For most Americans, when you mention medicinal herbs, goldenseal is one of the first herbs that comes to mind. Goldenseal has gotten a tremendous amount of attention in the last few years from the mainstream press and from commercial herb enterprises. The bright yellow roots of goldenseal are one of the most widely consumed products sold through health and natural food stores. This once abundant North American herb originally found in rich woods from Vermont to Minnesota south to Georgia and Arkansas, and as far west as Nebraska is now rare or extinct in many places due to overcollecting. Goldenseal in fruit.
Leaves are large and wrinkled.
There are usually 2 leaves on each forked branch, one leaf larger than the other, each rounded, with 5-7 double toothed lobes. A single terminal flower has three whitish sepals which is short lived. The fruit is a small red raspberry-like fruit. Goldenseal is difficult to cultivate. The plant grows in colonies and flowers in April and May. Individual plants have 1-2 leaves.