BLUE COHOSH
Other Common Names Include:
Blue ginseng, papoose root, squaw root
Latin Name: Caulophyllum thalictroides
Plant Family: Berberidaceae
Close Relatives: Barberry, mayapple
Uses and Markets: Medicinal (e.g. rhizomes and roots are used primarily to treat women’s health issues)
Production Life Cycle in Ontario
Perennial
Hardiness Zone
4
Special Notes
Blue cohosh is a forest herb, and therefore requires conditions that mimic a forest floor including shading and mulch. The cultivation requirements of blue cohosh have not been scientifically evaluated and should be used only as guides. Establish on raised beds similar to ginseng production.
Propagation method
Most commonly by rhizome cuttings or direct seeding.
Greenhouse Seeding/Propagation Dates
N/A
Field Seeding Date:
Late summer to fall. Fresh blue cohosh seeds that are immediately sown will have some germination the following spring. Seeds that do not germinate the first spring will germinate the following spring or even a year later. Harvest seeds when the blue berries are ripe in late summer.
Field Transplanting Dates
Early fall or spring.
In-row spacing
30-60 cm
Between row spacing
50-80 cm
Optimal Soil temperature at planting
N/A
Fertility
No current Ontario fertility recommendations exist. Research and recommendations from outside Ontario do not necessarily apply to Ontario growing conditions. Research has not been conducted into the nitrogen requirements of blue cohosh. Click here for phosphorus and potassium application guidelines and for more information on specialty crop fertility.
Soil type
Moist, well-drained soils with high organic matter; will not survive in saturated soils.
Soil pH
5.0-7.0
Special requirements for growth habit
Shade – requires 75 to 80% shade; requires a mulch, usually straw or leaves, to a depth of 5-10 cm.
Optimal Temperature Range
20-25°C
Temperature sensitivity
Freeze tolerant.
Irrigation requirements
Irrigation is required under normal Ontario conditions. Plants should not be allowed to dry out.
Days to harvest
4-7 years.
Specialized equipment
Specialized equipment is available for marking out posts, bed formation, seeding, straw spreading, erecting shade, harvesting, and drying, since production requirements are very similar to those of ginseng. Production in a forest environment is possible without the need for artificial shade.
Harvest:
Harvest leaves before flowers emerge and after flowering. Harvest whole tops down to 2.5 cm above the ground at peak bloom for essential oil distillation. A second bloom may occur in the fall.
Harvest Scheduling
Single harvest.
Hand harvest or machine harvest
Machine harvest (modified potato digger); hand harvest (wild-simulated plantings).
Quality parameters/grades
No established grades. Quality is determined by the market.
Additional Harvest Notes
Usually harvested in September or October when medicinally active components are at their peak.
Post harvest
Special handling/curing
Harvested blue cohosh is usually washed and then dried soon after harvest in forced air kilns, with an optimum drying temperature of around 38°C or less. Rhizomes may have to be cut to full clean gnarled rhizomes.
Storage Conditions
Relative humidity (RH): Dried product is stored in barrels after drying to slow re-hydration but storage under low humidity will prolong shelf-life.
Temperature (°C): Low temperature storage will prolong shelf-life.
Air Exchange: N/A
Duration: 1-2 years
Specific pests observed on this crop in Ontario (observations based on limited experience with this crop)
Insects and Invertebrates: None
Diseases: None
Other Potential Pests: The following pests have not been observed on this crop in Ontario. However, they are either significant concerns for closely related plants in Ontario, or are reported on this crop in other production areas. This is not a comprehensive list of all potential pests. Not all of these pests will necessarily survive Ontario’s climate, but could potentially survive in a protected environment (e.g. greenhouse, storage facility).
Insects and Invertebrates: Black-patched clepsis caterpillar (Clepsis melaleucana), plant bug (Metriorrhynchomiris dislocates)
Diseases: None
*Indicates pests commonly mentioned as causing significant damage or economic loss to this crop in other regions.
Comments
To date the following pests have been the most significant in Ontario: none. This crop is not in a crop group. For more information on Crop Groups, refer to the Pest section. Always refer to product labels, and follow all directions specified on the label, before applying any pest control product. For more information, consult an OMAFRA specialist.
None
- Westerveld, S., Elford, E., Filotas, M. and J. Todd. 2010-present. OMAFRA herb demonstration garden. OMAFRA Simcoe Resource Centre, unpublished.
- Bown, D. 1996. Encyclopedia of herbs and their uses. BCA, London
- Hilty, J. 2012. Blue cohosh. Woodland Wildflowers of Illinois.
- Persons, W.S. and J.M. Davis. 2005. Growing and marketing ginseng, goldenseal and other woodland medicinals. Bright Mountain Books Inc., Fairview, North Carolina.
