The Response to Harvest of Osha, Ligusticum porteri, an important medicinal plant of the Southwest U.S.

Osha is an important medicinal plant to Native Americans and Hispanics in the Southwest and Mexico.  There are concerns about its over-harvest, as the roots are used for medicine and this plant only occurs in moist, high elevation habitats below tree line in the Rocky and Sierra Madre Mountains.  Our team conducted research to locate larger populations in Colorado and New Mexico, and we conducted detailed plot sampling to estimate populations and understand its response to harvest in the Rio Grande National Forest in Colorado.  We found substantial populations, many of several hectares. Our data also indicated that forest and meadow sites differed in population sizes and root production, and that over 65% of holes with harvested roots produced re-sprouts.  Harvest patterns and future demand of this herbal product remain important considerations for future sustainability of harvest, particularly because this species is difficult to propagate and cultivate on any scale.