Black Cohosh - Non-Timber Forest Products

McGraw and others (2003) evaluated natural areas in northcentral West
Virginia using habitat suitability models based on ecological characteristics
of known populations. The population models indicated a large potential
niche for black cohosh, but many factors limit the actual occurrence of the
species. These include slow recovery after harvest, reproduction limitations,
and increasing harvest due to market demand.
Vegetative reproduction is by regrowth of buds from underground rhizomes.
Mature plants also produce seeds. Across the range, seed set can begin as
early as June and continue well into August. Seeds require a warm period
to break radicle dormancy and a cold period to break epicotyl dormancy
(Baskin and Baskin 1985, Strauch 1995). Under normal conditions,
complete germination (both radicle and epicotyl) can occur in 6 months.
However, if seeds are sown after temperatures have dropped in late autumn,
radicle emergence will be delayed until after summer the following year
(complete germination in 18 months). Cotyledons do not emerge until after
radicles have broken dormancy (Baskin and Baskin 1985).
Black cohosh has not been cultivated on any large scale (Miller 1988), and
most of what is grown is for landscape use (Blakley and Renaud 1999).
The main source of black cohosh rhizomes for the medicinal herb industry
is wildcrafting (see the section Wild Harvest). As demand increases,
there is an increasing interest in cultivation as a means to conserve wild
resources (Popp and others 2003). Several groups are conducting research
on germination and cultivation requirements, pest and disease problems, and
cost/yield assessments for large-scale production (Adam 2002, Blakley and
Renaud 1999, Popp and others 2003, Thomas and others 2001).
Medicinal Uses
Historical
Black cohosh was widely used by Native Americans, mainly as a treatment
for various female conditions and for rheumatism, but also for malaria,
general malaise, kidney malfunctioning, sore throat, childbirth, and
snakebite (American Botanical Council 2002, Foster 2000, Foster and Duke
2000, Moerman 1999). Common names that denote these early uses include
“snakeroot,” “black snakeroot,” and “squawroot” (Foster 2000, Grieve
1931). Early European settlers and eclectic physicians learned of these uses
and incorporated them into their own medicinal practices, and also used
the roots as a treatment for smallpox or chorea (Cook 1869, Ellingwood
1919, Felter 1922, Felter and Lloyd 1898, Petersen 1905, Potter 1902).
Black cohosh was the principal ingredient in Lydia Pinkham’s Vegetable
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