[MPWG] Fw: Pink Lady's Slipper cultivation
David Lincicome
David.Lincicome at state.tn.us
Fri Apr 27 16:03:15 CDT 2007
This recent thesis is a good overview of Cypripedium cultivation.
http://ex-epsilon.slu.se/archive/00001453/01/Cypripedium,_R%C3%A4nnb%C3%A4ck_070126.pdf
Nonetheless, I don't think it provides an answer to the posted C.
acaule question.
David Lincicome
>>> MoonBranch Botanicals <moonbranch at earthlink.net> 04/27/07 1:31 PM
>>>
Hello All, thanks for the engaging dialogue. At least now I won't have
to go into any policy charged diatribe as Bob and Tony have done an
excellent job there for us. Tony, I know now you've been hanging out
with me for too long....
Anyway, I'll address here now what little I know about pink lady's
slipper and it's place in the forest community. Apparently it is
speculated that this plant does require a symbiotic relationship with a
soil microbe or fungi to live and thrive. I'm not sure that anyone knows
what specific fungi or group of organisms play a role here. I suspect
this type of "inter-plant" relationship is far more common and complex
than we understand. At any rate from what I've heard and based on what I
have observed in the woods, pink lady's slipper is generally associated
in mixed hardwood and "yellow" or "hard" pine stands (at least in my
locale). It is speculated that the fungi or other microbes associated
with pink lady's slipper is also associated with "yellow" pines. Hence,
no pines, no microbes, no lady's slipper. An oversimplification, no
doubt.
I don't know if there is any hard reseach out there to support this, or
who would pay for it if it wasn't. Maybe we could tie lady's slipper to
Homeland Security or something....
So, without going much further , the simple question originally posed
requires a complex and somewhat tedious reply. If you did know what
species of fungi was required, where would you get it (Microbes R Us)?
And without the pines as a co-symbiot, the cultivation endeavor would be
short lived.
This example might be a "poster child" to illustrate the importance of
plant communities and biodiversity. This of course underscores what Mr.
Hayes has spoken to in terms of development. No doubt about it though,
if we destroy enough, one day we will know everything, then what....
Robin
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Beyfuss
Sent: Apr 27, 2007 9:50 AM
To: Tony Hayes , Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov,
mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org
Subject: Re: [MPWG] Fw: Pink Lady's Slipper cultivation
Hello Everyone,
I am pleased to see that some folks are interested in cultivation of
plants that are in demand. It seems to me that this is perhaps the most
important conservation tool but it is too often overlooked in lieu of
making regulations. The problems with regulations, as written or defined
by agencies such as CITES or US Fish and Wildlife or local Natural
Resources agencies is that they are
1.Not always appropriate in every situation. It is hard to design
regulations in Washington that address the needs of plant communities
across their range. One size does not fit all when dealing with plant
communities that range from Georgia to Maine and west to Minnesota for
example.
2. Regulations are virtually impossible to enforce in the real world.
There are not nearly enough "Plant police" ie. conservation officers,
game wardens, forest rangers etc to even begin to enforce all the
regulations and many of them do not consider these issues a priority
compared to their other responsibilities. The result is that
conscientious people who obey the rules will do so but less civic minded
people will not.
3. Regulations ignore fundamental laws of supply and demand. In the
case of American ginseng, for example, restricting the legal harvest
reduces supply while demand remains constant or even increases as
consumers become more affluent. The inevitable result is that prices go
up and this in turn encourages much more illegal harvest from the
poachers who ignore the unenforceable regulations to begin with.
4. Regulations are often based on incomplete or erroneous d
ata. No one
really knows exactly how much of any given plant resource actually
exists in the wild. Organizations such as Nature Serve have been proven
to be seriously incorrect in their assessment of the status of ginseng
in states such as Kentucky and NY. Nature Serve's classification of
ginseng in KY lists it as having a total of perhaps 13,000 wild plants
statewide and this data has been cited by US Fish and Wildlife as cause
for concern. At the same time US Fish and Wildlife has certified for
export an average of more than 5 million legally harvested wild ginseng
roots annually in KY? Massive errors such as this make most people
question the overall credibility of such agencies.
5. Regulations overlook the positive role that many harvesters have
played in preserving wild populations. Ginseng has been responsibly
stewarded for generations by rural people in Appalachia. It is likely
that absent this positive intervention many more populations would have
disappeared. Limiting or restricting harvest activities also reduces
their positive role in stewardship.
6. Regulations are rarely evaluated to see if they are indeed working
as intended. Have the regulations imposed on the harvest of ginseng and
goldenseal actually resulted in populations rebounding across the range
of the plant? Is there any data to support the assumption that they have
in the broad scale? Do most regulations contain evaluation provisions?
If not, they not be instated in the first place.
Personally I would much prefer that natural Resource agencies would
focus much more effort on cultivation of at risk plants. This seems to
me the most positive approach. If cultivated plants can replace wild
plants in the marketplace, wild populations will be at far less risk
than current policies dictate.
Bob Beyfuss
Patricia has made a good point in reminding us that the initial post
requested info specific to cultivation and not regulatory listing.
While I am not aware of which Fungal mycelia is essential for the
survival of C. acaule under cultivation, I understood from the grower I
referenced that pollination was his biggest hurdle. To imitate a
specific wasp he used cotton tip swabs to transfer pollen between
individuals.
Also levels of decaying matter on the forest floor increased at a
higher than normal rate during the site manipulation and enhancement
studies carried on in Quebec. Basically evergreen tree thinning and
mulch mowing where the two main tools used on the test site with the
largest population increase of C. acaule.
My personal observations in the wild have shown me a common
relationship with evergreen trees and their decaying barks. My guess is
someone has already tested soil samples taken from within native
populations for microbials, etc. and hopefully we can all get a chance
to learn about it.
Many of you may have noticed that I very rarely respond to these
postings even though I review them regularly. I have been monitoring the
MPWG list serve for a good while with many thanks to you all for your
participation. I must admit this particular situation struck a nerve of
mine.
As to references for habitat destruction and effect on medicinal plants
I will first refer to reports given last November during an American
Ginseng workshop sponsored by the KY Dept. Ag. and concerning loss of
habitat through development as the largest single reason for loss of
test plots during the State sponsored multi year monitoring program. I
assume these findings are reported periodically to FWS/OSA and are on
file.
Here is an article many of us read just last week on Mountain Top
removal www.usatoday .com/news/nation/2007-04-18-mines_N.htm
I want to put in a plug for Appalachian Voices here in Boone, NC so
please check out www.ilovemountains.org/multimedia for a better idea of
what's going on in, or should I say coming off our mountains?
Best regards,
Tony
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov wrote:
Hi Tony!
Thanks for your message. I just want to clarify that Gary
is asking
about cultivation information. This e-mail was not an announcement of
listing action.
The "article" below is an excerpt from the "Plants" button on the MPWG
website (which is called Green Medicine,
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>). The information is a bit dated as it
was written a few years back and I hope that we can soon update it.
According to the NatureServe website (
http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/), which is an important source of
information for the federal government, the global status of this
species is secure.
U.S. & Canada State/Province Status
United States Alabama (S3), Connecticut (SNR), Delaware (S5), District
of Columbia (SNR), Georgia (S4), Illinois (S1), Indiana (S3), Kentucky
(S4), Maine (SNR), Maryland (SNR), Massachusetts (SNR), Michigan (SNR),
Minnesota (SNR), New Hampshire (SNR), New Jersey (S4), New York (S4),
North Carolina (S5), Ohio (SNR), Pennsylvania (SNR), Rhode Island (S4),
South Carolina (SNR), Tennessee (S4), Vermont (SNR), Virginia (S5), West
Virginia (S5), Wisconsin (SNR)
Canada Alberta (S3), Labrador (SU), Manitoba (S4), New Brunswick
(S4S5), Newfoundland Island (S4), Northwest Territories (SNR), Nova
Scotia (S5), Ontario (S5), Prince Edward Island (S5), Quebec (S5),
Saskatchewan (S4?)
It's important to be cautious in using this information as it is not
complete about this information as it is not complete (State-by-state
status varies from no information to secure) and may not have been
updated recently (the status hasn't changed since 1984; the status was
reviewed in 2002). But, it's important to note the listing in Appendix
II of CITES makes it illegal to export without a permit - not illegal to
export.
I think you are absolutely right that issues such as fair trade,
community forestry, sustainable livelihoods should not be thought of as
something you do abroad. Our country needs to be more introspective, we
need to stop sending our graduate students overseas to do their
research, we need to have more US-based development/funding programs
that facilitate opportunities for value-added medicinal plant products
WITHIN the regions that they are harvested, we need to do a better job
of tracking and accounting for the monetary value of medicinal plants to
our economies and livelihoods, we need to value the harvesters and the
products a lot more than we do.
Unfortunately, I don't have the time to pull something together, but
would I'd be interested in seeing more information on the effect of
habitat destruction on medcinal plants - are you aware of any recent
information or analysis that could serve as a starting point?
Thank you,
-Patricia
Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
Arlington, VA 22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural
resources.
< www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>
Tony Hayes <herbalogic at yahoo.com>
04/25/2007 11:28 PM
To
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov, mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org
cc
Subject
Re: [MPWG] Fw: Pink Lady's Slipper cultivation
I am reminded of the fiasco we had back in the eighties when FWS and
CITES decided to list this and other Orchid species under Appendix II.
The federal register came out with the OSA finding and suddenly a few
States including Georgia over reacted and immediately forbid any legal
trade in these plants.
Ironically there was a very successful cultivation of C. acaule going
on in North Georgia until it became illegal to sell the plant material
due to the plants CITES listing and the States reaction to same.
The company I worked for at the time had old Lady Slipper stock that
was grandfathered so we applied for and received an export permit but
our customer in Germany had to apply for an import permit and it was not
issued until after our original permit expi
red and we were not allowed
to renew so we moved it out bit by bit domestically over a long period
of time.
We basically gave up on producing it in the US. Then I got involved
with a group in Quebec that did some timber thinning and other minimal
site manipulation that lead to increased populations of this and some
other targeted understory species back in the nineties but it didn't pay
off either.
Now as stated below in the " Greeen Machine" article there is a very
limited commercial market demand for "poor man's Valerian". It's hard
enough to make a living growing V. officinalis in this country, anyway
that's another story.
I just returned from another road trip today to pick up a few roots.
Got up at 5:30 AM and back home around 8:30 PM after driving through the
Appalachians. It is obvious that clear cutting timber for strip mining,
shopping centers, multi-lane highways and worst of all mountain top
removal among other development is depleting our habitat and destroying
more flora than we can imagine.
I can supply seed or cuttings for many at risk species but they can't
make it on asphalt and concrete.
I would ask our Public officials and CITES representatives to consider
looking more at the large natural resource corporations and developers
instead of the lower income rural families to solve this dilemma.
Listing species on CITES is not a silver bullet to saving them from a
few diggers as a matter of fact if they were not recognized by a few for
there potential they would probably not be as prolific as they are in
many cases.
Industry and consumers need to understand that "Fair Trade" needs to
apply not only to "3rd world" and "developing economies" but to rural
Appalachia and other rural parts of North America as well. Maybe if we
consider this going forward a few poor folks in Southern Appalachia can
cultivate these plants legally and profitably once again as they did
before some well meaning person in a glass cage with a degree and a
computer came along and fixed it for them.
Best regards,
Tony
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov wrote:
Forwarding a question from someone about Pink Lady's Slipper
cultivation.
Please respond directly to Gary Crivellone: <gary1star at comcast.net>
----- Forwarded by Patricia De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 04/25/2007
01:38 PM -----
"Pacific Federal Resources /Gary Crivellone" <gary1star at comcast.net>
04/23/2007 04:29 PM
To
<Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov>
cc
Subject
Pink Lady's Slipper
Patricia
Green Medicine published this incomplete info on pink ladyÃ*â*â*s
Slipper. What I am looking for is what fungal mycelia is required for
the cultivation.
If you could be of assistance.
THANKS
GARY CRIVELLONE
Pink Lady's Slipper
Photo Copyright 2000 www.stevenfoster.com
(Cypripedium acaule)
Pink lady's slipper is a large, showy wildflower belonging to the
orchid family. The root of lady's slipper has traditionally been used as
a remedy for nervousness, tooth pain, and muscle spasms. In the 1800's
and 1900's it (and other species of the genus) were widely used as a
substitute for the European plant valerian (also a sedative).
Because this plant has an extremely long life cycle, taking many years
to go from seed to mature, seed-bearing plant, and because it will grow
only in very specific circumstances, the harvest of wild lady's slipper
root is often not sustainable. Cultivation is challenging, and the plant
has not been widely grown for the medicinal herb market. Cypripedium,
along with other orchid species, is listed in Appendix II of CITES,
making it illegal to export any part of the plant without a permit. In
1988, the American Herbal Products Association issued a self-regulatory
initiative for its members requiring them to refrain from trade in
wild-harvested Cypripedium.
Today, there are only a few companies selling lady's slipper or
products containing lady's slipper. The plant is still occasionally
gathered from the wild for private use by
individuals, and is sometimes
picked as an ornamental. Perhaps the greatest threat to this plant,
however, is habitat loss, since it grows only in a very selective
habitat
Cultivation: Pink lady's slipper grows in calcium-containing soils, in
forested areas. It has thus far proven nearly impossible to cultivate in
a way that would make it feasible as a cash crop. It requires that
certain fungal mycelia be present in the soil, so it is almost necessary
to grow it in a forested area which either does contain wild lady's
slipper, or is at least the type of environment where it is normally
found. Usually this means a wet forest area, with dappled shade. Success
has been reported in growing lady's slippers in a controlled laboratory
environment, but the cost of this generally makes it unprofitable as a
medicinal herb.
_______________________________________________
PCA's Medicinal Plant Working Group mailing list
MPWG at lists.plantconservation.org
http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org
To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to
MPWG-request at lists.plantconservation.org with the word "unsubscribe" in
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Disclaimer
Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc.
reflects ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The
information contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a
substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific
medical condition or question. All medical and other healthcare
information that is discussed on this list should be carefully reviewed
by the individual reader and their qualified healthcare professional.
Posts do not reflect any official opinions or positions of the Plant
Conservation Alliance.
Anthony J. Hayes, President
Ridge Runner Trading Company, Inc.
P.O. Box 391
Boone, NC 28607
PH: 828.264.3615
FX: 828.262.3605
herbalogic at yahoo.com
_______________________________________________
PCA's Medicinal Plant Working Group mailing list
MPWG at lists.plantconservation.org
http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org
To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to
MPWG-request at lists.plantconservation.org with the word "unsubscribe" in
the subject line.
Disclaimer
Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc.
reflects ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The
information contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a
substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific
medical condition or question. All medical and other healthcare
information that is discussed on this list should be carefully reviewed
by the individual reader and their qualified healthcare professional.
Posts do not reflect any official opinions or positions of the Plant
Conservation Alliance.
Anthony J. Hayes, President Ridge Runner Trading Company, Inc. P.O. Box
391 Boone, NC 28607 PH: 828.264.3615 FX: 828.262.3605
herbalogic at yahoo.com
_______________________________________________
PCA's Medicinal Plant Working Group mailing list
MPWG at lists.plantconservation.org
http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/mpwg_lists.plantconservation.org
To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to
MPWG-request at lists.plantconservation.org with the word "unsubscribe" in
the subject line.
Disclaimer
Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc.
reflects ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The
information contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a
substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific
medical condition or question. All medical and other healthcare
information that is discussed on this list should be carefully reviewed
by the individual reader and their qualified healthcare professional.
Posts do not reflect any official opinions or positio
ns of the Plant
Conservation Alliance.
Robin Alton SuggsMoonBranch Botanicals5294 Yellow Creek
RoadRobbinsville, North Carolina 28771 USATelephone:
828.479.2788moonbranch at earthlink.netwww.moonbranch.comMember:American
Herbalist GuildCo-op America Green Products Alliance National Network of
Forest PractitionersNorth Carolina Consortium on Natural Medicines North
Carolina Goodness Grows/NCDA&CS North Carolina Natural Products
AssociationSouthwestern North Carolina RC&D CouncilUnited Plant Savers
"We have no choice but to respect that which sustains us."
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