is 

difficult at best; yet, if forest ecosystems are to continue to produce NTFPs in the 

long run, some mechanisms to manage harvesting are needed. The issue is complex, 

and an in-depth discussion is beyond the scope of this paper. However, one aspect 

of the problem is scarcity of information about the plants being gathered among 

harvesters, or “wildcrafters” as they are known in the NTFP trade, among public 

land management agency staff and the general public. One can hope that with better 

understanding of the ecological roles played by NTFPs and information on 

harvesting, many wildcrafters will exercise self control and learn how to gather 

NTFPs in ways and in volumes that minimize harvest damage to woods and wildlife, 

and ensure that there will be NTFPs to gather the next year. Although not everyone 

will follow such suggestions, and many other issues remain, increasing the number 

of responsible wildcrafters is a step in the right direction. This guide has been 

produced as part of an ongoing pilot program to increase communication and 

cooperation among wildcrafters, and between wildcrafters and public land 

management agency staff in the Hayfork Adaptive Management Area of the ShastaTrinity and Six Rivers National Forests, California. Wildcrafters, non-governmental 

organization staff, herbalists, and USDA Forest Service employees worked with the 

author to provide basic descriptions and ecological information, as well as develop 

guidelines for sustainable harvesting of 24 NTFP plant species found in the Hayfork 

Adaptive Management Area on the Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests 

of northern California. Although much of the information collated here is valid 

throughout the ranges of the plant species discussed, the harvest guidelines, e.g., 

regarding suggested harvest quantities, are specific to this region. Because of 

variation in micro-climate, populations of the same species of plants may be found 

elsewhere in greater or lesser numbers, and specific guidelines for sustainable 

harvesting should be developed locally. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. iii 

Acknowledgments 

This publication is a joint effort involving many participants. The project was 

funded by the Pacific Southwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Albany, 

California, under Research Grant #59-PSW-006G 1995/1996 in cooperation with the 

Watershed Research and Training Center, Hayfork, California. Funding for developing 

illustrations and editorial support came from the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, 

USDA Forest Service, Redding, California. 

Jolie Lonner worked closely with me to produce the final manuscript. She 

designed and produced all of the illustrations beginning with gathering plant specimens 

from the field. She provided immeasurable good cheer and valuable comments and 

corrections on the manuscript, especially regarding medicinal uses of our focus species. 

I am very grateful for all of her help. 

I thank all of the people who provided information for this effort: Susan 

Alexander, Nan Vance, and Jim Weigand, Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA 

Forest Service, Corvallis, Oregon; Randi Anderson, Trinity Resource Conservation 

District, Weaverville, California; Sherlette Colegrove, Hoopa Tribe, Hoopa, California; 

Bjorn Evenson and Phil Gremaud, Rogue Institute, Ashland, Oregon; Lynn Gunn, 

Burnt Ranch, California; Paul Harper, Institute for Sustainable Forestry, Redway, 

California; Lynn and Jim Jungwirth, Watershed Research and Training Center, 

Hayfork, California; Chris Lewis, Rogue River National Forest, Butte Falls, Oregon; 

Sheila Logan, Maria Ulloa-Cruz, and John Veevaert, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, 

Redding, California; John McRae, Six Rivers National Forest, Eureka, California; Ray 

Patton, Nor-El-Muk Band of the Wintu, Hayfork, California; Flo Rabelais and Julia 

Riber, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Hayfork, California; Karen Theiss, Karen 

Theiss and Associates, McKinleyville, California; Robin Tausch, Intermountain 

Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Reno, Nevada; University of Nevada at Reno 

Herbarium, Reno, Nevada. 

In addition, a dedicated group provided information and participated in 

design and editorial reviews of the manuscript: Marcia Andre and Dawn Pedersen, 

Six Rivers National Forest, Mad River, California; Jan Beyers, Pacific Southwest 

Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Riverside, California; Jane Bothwell, Herbalist, 

Kneeland, California; Ann Dennis, Pacific Southwest Research Station, USDA Forest 

Service, Albany, California; Janet Griffin and Irene Hetrick, Blue Heron Botanicals, 

Mad River, California; Christina Johnson and Denise and Bede Steenblock-Smith, 

Trinity Alps Botanicals, Burnt Ranch, California; Julie Nelson, Shasta-Trinity National 

Forest, Redding, California; and Dan Wood, High Mountain Herb Cooperative, 

Bridgeville, California. Members from two local wildcrafting and herb-growing 

cooperatives have been instrumental in this project: 

The High Mountain Herb (HMH) Cooperative (Bridgeville, California), formed 

in the fall of 1993, is governed by five directors elected from its membership. HMH 
iv USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

promotes the development and expansion of agricultural endeavors of both cultivated 

and non-timber forest products, and is currently developing cooperative-owned 

processing and marketing facilities. Educational resources and assistance are available 

from: High Mountain Herb CO-OP, 151 Van Duzen Road, Bridgeville, CA 95526-9401. 

Tel: (707) 574-6574. 

Trinity Alps Botanicals (TAB) (Burnt Ranch, California) is a non-profit 

agricultural cooperative producing and marketing quality wildcrafted medicinal herbs. 

Since 1991, the intent has been to provide an opportunity for income for local forestdependent communities. It provides information and education regarding 

comprehensive growing and wildcrafting guidelines and techniques. 

TAB is also working with an ethnobotanist to establish guidelines for sustainability 

and certification requirements for the harvest of native species. TAB works to support 

the harvesting of wild plants in a manner that increases their number and health. TAB 

currently buys and sells selected fresh and dried herbs, whole or cut and sift. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 1 

Introduction 

As demand for alternative herbal medicines, floral greens, and forest 

mushrooms and berries grows in urban North America, Europe, and Japan, 

harvesting, processing, and marketing these non-timber forest products (NTFPs) 

is helping to diversify timber-dependent rural economies in the Pacific Northwest. 

Many NTFPs are harvested from public lands, especially from the National 

Forests. More and more people are becoming involved in the NTFP industry, 

and harvest volumes are increasing. Concerns over the likely impacts on forest 

ecosystems are growing, as are questions about who should have access to the 

forests, who will protect the resources, and how long-term sustainability can 

be ensured. 

In these times of economic downsizing of Federal land management agencies 

such as the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service (USDA-FS) 

and Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM), reduced agency 

staff will not be able to take on the challenge of managing sustainable harvest 

levels of a plethora of new forest products on extensive acreages of public lands 

without cooperation from wildcrafters, scientists, and locally experienced citizens 

and groups. This report represents one step toward such cooperation. 

This report provides an introduction to selected non-timber forest products 

with current market value growing in and around the Hayfork Adaptive 

Management Area (HAMA) in the Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests 

in northern California. It has been compiled from a year-long process of discussions 

among local and regional wildcrafters, members of the Hoopa and Nor-El-Muk 

Wintu tribes, an ethnobotanist, USDA-FS specialists and staff, and the author, an 

ecologist with the Watershed Research and Training Center, Hayfork, California. 

It draws together available local knowledge of NTFPs and information taken from 

the literature on medicinal herbs, wildcrafting, and plant identification. 

Adaptive Management Areas are land allocations, under the President’s Plan 

for Ecosystem Management, of public lands in the Pacific Northwest. There are 10 

such areas in Washington, Oregon, and California. They have been set aside to 

scientifically test all aspects of current land management policies and, in 

particular, the assumptions underlying the concept of Ecosystem Management, 

through an iterative process of experimentation, monitoring, learning, and 

adjustment of activities carried out on public lands. Communication and 

cooperation among land managers, researchers, and the public are seen as key to 

successful adaptive management. 

The Hayfork AMA (fig.1) spans roughly 349,000 acres of the Shasta-Trinity 

and Six Rivers National Forests. The mountainous terrain ranges in elevation from 

500 to 6,000 feet, in annual precipitation (rain and snowfall) from below 40 to 80 

inches, and includes numerous soil types developed from a highly varied geologic 

base. Much of the AMA lies in the Trinity River drainage, which lies in the 
2 USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

Figure 1 —Hayfork Adaptive Management Area, Six Rivers and Shasta-Trinity National Forests. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 3 

southern portion of the Klamath Bioregion, one of the most biologically diverse 

areas in the continental United States. To maintain this diversity, NTFP harvest 

guidelines that ensure that plant populations will not be overharvested must be 

developed with close attention to the local variation in their habitats, population 

size, vigor, and growth rates. 

This paper is part of an effort to document experience with local plant 

populations, micro-climates, and ecological conditions that will encourage locally 

sustainable harvest methods and volumes. This effort is only a beginning toward 

building a locally sophisticated culture of wildcrafting that one day will be fine 

tuned to include harvest guidelines sensitive to micro-environments, annual 

variations in temperature and precipitation, and respective plant population and 

wildlife needs, all supported by well-informed and sensitive human communities. 

The paper describes 24 species, tips for their preferred habitats and where to 

find them, suggested ecologically sensitive harvest methods, economic uses, and 

local buyers of the NTFPs. 

The initial species list was drawn from a group of species of interest to 

members of Trinity Alps Botanicals, a local wildcrafter marketing cooperative. 

The list was reviewed by USDA-FS staff to emphasize species that are abundant 

and least likely to be negatively affected by harvesting. In one discussion session, 

local wildcrafters, USDA-FS specialists and interested citizens expanded upon a 

dichotomous key (table 1) suggested by Julie Nelson, Botanist of the Shasta-Trinity 

National Forest, to classify species according to their sensitivity to harvest. The 

group eliminated most potentially sensitive species and emphasized economically 

valuable exotic or “weedy” species from the initial list. Harvest guidelines for the 

more sensitive species included are deliberately conservative until results from 

research trials on regeneration after harvest have been completed. General 

guidelines for NTFP harvesting are outlined in table 2. Prices paid to wildcrafters 

for several NTFP species in the Hayfork AMA area in 1996 and contact addresses 

for contract merchants are listed in table 3. 

The plant species described in the paper are grouped according to their 

sensitivity to harvest, with the least sensitive listed first. A key to the information 

presented for each species precedes the plant descriptions. This effort is a 

beginning and draws heavily upon the excellent literature on plant identification 

and economic, especially medicinal, uses of plants. The medicinal uses noted here 

are intended as indicators of known uses for the plants and are deliberately stated 

in very general terms. Anyone seeking to use these plants for medicinal purposes 

should consult with professional herbalists and the relevant literature. 

Among the many references that have informed our learning process in the 

Hayfork AMA, Michael Moore’s (1987, 1993) books on medicinal plants and the 

EcoHerbalist’s Fieldbook by Gregory Tilford (1993) are particularly recommended. 

Moore’s books are our most important references, with useful descriptions of 

medicinal plants of the West, their uses, and preparation. Beside detailed 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

Table 1— Key to species categories 

(1a) Exotic Category I 

If not, go to 1b 

(1b) Native 

(2a) Very common, associated primarily with disturbed ground -------------- Category II 

If not, go to 2b 

(2b) More specialized habitat, less dependent upon disturbed sites 

(3a) Can be farmed off site ---------------------------------------------------------- Category III


If not, go to 3b


(3b) Difficult to farm with current knowledge


(4a) Non-Destructive Harvest (tops, leaves, fruits, seeds) ---- Category IV


If not, go to 4b


(4b) Destructive Harvest (roots, whole plant) ----------------------- Category V


Examples of Species Representing the Categories from the Hayfork Adaptive Management Area: 

Category I St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) 

Category II Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) 

Category III Blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana) 

Category IV Horsetails (Equisetum spp.) 

Category V Coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus var. palmatus) 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 5 

Table 2—Some general guidelines for harvesting 

• Walk lightly on the land. Be aware of your impact on the woods around you. Wear shoes with soft 

soles. Avoid trampling plants and compacting soils; do not gather when the ground is wet. Use one 

entry to a harvesting site and work uphill. Avoid unnecessary walking along stream banks. Try not 

to disturb wildlife. 

• Use restraint when harvesting. Be sure of positive plant identification. Harvest from healthy plant 

populations, and leave plenty of vigorous, mature and seed-producing plants untouched. Harvest at 

the optimaltime of year. When possible, harvest afterflowers have had a chance to go to seed so that 

the next generation can grow (or if harvesting flowers, leave many behind to seed). Limit harvest to 

10 percent of the population for species in the “sensitive” category, when the whole plant or roots 

are harvested. For the more common plants from which flowers and leaves are taken, harvesters 

should limit harvest to 15–25 percent of the plants present. 

• Do not harvest plants for food, medicinal, and basketry purposes from roadsides. Many plants 

absorb and concentrate toxic compounds from vehicle exhausts as well as from herbicide spraying. 

• Do not pick unless you plan to use the plants personally or unless you have already found a buyer 

for your product. Buyers have individualized specifications for products you will need to follow. 

Several local contact addresses for purchasers are listed in the Introduction. Don’t waste your time 

and the limited resources of the forest. 

• Cooperate fully with the landowner or land manager where you pick. Get the necessary 

permission or permits, and report back if asked to do so. Comply with permit conditions. 
6 USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

Table 3—Prices offered to wildcrafters for selected non-timber forest products in the Hayfork Adaptive 

Management Area in 1996 and commissioned merchants 

Non-timber forest products Price1 

Coltsfoot, Western


Common Horsetail


Curly Dock


Dandelion


Elderberry, Blue Elderberry


English Plantain


Self Heal


Sheep Sorrel


St. John’s wort


Mugwort


Mullein


Oregon grape


Yarrow


Yerba Santa


Commissioned merchants: 

$2.00/lb dry leaf


$1.75/lb dry stem


$2.50–$5.00/lb dry root


$8.00/lb root


$4.75/lb dry flowers


$8.00/lb dry leaf


$5.00/lb dry flowers and leaf


$10.00/lb dry leaf


$3.75/lb dry flowers, 6-inch stem, leaf


$2.75/lb dry leaf


$2.50–$5.00/lb dry leaf


$1.25–$2.50/lb dry root


$2.10–$3.25 /lb dry flowers


$3.25/lb dry leaf


Janet Griffin:	 Blue Heron Botanicals, 154 Van Duzen River Road, Bridgeville, CA 95526. 

Telephone: (707) 574-6574; 

e-mail: herbs@telis.org 

Christina Johnson:	 Trinity Alps Botanicals, P.O. Box 196, Burnt Ranch, CA 95527. 

Telephone: (916) 629-3514, (916) 224-8602 

1

Prices are subject to change and vary with the local purchaser. Wildcrafters should contact 

purchasers directly for current prices and detailed product specifications. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 7 

suggestions for harvesting 50 plant species, Tilford’s book includes a chapter on 

the ethics of harvesting and simple approaches to monitoring harvest impacts. The 

plant illustrations used in this report are based upon the photocopy format 

developed by Phyllis Faber and Robert Holland in their book, Common Riparian 

Plants of California (1988). Guides to plant identification are fundamental to those 

interested in learning about non-timber forest products. The Jepson Manual: Higher 

Plants of California (Hickman 1993) is our definitive reference key to the flora of 

California. Using the book requires some background knowledge of botany and use 

of taxonomic keys. Our favorite, less weighty, guides for the field include the 

Petersen Field Guide to Pacific States Wildflowers (Niehaus and Ripper 1976) with its 

excellent drawings that allow for comparison of similar plant species on one page. 

Another easy-to-use field guide is the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North 

American Wildflowers, Western Region (Spellenberg 1992). As in Petersen’s book, 

plants are coded by flower color and structure, and in this case, are illustrated with 

excellent photographs. Although not as easy to use as the preceding guides, 

Strickler’s Wayside Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest (1993) has unrivaled clear 

and beautiful color photographs. Alice Goen Jones’ Flowers and Trees of the Trinity 

Alps is useful for identifying species in this local area. Many important non-timber 

forest products are derived from plants considered to be weeds that are often not 

included in wildflower guides. Two guides with excellent photos for identification 

of these plants are Taylor’s (1990) Northwest Weeds and Whitson’s (1991) Weeds of 

the West. Among the many additional books on herbs in general, we use Lesley 

Bremness’ (1994) introductory guide, Herbs, with beautiful illustrations of useful 

plants from around the world; the comprehensive Rodale Encyclopedia of Herbs 

(Kowalchick and Hylton 1987), which includes tips for cultivation; John Lust’s 

(1974) classic, The Herb Book, a compendium of descriptions and uses of herbs; the 

more recent (1990) The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra; and Miller’s (1988) guide 

to Native Plants of Commercial Importance, which includes discussion of wildcrafting 

and marketing of native plants. There are numerous references that provide 

information on Native American knowledge and uses of plants, including a pocket 

guide by Balls (1962), Early Uses of California Plants; a book by Alma Hutchens 

(1991), entitled Indian Herbalogy of North America, with useful cross references to 

indigenous uses of plants in Europe, Russia, and North America; and ethnobotanical 

works, such as Baker’s (1981) The Ethnobotany of the Yurok, Tolowa and Karok 

Indians of Northwest California. 

We would be pleased to receive comments and suggestions for additional 

information to incorporate in future efforts. Please send them to: Dr. Yvonne Everett, 

Watershed Research and Training Center, P.O. Box 356, Hayfork, CA 96041. 
8 USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

Key to Summary Information for Included Species 

COMMON NAMES: Locally common names; additional names may apply. 

BOTANICAL NAME:	 Latin name listing genus first with a capital letter, followed by 

the species name and the name of the person who first formally 

described the plant (e.g., Achillea millefolium L.). This way of 

identifying a species (nomenclature) follows the 1993 edition 

of the Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California edited by James 

C. Hickman (referred to hereafter as Jepson). 

FAMILY: Nomenclature follows Jepson, with synonyms in parentheses. 

DESCRIPTION:	 A brief, non-technical description of each species for 

identification purposes. 

REPRODUCTION:	 A description of the way the plant reproduces, which has 

implications for harvest methods and timing. 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: Describes the geographic range of the species in the 

world, emphasizing the Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United 

States and Canada. 

Local: Describes the general pattern and relative abundance of 

distribution for the species in the Hayfork Adaptive 

Management Area; a species may be common or abundant in 

its particular habitat but not common in the AMA landscape as 

a whole. 

ELEVATION RANGE:	 Lists the elevations in which the species is known to occur; in 

most cases this is a California or PNW-wide estimate drawn 

from Jepson. 

SLOPE AND ASPECT:	 Slope gradient and position relative to the sun preferred by 

each species where known or important. 

SOIL TYPE:	 General description of characteristic soils in which each species 

is found, where known or relevant. 

PLANT COMMUNITY:	 The vegetation community (e.g., meadow, forest) in which the 

species is usually found. 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: A short list of other plants commonly found growing near the 

species of interest. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 9 

SERAL STAGE:	 Based on ecological theories of succession, Seral Stage 

identifies the period in vegetation development over time in 

which the species is typical (e.g., early succession includes 

areas recently disturbed in which annual grasses and herbs 

predominate; mid stages include transitions from brush to 

mature closed-canopy forest, and late Seral Stages include oldgrowth forests and woodlands). 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

More detailed descriptions of species’ growth habits and likely 

habitats, including our category of the plant’s sensitivity to 

harvest. 

PARTS HARVESTED: Plant parts that are gathered by wildcrafters. 

HARVEST TIMING:	 Seasons in which plants are best harvested to minimize 

ecological impacts and still achieve good quality harvest. 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Descriptions of approaches to harvesting that should minimize 

harvest impacts and maintain or enhance wild plant populations. 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Known methods for propagating the species. 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Lists general categories of traditional uses of plants by 

indigenous people. Such use can be an indication of longstanding human experience with a plant species and possible 

additional sources of information about the plant. 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Current uses of plant products from each species which may 

include, but are not limited to, traditional uses. 
Least Sensitive to Harvest 

Curly Dock - Rumex crispus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

Dandelion - Taraxacum officinale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

Mullein - Verbascum thapsus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

Oxeye Daisy - Leucanthemum vulgare (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) . . 18 

Plantain - Plantago lanceolata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

Sheep Sorrel - Rumex acetosella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

Shepherd’s Purse - Capsella bursa-pastoris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

St. John’s Wort - Hypericum perforatum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Vervain - Verbena lasiostachys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 

Yarrow - Achillea millefolium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 
12 Least Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Curly dock, yellow dock, sour dock (fig. 2) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Rumex crispus L. 

FAMILY: Polygonaceae (Buckwheat family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Robust perennial herb, 1–5 feet tall, stout taproot, narrow straplike to arrow-shaped leaves to 12 inches long in clusters at 

base with crisp, curly edges, upper leaves smaller than below, 

stems unbranched with elongate flower clusters and densely 

packed three winged seeds that turn reddish in late summer 

REPRODUCTION: Seed 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: native to Europe; introduced to North America 

Local: common 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 9,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: All 

SOIL TYPE: Moist soils 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Meadow, woodland, forest edge 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Grasses, yarrow, mullein 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category I; Weedy, thrives on disturbance; found on 

roadsides, in moist fields, clearcuts and pastures, seasonal 

sunny drainages in dry interior habitats 

PARTS HARVESTED: Root, leaves 

HARVEST TIMING: Fall after first rain for roots; early in year for leaves 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Dig for roots in fall after plant has gone to seed; dig up roots in 

relatively dry locations—the more deep yellow color the inside 

of the root the better; pick leaves when young and tender 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Unknown 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American food and medicinal 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Herbalists suggest curly dock root be used in tea or tincture 

form to aid digestion; or applied topically for treating acne, skin 

diseases, and parasites; young leaves are an excellent source 

of iron in salads, whole plant used in dried floral arrangements 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Least Sensitive to Harvest 13 

Figure 2 —CURLY DOCK Rumex crispus buckwheat family Polygonaceae 
14 Least Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Dandelion (fig. 3) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Taraxacum officinale Wigg. 

FAMILY: Asteraceae (Sunflower family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Leaves variously toothed or lobed in rosettes, shiny green, no 

hair; flower head 1–1.5 inches wide, yellow, golden color on 

single long stem; stem hollow, milky; long thick taproot 

REPRODUCTION: Root, seed 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: native to Europe, common weed throughout N. America 

Local: common 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 10,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Flat ground preferred 

SOIL TYPE: Moist 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Meadows 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Grasses, plantain 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category I; Weedy, thrives on disturbance; common 

along roadsides, in meadows, vacant lots, lawns 

PARTS HARVESTED: Leaves, root 

HARVEST TIMING: Spring for leaves; fall for root 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Pluck leaves when young and tender, older leaves are bitter 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Can be cultivated 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American and European medicinal and food plant 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Herbalists suggest that the medicinal uses of dandelion leaf 

and root differ: dandelion leaf is an effective herbal diuretic. 

The tea can help to reduce high blood pressure and be used to 

treat urinary disorders. Dandelion root is a bitter and mild 

laxative as well as a mild diuretic; it can be used to treat jaundice 

and support kidney and liver function. The root is also used to 

reduce inflammation from allergies and in rheumatic joints; 

fresh leaves are nutritious in salads; roots yield a magenta dye. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Least Sensitive to Harvest 15 

Figure 3 —DANDELION Taraxacum officinale sunflower family Asteraceae 
16 Least Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Mullein, Woolly mullein (fig. 4) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Verbascum thapsus L. 

FAMILY: Scrophulariaceae (Figwort family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Biennial herb, 3–6 feet tall; during the first year, a basal rosette 

of thick, woolly entire leaves, during the second year a 2- to 6-

ft tall stalk shoots up, leaves decrease in size from the base to 

the top of the stalk that ends in a head of densely packed 

lemon yellow flowers, which are tubular with five lobes 

REPRODUCTION: Seed 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: native to Eurasia, now widespread in the United States 

Local: common 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 7,500 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Prefers gentle slopes to flat ground 

SOIL TYPE: Well-drained, rocky, gravelly 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Meadow, open woodland, forest edge 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Grasses, yarrow 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category I; One of the first plants to come in after 

major disturbance, especially fire; found along roadsides, in 

burns, clearcuts, young plantations, mine tailings, draw-down 

zones of reservoirs. 

PARTS HARVESTED: Leaves, flowers 

HARVEST TIMING: Leaves best before flowering; harvest flowers at peak bloom 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Harvest from plant in field; do not take whole plant for later 

leaf, flower removal, as the plant will draw in its sap to the 

stem, decreasing active compounds in leaves; leave portion of 

leaves and flowers on each plant to allow for reseeding 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Can be cultivated 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Medicinal use by Native Americans and Russians 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Herbalists recommend a medicinal tea from dried leaves, dried 

flowers to treat coughs, congestion of lungs and throat, 

especially in initial stages of infection; oil from flowers for 

earaches; roots to treat bladder weakness and to be taken as a 

urinary tract diuretic and astringent 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Least Sensitive to Harvest 17 

Figure 4 —MULLEIN Verbascum thapsus figwort family Scrophulariaceae 
18 Least Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Oxeye daisy, field daisy (fig. 5) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Leucanthemum vulgare Lam. (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum L.) 

FAMILY: Asteraceae (Sunflower family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Perennial branched herb with 1–10 stems per plant, 2–3 ft tall; 

irregularly ridged stems; alternate, widely spaced, long, narrow, 

toothed leaves; daisy flowers, 22 or more white ray flowers, 

flower head center yellow, 1- to 2.5-inch diameter; emits a 

yarrow, or chamomile-like odor when crushed 

REPRODUCTION: Primarily vegetative, creeping rootstock 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: native to Europe, cultivated in pastures, escaped to North 

America 

Local: abundant 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 6,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: All 

SOIL TYPE: Well-drained 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Meadow, open woodland 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Grasses, yarrow, mullein, St. John’s wort 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category I; Found in disturbed areas along roadsides, 

in vacant lots, fields 

PARTS HARVESTED: Flowers 

HARVEST TIMING: Best early in season; flowers early to mid June 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Clip flower heads; always leave ample flowers behind for seed 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Easy to cultivate 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Common floral 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Herbalists suggest that daisy tea helps to dry secretions 

(asthma, bronchitis), acts as an anti-fungal, antibacterial; can 

be used as a disinfecting wash in external applications; flowers 

are an active insecticide and flea repellant; cut flowers are 

marketed 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Least Sensitive to Harvest 19 

Figure 5 —OX-EYE DAISY Leucanthemum vulgare sunflower family Asteraceae 
20 Least Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Plantain, English plantain, ribwort, white man’s foot (fig. 6) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Plantago lanceolata L. 

FAMILY: Plantaginaceae (Plantain family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Perennial herb 5–15 inches tall in flower; clustered fibrous roots 

with long taproot; leaves entire or shallow lobed, lance shaped, 

parallel veined, often finely toothed, 2–6 inches long in a rosette 

around base of plant; flowers on wiry stems densely clustered 

in 0.5- to 2-inch spikes at end of stem 

REPRODUCTION: From seed and at least partially vegetative 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: native to Europe, introduced to North America, now 

widespread in United States 

Local: very common 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 4,200 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Most common on flat ground 

SOIL TYPE: Well–drained 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Meadow 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Grasses, herbs 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category I; Weedy, thrives on disturbance, enhanced 

by mowing; common in lawns, fields, pastures, along sunny 

stream banks, in sidewalk cracks; stays green even in dry 

conditions, may be important secondary food for wildlife during 

drought 

PARTS HARVESTED: Leaves and seed heads 

HARVEST TIMING: Whenever plants are green and healthy looking 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Pick by hand or clip; best to pick when flower stalk is visible 

to avoid mix-ups with potentially harmful lilies; pick seed heads 

when dry 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Can be cultivated 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American medicinal 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Herbalists use the plant as a medicinal oil, salve, wash; leaves 

anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial in poultices for burns, 

insect bites and stings; seeds used as laxative 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Least Sensitive to Harvest 21 

Figure 6 —PLANTAIN Plantago lanceolata plantain family Plantaginaceae 
22 Least Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Sheep sorrel (fig. 7) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Rumex acetosella L. 

FAMILY: Polygonaceae (Buckwheat family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Perennial herb grows 1–2 feet tall; leaves shaped like 

arrowheads 1–3 inches long; small flowers grow in dense 

clusters on several branches, reddish 

REPRODUCTION: Rootstock 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: native to Europe; now found throughout California 

Local: common 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 9,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: All 

SOIL TYPE: Moist 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Meadow 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Grasses, herbs 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category I; Found in moist disturbed areas, on 

roadsides, vacant lots, clearcuts, lawns, pastures, fields; weedy, 

rhizomes break easily, broken pieces remaining behind sprout 

anew 

PARTS HARVESTED: Whole aboveground plant 

HARVEST TIMING: Spring 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Cut plants when leaves are young and tender and seeds are 

present for positive identification. Sheep sorrel browns very 

easily, is fragile and difficult to dry 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Grows well from transplanted roots 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American food plant 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Medicinal—a common ingredient in the ESSIAC1 herbal formula 

used to treat some cancers; also a salad green, adds tart flavor. 

1Trade names and commercial products or enterprises are mentioned solely for information. No endorsement 

by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is implied. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Least Sensitive to Harvest 23 

Figure 7 —SHEEP SORREL Rumex acetosella buckwheat family 

Polygonaceae 
24 Least Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Shepherd’s purse (fig. 8) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Capsella bursa-pastoris L. (Medikcus) 

FAMILY: Brassicaceae (Mustard family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Branched annual grows 12–20 inches tall. Leaves at base are 

lobed and toothed, hairy below; leaves on stem clasp stalk and 

have pointed ear–like lobes; flowers are white, about 0.25 inch 

in size and clustered along stem; fruits are a flat triangular to 

heart–shaped “purse” divided into two parts with several seeds 

contained in each 

REPRODUCTION: Seed 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: Native to Europe, introduced to North America 

Local: common 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 7,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Most likely in flat places 

SOIL TYPE: Prefers rich, well drained soil 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Meadows 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Grasses, herbs 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category I; Common in disturbed areas such as 

meadows, fields, pastures, gardens, roadsides, burns, clearcuts, 

empty lots 

PARTS HARVESTED: Whole plant 

HARVEST TIMING: Spring, summer 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Best time to gather is when seed capsules have formed (yet 

flowers are still present) to ensure potency and positive 

identification 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Can be cultivated, very invasive 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American food plant 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Herbalists use a tincture of fresh plants to stop hemorrhaging 

such as post-partum bleeding and for treatment of urinary 

inflammations; edible fresh in salads 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Least Sensitive to Harvest 25 

Figure 8 —SHEPHERD’S PURSE Capsella bursa-pastoris mustard family Brassicaceae 
26 Least Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: St. John’s wort, Klamath weed (fig. 9) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Hypericum perforatum L. 

FAMILY: Hypericaceae (St. John’s wort family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Upright, branched perennial herb 2–3 feet tall; two edged stems, 

opposite pale green narrowly oblong leaves less than 1 inch long 

with translucent oil glands like dots embedded on leaf surface 

(hold leafup to lightto see glands);flowers yellow,with five sepals, 

five petals,many yellow stamens; flowers bruise red, stain purple; 

fruit three-celled capsule; distinctive “curry like” odor 

REPRODUCTION:	 Seed, sprouts from tap root and short runners (one creeping 

root mass may have numerous aboveground “plants”) 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: native to Europe; introduced to eastern North America, 

now found in Pacific Northwest to British Columbia, Idaho, W. 

Montana, NW. California, High Cascade Range, northern and 

central Sierra Nevada, Sacramento Valley, Central Coast, San 

Francisco Bay Area, Peninsular Ranges 

Local: common 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 4,500 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: All 

SOIL TYPE: Well-drained 

PLANT COMMUNITY:	 Meadow, open woodland, mixed conifer forest edge, open cover 

riparian 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Grasses, herbs 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category I; St. John’s wort is sun loving and found 

singly orin small clumps everywhere along roadsides, in burnedover areas, clearcuts and young plantations, grasslands, fields, 

pastures and along streams. Classified as a weedy, exotic species, 

St. John’s wort is invasive. In feed, it causes livestock to become 

sensitive to sunlight and suffer damage to their eyes and skin. A 

beetle (Chrysolina quadrigemina) and a Cinnabar moth have been 

introduced as biological controls to contain the plants’ spread; 

St. John’s wort attracts pollinators, especially bees. 

PARTS HARVESTED: Flowers, leaves, flowering tops 

HARVEST TIMING: June–August 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Cut top of stems with flowers with clippers at beginning of 

blooming; active ingredients are strongest in the bud stage well 

before flowers go to seed. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Least Sensitive to Harvest 27 

Figure 9 —ST. JOHN’S WORT Hypericum perforatum St. John’s Wort 

family Hypericaceae 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Easy to cultivate but as St. John’s wort is classified as a noxious 

weed; cultivation is not advised due to danger of further spreading. 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Widely used in European medicine 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Medicinal tea, oil, and tincture are antidepressant, antibacterial, 

antiviral, and astringent; used to lessen nerve overstimulation 

and take edge off of pain; to treat gastritis and stomach ulcers, 

oil used externally for abrasions, burns, skin ulceration, muscle, 

nerve pain; produces a yellow or red dye. 
28 Least Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Vervain (fig. 10) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Verbena lasiostachys Link. 

FAMILY: Verbenaceae (Vervain family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Upright, square stemmed, mint-like plants; 1–2 feet tall, 

branched; leaves simple, opposite up to 4 inches long, swordshaped to oval, lobed, serrated; tiny blue flowers in long spikes, 

flowering successively toward tips; not aromatic 

REPRODUCTION: Seed 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: common in tropical, subtropical, and temperate America, 

Europe 

Local: common 

ELEVATION: Below 4,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Prefers flat ground 

SOIL TYPE: Well–drained to moist 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Meadows, fields, pastures, roadsides 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Grasses, yarrow, St. John’s wort 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category II; Thrives in disturbed areas; along 

roadsides, in burns, clearcuts, asphalt cracks, streamsides 

PARTS HARVESTED: Leaves, flowers 

HARVEST TIMING: Spring, summer 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Clip plants above ground when in flower. Discard woody stems. 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Can be cultivated via root division in spring; seed in fall 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Herbalists suggest vervain tea as a sedative, diaphoretic, 

diuretic, bittertonic, antispasmodic; especially used at the onset 

of headaches, colds and flu 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Least Sensitive to Harvest 29 

Figure 10 —VERVAIN Verbena lasiostachys Vervain family Verbenaceae 
30 Least Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Yarrow, Milfoil (fig. 11) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Achillea millefolium L. 

FAMILY: Asteraceae (Sunflower family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Perennial herb, often branched, up to 3 feet tall, covered with 

silky hairs; fine, feathery, fern-like leaves; numerous tiny white 

flower heads gathered in flat topped clusters 

REPRODUCTION: From seed or via vegetative growth from short rootstock 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: broad distribution; native to Europe and North 

America. A. millefolium var. lanulosa native to North 

America, common in California and Pacific Northwest 

Local: common throughout HAMA, especially in drier areas, 

e.g. Hayfork. 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 11,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Prefers flat ground and moderate slopes 

SOIL TYPE:	 Though widespread, yarrow prefers neutral (pH 6.1), welldrained soil 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Meadow, open woodland 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Grasses, herbs, mullein, Ceanothus spp. 

SERAL STAGE: Early grass/herb/shrub 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category II; Yarrow thrives on frequently disturbed 

sites especially after fire. It is found in sunny fields, pastures, 

young forest plantations, and along roadsides. 

PARTS HARVESTED: Flower heads 

HARVEST TIMING:	 In most of the HAMA, harvest from June through September 

from lower to higher elevations 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Cut flower heads with clippers when in full bloom, leave plenty 

of heads behind for reseeding. Dry loose in shade. 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Easily cultivated from root cuttings or seed. Yarrow attracts 

beneficial insects, e.g., ladybugs and predatory wasps; may 

enhance other plants’ essential oil production when companion 

planted; can be used as a ground cover and mowed once per year 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American medicinal 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Fresh leaves and essential oil used as a topical first aid to reduce 

bleeding; medicinal tea of flower heads good for colds and used 

as a stomach tonic, to stimulate sweating in acute fevers and to 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Least Sensitive to Harvest 31 

Figure 11 —YARROW Achillea millefolium sunflower family Asteraceae 

regulate menstruation; used in cleansing lotions for skin 

(astringent); as a moth repellant; flowers for yellow dye; whole 

plant for olive dye for wool; fresh and dried cut flowers marketed. 
Moderately Sensitive to Harvest 

Elderberry - Sambucus melanocarpa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Elderberry, Blue - Sambucus mexicana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 

Horsetail, Common - Equisetum arvense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 

Horsetail, Common Scouring Rush - Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine . . . . 40 

Horsetail, Smooth Scouring Rush - Equisetum laevigatum . . . . . . . . . . . 42 

Manzanita, Greenleaf - Arctostaphylos patula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 

Manzanita, Pinemat - Arctostaphylos nevadensis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

Manzanita, Whiteleaf - Arctostaphylos viscida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

Mugwort - Artemisia douglasiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 

Self-Heal - Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

Yerba Santa - Eriodictyon californicum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 
34 Moderately Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAME: Elderberry, “Country Medicine Chest” (fig. 12) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Sambucus melanocarpa A. Gray 

FAMILY: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Deciduous, many branched 3- to 6-foot small tree, compound 

leaves with 5–7 leaflets and saw-toothed margins; creamy white 

early summer flowers in fragrant, dense dome-shaped clusters, 

blue to black berries 

REPRODUCTION: Seed 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: High Sierra to W. Canada, Utah, New Mexico, Cascade 

Ranges 

Local: found sporadically all over HAMA, more common around 

Willow Creek 

ELEVATION RANGE: 5,400–11,500 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Moderate slopes 

SOIL TYPE: Prefers potassium-rich soils (e.g., after burns) 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Mixed conifer, montane brush, sunny riparian 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Ceanothus spp. madrone, manzanita, conifers 

SERAL STAGE: Early to mid succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category III; found along streamsides, meadow or 

forest edge, in young plantations, brushfields, burns, roadsides 

several years after disturbance 

PARTS HARVESTED: Flowers, berries 

HARVEST TIMING: Flowers in summer, berries in fall 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

When harvesting, do not strip bushes, leave a significant amount 

of flowers behind to bear fruit or leave berries for wildlife 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Can be cultivated 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American food plant 

ECONOMIC USE:	 Herbalists suggest that a tea of the flowers is medicinal for 

hay fever, coughs, sore throat, cold, flu, high in Vitamin A and 

C; expectorant, diaphoretic (causes sweating to break a fever), 

mild laxative; flowers can be eaten, made into beverages, used 

for eye and skin lotions; leaves for bruises and sprains, bark 

for epilepsy, roots for lymphatic and kidney ailments; berries 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Moderately Sensitive to Harves3t 5 

Figure 12 —ELDERBERRY Sambucus melanocarpa honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae 

eaten (caution: raw berries can cause gastric upset), for jams, 

elderberry wine high in protein and iron; fruits produce green, 

violet and black dyes; brew of leaves makes an insecticide. 
36 Moderately Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAME: Blue elderberry, “Country Medicine Chest” (fig. 13) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Sambucus mexicana C. Presl. 

FAMILY: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Deciduous shrubby tree lacking a mainstem; creamy white, flat 

topped, early summer flowers with central cluster shorter than 

surrounding flowers; blue to purple berries 

REPRODUCTION: Seed 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global High Sierra to W. Canada, Utah, New Mexico, Cascade 

Ranges 

Local found all over HAMA; common around the Hayfork area 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 9,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Moderate slopes 

SOIL TYPE: Well-drained 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Forest edge, streamside, brush 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Ceanothus spp. madrone, manzanita, conifers 

SERAL STAGE: Early to mid succession, brush 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category III; Found along streamsides, meadow or 

forest edge, disturbed areas, young plantations, brushfields, 

burns, roadsides 

PARTS HARVESTED: Flowers, leaves, berries 

HARVEST TIMING: Early summer for flowers; late summer and fall for berries 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Use knife or clippers to cut flowers and berries from stem; avoid 

damaging the bush; leave plenty of flowers or berries behind. 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Can be cultivated 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American food plant 

ECONOMIC USE:	 Herbalists suggest a medicinal tea of flowers to treat hayfever, 

coughs, sore throat, colds, fever; elderberry is a blood purifier 

and mild laxative; flowers can be eaten, made into beverages, 

used for eye and skin lotions; leaves for bruises and sprains, 

bark for epilepsy, roots for lymphatic and kidney ailments; 

berries eaten (caution: berries can cause gastric upset), used 

in jams, elderberry wine; green, violet and black dyes; brew of 

leaves makes an insecticide. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Moderately Sensitive to Harves3t 7 

Figure 13 —BLUE ELDER Sambucus mexicana honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae 
38 Moderately Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Horsetail, Common horsetail (fig. 14) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Equisetum arvense L. 

FAMILY: Equisetaceae (Horsetail family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Perennial, non-flowering herb, 1–3 feet tall; above-ground shoots 

branched inwhorls, jointed sectionswith black-tipped teeth; scale

like leaves; fertile shoots unbranched, 4–10 inches with coneshaped tip from which spores are released; deep creeping roots 

REPRODUCTION: By spores held in cones on fertile shoots; rootstock 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: Asia, Europe, North America 

Local: abundant in key habitats 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 9,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Flat ground, north aspect more likely 

SOIL TYPE: Moist soils 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Riparian forest 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Spikenard, coltsfoot 

SERAL STAGE: All 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category IV; Found in moist disturbed areas along 

streams, shady springs, seeps, moist banks on roadsides; one of 

the most evolutionarily ancient plants; can be toxic to livestock 

if more than 20 percent of their feed; plants accumulate minerals 

from soil (silicates, gold, silver, selenium); Riparian Reserve 

standards must be met for harvest from public lands. 

PARTS HARVESTED: Sterile shoots, fertile shoots 

HARVEST TIMING:	 Fertile shoots for salads in spring; sterile shoots all year; 

however, for medicinal purposes always harvest early as silica 

in plants hardens and makes older shoots less soluble. They 

can become irritants. 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Cut with clippers above ground; gather from edge of healthy 

stands during dry weather, avoid trampling and compaction. 

Horsetails concentrate toxic chemicals and soil compounds, 

avoid gathering from soils rich in toxic minerals such as 

selenium and along roadsides and where herbicides have been 

applied; gather near non-polluted, clear creeks. 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Spreads by rootstock; encouraged by pruning but difficult 

to transplant 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American food and fiber 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Moderately Sensitive to Harves3t 9 

Figure 14 —COMMON HORSETAIL Equisetum arvense horsetail family Equisetaceae 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Herbalists suggest that the tea is astringent and diuretic, helps 

lung recovery from asthma, pneumonia or infections; dried plant 

topicallyapplied slows externalbleeding,healswounds,strengthens 

hair and nails; shoots and roots edible; fiber used for scouring 
40 Moderately Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAME: Horsetail, Common scouring rush (fig.15) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Equisetum hyemale L. ssp. affine (Engelm.) Calder and R.H. Taylor 

FAMILY: Equisetaceae (Horsetail family) 

DESCRIPTION:� Perennial; unbranched shoots 2–5 feet tall; 10–50 sheath teeth 

at stem joints; two dark bands on stems; cone pointed 

REGENERATION: By rootstock, spores 

DISTRIBUTION:� Global: North America, California Floristic Province (not in 

Central Valley) 

Local common in key habitat 

ELEVATION: Below 8,500 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: North aspect most likely, moderate to flat slopes 

SOIL TYPE: Moist, sandy, gravelly 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Riparian forest, wet meadow 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Umbrella plant; grasses, rushes, alder, big leaf maple 

SERAL STAGE: All 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category IV; Comparatively indifferent to 

disturbance; found along streams, springs, road banks, culverts; 

Riparian Reserve standards must be met for harvest from public 

lands 

PARTS HARVESTED : Shoots 

HARVEST TIMING: All year except early spring 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Clip shoots with clippers close to ground; select plants at the 

edge of a patch to avoid trampling 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Can be propagated with rootstock 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American food and fiber plant 

ECONOMIC USE:� Herbalists suggest that the medicinal tea is astringent and 

diuretic, helps lung recovery from asthma, pneumonia, or 

infections; applied topically, plant slows external bleeding, 

heals wounds; shoots and roots edible; fiber used for scouring. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Moderately Sensitive to Harves4t 1 

Figure 15 —COMMON SCOURING RUSH Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine horsetail family Equisetaceae 
42 Moderately Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAME: Horsetail, Smooth scouring rush (fig. 16) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Equisetum laevigatum A. Braun 

FAMILY: Equisetaceae (Horsetail family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Unbranched 1–5 feet tall; 10–50 sheath teeth at stem joints; 

shoots with one dark band at tip; cone rounded 

REPRODUCTION: Rootstock 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: California Floristic Province, Modoc Plateau, desert 

mountains to British Columbia, Canada; Eastern United States 

Local: in key habitat areas 

ELEVATION: Below 9,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Moderate to flat ground, north aspect 

SOIL TYPE: Wet to moist 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Riparian forest, wet meadow 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Umbrella plant; rush, alder, big leaf maple 

SERAL STAGE : All 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category IV; Found in moist sandy, gravelly areas; 

Riparian Reserve guidelines must be followed when harvesting 

on public land. 

PARTS HARVESTED: Sterile shoots for medicine, florals; fertile shoots for food 

HARVEST TIMING: All year 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Clip shoots with clippers close to ground; select plants at the 

edge of a patch to avoid trampling 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Can be propagated by rootstock 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American fiber used for sand paper 

ECONOMIC USE:	 Herbalists suggest that the medicinal tea is astringent and 

diuretic, helps lung recovery after damage by asthma, 

pneumonia, or infections; topically applied, plant slows external 

bleeding, heals wounds; shoots and roots edible; fiber used for 

scouring 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Moderately Sensitive to Harves4t 3 

Figure 16 —SMOOTH SCOURING RUSH Equisetum laevigatum ssp. affine horsetail family 
44 Moderately Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAME: Manzanita, Greenleaf manzanita (fig. 17) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Arctostaphylos patula E. Greene 

FAMILY: Ericaceae (Heath family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Woody shrub, growing in circles 3–9 feet tall; reddish bark; bright 

green leaves erect, alternately arranged on stem, oval, with 

smooth edges; flowers pink or white, urn-shaped, numerous; 

fruit a berry, looks like a miniature apple 

REPRODUCTION: Root sprouts, seed 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: California to Washington, Montana, Colorado, Baja Calif.: 

High North Coast Range, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San 

Gabriel, San Bernadino, San Jacinto Mts. 

Local: common throughout HAMA 

ELEVATION RANGE: 2,000–10,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: More common on south and southwest aspect 

SOIL TYPE: Rocky, dry soils 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Chaparral; open mixed conifer forest 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Ceanothus spp., conifers, oaks, tan oak, chinquapin 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession, shrub stage; immature forest 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category III; Common in sunny disturbed areas, e.g., 

recovering from a burn or clearcut logging 

PARTS HARVESTED: Leaves, berries 

HARVEST TIMING: Leaves spring to fall; berries in late summer 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Clip or pluck 15 percent or less of a plant’s leaves from all sides 

of a bush, avoid stripping individual plants; when harvesting 

berries, leave plenty behind for wildlife. 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American food and medicinal plant 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Herbalists say that the medicinal tea is astringent and 

antimicrobial. It is used to acidify urine and combat urinary tract 

infections. Avoid use during pregnancy; dried leaves used in 

herbal smoking mixtures. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Moderately Sensitive to Harves4t 5 

Figure 17 —GREENLEAF MANZANITA Arctostaphylos patula heath family Ericaceae 
46 Moderately Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAME: Manzanita, Pinemat manzanita (fig. 18) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Arctostaphylos nevadensis A. Gray 

FAMILY: Ericaceae (Heath family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Low-growing (less than 1 foot) woody shrub, forming mats or 

mounds several yards broad; leaves alternately arranged on 

stem, evergreen, almond-shaped, margins smooth without lobes; 

flowers small, pink or white, urn-shaped; berry brownish-red 

REPRODUCTION: Seed; root sprouts 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: California to Washington: Klamath Range, High North 

Coast Range, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada 

Local: common at higher elevations in HAMA area. 

ELEVATION RANGE: 2,700–9,000 feet 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Prefers sunny south/southwest aspect 

SOIL TYPE: Well-drained to rocky soils 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Mixed conifer forest 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Conifers, Ceanothus spp., other manzanitas 

SERAL STAGE:	 Early succession, shrub stage; immature forest, montane 

chaparral 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category III; This species thrives with disturbance, 

especially after fire; is commonly found in burned or clear-cut 

logged areas and young plantations. Positive identification (for 

example, by asking a botanist at the Ranger District) is 

important as some other manzanitas are rare and sensitive to 

disturbance. 

PARTS HARVESTED: Leaves 

HARVEST TIMING: Spring to late fall 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Clip or pluck 15 percent or less of a plant’s leaves from all 

sides of a bush; avoid stripping individual plants 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American food and medicinal plant 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Herbalists suggest that the medicinal tea is astringent, 

antimicrobial; mostly used to acidify urine and combat urinary 

tract infections; avoid use during pregnancy; dried leaves used 

in herbal smoking mixtures. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Moderately Sensitive to Harves4t 7 

Figure 18 —PINEMAT MANZANITA Arctostaphylos nevadensis heath family Ericaceae 
48 Moderately Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAME: Manzanita, Whiteleaf manzanita (fig. 19) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Arctostaphylos viscida C. Parry 

FAMILY: Ericaceae (Heath family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Woody shrub to small tree 3–15 ft tall; reddish bark; leaves 

alternately arranged on stem, leaves erect, oval, white to 

grayish, smooth edged; flowers pink or white, urn-shaped, 

numerous; fruit, flower stem sticky; fruit a berry resembling a 

tiny apple 

REGENERATION: Seed 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: Pacific Northwest, Cascade Range Foothills, Sierra 

Nevada, southwestern Oregon 

Local: common, especially in blue oak, gray pine woodland 

ELEVATION: 500–5,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Most likely found on south- and southwest-facing slopes 

SOIL TYPE: Rocky, dry soils 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Chaparral, woodland, open mixed conifer 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession, shrub stage 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Pine, oak, Ceanothus spp. 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category III; Common in sunny disturbed areas, e.g., 

recovering from a burn or clear-cut logging 

PARTS HARVESTED: Berries, leaves 

HARVEST TIMING: Berries in later summer; leaves spring to fall 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Clip or pluck 15 percent or less of a plant’s leaves from all 

sides of a bush, avoid stripping individual plants 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American food and medicinal plant 

ECONOMIC USE:	 Herbalists suggest that the medicinal tea is astringent and 

antimicrobial; used to acidify urine and to combat urinary tract 

infections; avoid use during pregnancy; dried leaves used in 

herbal smoking mixtures. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Moderately Sensitive to Harves4t 9 

Figure 19 —WHITELEAF MANZANITA Arctostaphylos viscida heath family Ericaceae 
50 Moderately Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAME: Mugwort, Western mugwort (fig. 20) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Artemisia douglasiana Besser 

FAMILY: Asteraceae (Compositae, Sunflower family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Perennial herb, sometimes with woody base 2–5 feet tall, grows 

in colonies of unbranched leafy stems from same rootstock; 

leaves lance-shaped, several times longer than wide at top of 

stems, often toothed at tips; sometimes leaves at base of plant 

are lobed, smooth green gray above; densely fuzzy, whitish, 

silvery below; sage-scented; small inconspicuous flowers on 

spikes 

REPRODUCTION: By rootstock and seed 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: California to Washington, Idaho, Baja California 

Local: common 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 6,600 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: More likely found on flat or moderately sloped ground 

SOIL TYPE: Prefers moist soil, will grow in dry, sandy, gravelly soil 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Forest edge; riparian zone 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: St. John’s wort, grasses, sweet clover 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category III; Thrives in disturbed areas with some 

moisture (stream banks, roadsides) and partial shade 

PARTS HARVESTED: Leaves, small stems, tops, flowers 

HARVEST WINDOW: Summer and fall 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Clip stems near ground level; avoid trampling and compacting 

surrounding plants and soil; leave plenty of stems behind 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Easy to grow 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American medicinal plant 

ECONOMIC USE:	 Herbalists suggest use of medicinal tea for digestion, 

gastrointestinal problems; depression, nervous tension and 

as a wash to relieve rash from poison oak; dried plant used in 

dream pillows; insect repellant, used as a biological control in 

gardens 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Moderately Sensitive to Harves5t 1 

Figure 20 —MUGWORT Artemisia douglasiana sunflower family Asteraceae 
52 Moderately Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Self heal, all heal (fig. 21) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Prunella vulgaris L. var. lanceolata (Barton) Fern. 

FAMILY: Lamiaceae (Mint family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Perennial herb up to 10 inches tall, erect square stems, opposite, 

paired leaves, 1–2 inches long, oval,to sword-shaped tip, wedgeshaped base, long leaf stems; flowers in whorled clusters, flower 

center dark green to purplish, petals bluish violet or pink, white; 

no odor 

REPRODUCTION: Rootstock, seed 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: Eurasia, East Asia, N. America, California Floristic 

Province 

Local: common 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 7,500 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: More likely in flat areas 

SOIL TYPE: Rich soils 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Moist areas in coniferous forest, woodlands, riparian areas 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Other mints, clovers, grasses, plantain 

SERAL STAGE: Early succession 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category III; Prefers 50 percent or more shade, moist 

areas; concentrates lead compounds and other pollutants, avoid 

gathering from roadsides; can be invasive. Likely to be in 

Riparian Reserve areas, follow land manager guidelines 

regarding streamside gathering. 

PARTS HARVESTED: Leaves, flower heads, stems 

HARVEST TIMING: During flowering, late spring, summer 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Cut plants at ground level; avoid pulling which can damage 

roots; gather at edge of large stands, avoid trampling and 

compacting soil. 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Can be cultivated by root cuttings 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American medicinal 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Medicinal tea is gentle for fevers, sore throats; a poultice is 

said to sooth bleeding gums and act as anti-inflammatory first 

aid on fresh wounds. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Moderately Sensitive to Harves5t 3 

Figure 21 —SELF HEAL Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata mint family Lamiaceae 
54 Moderately Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Yerba santa, mountain balm (fig. 22) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Eriodictyon californicum (Hook. & Arn.) Torrey 

FAMILY: Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf family) 

DESCRIPTION:� Perennial woody shrub with shredding bark, 2–9 ft tall; simple, 

alternate, leathery leaves lance-shaped to oblong, smooth to 

toothed edges, 1.5–5 inches long and less than 1 inch wide; 

twigs and leaves sticky, especially in late summer; white to 

blue or purple flowers at top end of stems in small clusters, 

tubular or bell-shaped; small black seeds 

REPRODUCTION: Seed 

DISTRIBUTION:� Global: Northwest California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, 

Great Central Valley, Central Western California and Oregon 

Local: common in key habitat 

ELEVATION RANGE: 150–6,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: South to southwest aspect; moderate to steep slopes 

SOIL TYPE:� Moderately deep, well-drained, heavy to gravelly sandy loam, 

slightly acid, especially Parrish and Neuns family soils 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Montane chaparral and woodland 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Buck brush, manzanita, chamise, gray pine 

SERAL STAGE: Early, brush 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category III; Thrives on disturbed ground; grows best 

along roadside slopes and on edges of hillsides covered with 

chamise or buck brush; sprouts from rootstock after disturbance 

PARTS HARVESTED: Leaves 

HARVEST TIMING:� Afterflowering, summerinto fall, when leaves begin to be tacky 

but are still green 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Locate healthy stand; pluck individual leaves or clip tops from 

vigorous stems; take no more than 25 percent of the leaves 

from no more than 25 percent of the plants in a patch 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Sowseedin early springorfallin sandy soilunderdry sunnyconditions 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American medicinal plant 

ECONOMIC USES:� Medicinal tea and tincture are decongestant (slows secretions 

from lungs and nasal passages) and expectorant (relieves 

coughing); herbal smoking mixture. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Moderately Sensitive to Harves5t 5 

Figure 22 —YERBA SANTA Eriodictyon californicum waterleaf family Hydrophyllaceae 
Sensitive to Harvest 

Coltsfoot, Western - Petasites frigidus var. palmatus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 

Oregon Grape - Berberis nervosa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 

Prince’s Pine - Chimaphila umbellata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 
58 Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Coltsfoot, butterbur, coughwort (fig. 23) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Petasites frigidus L. Fries var. palmatus (Aiton) Cronq. 

FAMILY: Asteraceae (Sunflower family, Compositae) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Perennial herb; large leaves 3–15 inches wide on 1- to 2.5-ft 

stalks; leaves simple, palm-shaped with lobes, dark green on 

top, whitish and hairy below; flowers emerge long before leaves 

in flat-topped clusters, purplish white on 3- to 18-inch stalks 

emerging from partially exposed roots; flowers with strong 

vanilla scent; coltsfoot may be mistaken for a very common 

similar-looking plant, Indian rhubarb/umbrella plant (Darmera 

peltata) which has large round to funnel-shaped leaves attached 

at the base from the center of the leaf 

REPRODUCTION: Rootstock 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: Northwestern and northwest central California, 

Arkansas, northeastern United States 

Local: restricted to specified habitats; common in low-elevation 

drainages on South Fork Mountain and Willow Creek Area 

ELEVATION RANGE: To 2,500 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: Most likely in north, northeast aspect 

SOIL TYPE: Wet 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Riparian forest 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: California spikenard, ferns, Douglas-fir, big leaf maple 

SERAL STAGE: Late seral 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category V; Coltsfoot is found along moist, shaded 

streamsides and in canyons in late seral mixed conifer and 

Douglas-fir–dominated forest at low elevations. Riparian 

Reserve regulations must be followed when harvesting 

coltsfoot. It is not abundant in the higher and/or drier areas of 

the AMA (Hayfork, Platina, Weaverville) and should not be 

harvested in commercial quantities there. 

PARTS HARVESTED: Leaves 

HARVEST TIMING: Leaves in summer; roots in spring 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Cut leaves at the base of stalk; cut from edges of stands, avoid 

trampling roots. To harvest roots, dig carefully around root and 

cut with a knife to minimize disturbance to adjacent rootstock. 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Unknown 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Sensitive to Harvest 59 

Figure 23 —WESTERN COLTSFOOT Petasites frigidus var. palmatus sunflower family Asteraceae 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American medicinal 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Medicinal tea and tincture from leaves are said to slow spasms 

that cause coughing, and soothe sore throats, chest colds, and 

stomach cramps; poultices ofroots and leaves applied topically 

reduce inflammation and pain from sprains, bumps. 
60 Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAMES: Oregon grape (fig. 24) 

BOTANICAL NAME: Berberis nervosa Pursh. 

FAMILY: Berberidaceae (Barberry family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Native evergreen low-growing shrub; leaves divided into 9–19 

paired, shiny, holly-like leaflets with spiny margins; leaves often 

growing in pairs or as triplets from rootstock; yellow flowers 

in clusters; dark blue berries 

REPRODUCTION: From rootstock 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global: Calif. South Coast Region to San Francisco Bay Area, 

north to British Columbia, Canada, Idaho 

Local: fairly abundant in key habitat areas in HAMA 

ELEVATION RANGE: Below 6,000 ft 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: More likely on moderate north-facing slopes 

SOIL TYPE: Deep, well-drained 

PLANT COMMUNITY: Coniferous forest 

SERAL STAGE:	 Mid-mature to mature closed canopy forest understory, shady 

north slopes, canyons 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, prince’s pine, white-veined shinleaf 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category V; found primarily in late seral forest on 

South Fork Mountain or in Willow Creek area; slow-growing 

plant, larger stands not very common in drier Eastern areas of 

HAMA, should not be gathered in commercial quantities there 

because overharvesting is possible. 

PARTS HARVESTED:	 Foliage, roots (the lower stem from the lowest leaves down 

considered “aboveground root” for medicinal purposes) 

HARVEST TIMING: Roots: fall, winter, spring; foliage: summer, fall 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHODS: 

Harvest from moister areas of HAMA (e.g. South Fork 

Mountain; Willow Creek areas). Harvest from edges of stands 

to avoid compacting and trampling soil. Leave berries for wildlife 

(one of the last berries available before winter). Hold main stem 

and pull slowly upward. Rootstock will begin to emerge. Pull 

to about 1-ft length and clip off (this leaves secondary roots 

behind to grow into new plants). Washed roots should be 

chopped while still fresh; dry roots become very hard to process. 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Difficult but possible from seed; rhizome can be transplanted, 

cuttings work well. 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Sensitive to Harvest 61 

Figure 24 —OREGON GRAPE Berberis nervosa barberry family Berberidaceae 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American medicinal 

ECONOMIC USE:	 Medicinal tea, tincture used forliver ailments and as a digestive 

tonic. Leaves are used topically in salves, oils and dusting 

powders as an antibacterial, antimicrobial; edible berries; yellow 

dye; floral green 
62 Sensitive to Harvest USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

COMMON NAME: Prince’s pine, pipsissewa (fig. 25) 

BOTANICAL NAME:	 Chimaphila umbellata L. (Bartram) var. occidentalis (Rydb.) S.F. 

Blake 

FAMILY: Ericaceae (Heath family) 

DESCRIPTION:	 Native evergreen, understory perennial, 4–12 inches tall; long, 

partially buried woody stems, leathery whorled 2- to 5-inch dark 

green leaves, several times longer than wide, toothed; 5–15 

waxy pink flowers in a cluster on a 2- to 4-inch stalk at the end 

of stem or as a side branch; fruit is a small round capsule with 

many tiny seeds. 

REPRODUCTION: Seed, rootstock 

DISTRIBUTION:	 Global:CentralAmerica,SouthernCalif. north toBritishColumbia, 

easttoMichigan,Montana; KlamathRanges,NorthCoastRanges, 

High Cascade Range, High Sierra Nevada, South Coast Ranges, 

San Bernardino, San Gabriel Mts., Peninsular Ranges 

Local: not common in HAMA; but frequently found in patches 

in specified habitat types. 

ELEVATION RANGE: 900–8,500 ft. 

SLOPE AND ASPECT: North-facing slopes most likely 

SOIL TYPE: Well-drained to sandy, acid, spongy soil 

PLANT COMMUNITY:	 Medium moist to dry coniferous forest understory, often in 

drainages 

ASSOCIATED SPECIES: Conifers, Oregon grape, white veined shinleaf 

SERAL STAGE: Mature closed canopy forest, old growth 

SPECIAL HABITATS, ECOLOGICAL FEATURES, AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS: 

Sensitivity Category V; occurs in forest with at least 50 percent 

shade, on undisturbed ground, with considerable duff, twigs, 

and leaf litter; grows slowly, especially in dry years; potential 

for overharvesting 

PARTS HARVESTED: New growth on above-ground plant 

HARVEST WINDOW: Early fall, after seeds have been produced 

SUGGESTED HARVEST METHOD: 

Clip new shoots off above-ground with clippers; avoid lifting 

rhizomes out of soil.Harvestin dry weatherfromedge of healthy 

stands. Avoid trampling and compaction.Harvest conservatively 

and rotate harvest areas. Leave seeds to regenerate. 

SUITABILITY FOR CULTIVATION: 

Difficult. Seeds are tiny; research trials underway 
USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. Sensitive to Harvest 63 

Figure 25 —PRINCE’S PINE Chimaphila umbellata wintergreen family Pyrolaceae 

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: 

Native American medicinal 

ECONOMIC USES:	 Medicinal tea and tincture are astringent, disinfectant, diuretic 

especially used for kidney ailments, arthritis and rheumatic 

pains; flavoring for root beer 
64 USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-162. 1997. 

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