224 CROPS
Disclaimer: This is based on my experience with selling to tincture companies, product makers and dry herbs to retail stores. And also ad hoc conversations with other people in the trade.
Please note: I do not have a handle on the market for Chinese medicinals. It could be big, though I haven’t tapped into that market.
Any of these species (even in the last category) could be the magic herb that catapults you into fame and fortune. You can specialize and develop specialty markets which besides medicinals many of these species have other uses (and markets) as food, dyes, fiber, crafts, booze, etc.
March 18 addition of how easy/hard to grow.
This is specifically aimed at Western Washington. This is based on my personal experience.
1 = Easy to grow.
2 = Moderate
3 = Hard to grow.
Best bets for markets.
Can usually sell all your production at a good price. Some of them are difficult to grow and/or take 4 years or longer till harvest starts. (not necessarily the same things as the best bets for making money)
Perennial herbs:
2 Arnica, European (Arnica montana)
1-2 Beebalm (Monarda didyma}
1-2 Beebalm, Sweet Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
1 Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
2 Echinacea angustifolia
3 Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis)
3 False-Unicorn Root (Chamaelirium luteum) You can sell it all at a high price but it is one of the most difficult herbs to grow.
1 Garlic (Allium sativum)
3 Gentian, European
3 Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)
2 Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
2 Jiao-gu-lan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum)
1 Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
1 Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
2 Licorice, Chinese (Glycyrrhiza uralensis)
2 Licorice, European (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
2 Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
1 Nettle (Urtica dioica), leaf, green seed and root
3 Osha, (Ligusticum porterii, canbyii, etc
2 Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) flowers
3 Roseroot (Rhodiola rosea)
1 Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
3 Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)
3 Spikenard (Nardostachys grandiflora)
3 Stoneroot (Collinsonia canadensis)
2 Sweetroot (Osmorhiza occidentalis)
1 Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
2 Turkey Rhubarb (Rheum frigidum palmatum)
1 Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
3 Valerian, Sitka (Valeriana sitchensis)
2 Violet (Viola odorata)
1 Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Annuals (some are perennial in tropical climates)
2 Ashwaganda (Withania somniferum)
2 Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
1 Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
2 Holy Basil, Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum)
3 White Sage (Salvia apiana)
Trees
2 Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
1 Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna, C. columbiana, C. douglasii)
1 Linden, Littleleaf (Tilia cordata)
Shrubs,
1 Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa)
2 Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus)
1 Elderberry, Blue (Sambucus caerulea)
1 Elderberry, European (Sambucus nigra)
2 Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)
3 Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus species)
Regular sellers, Moderate market.
There is a market for these but they will also be widely grown by other growers. Most of these are easy to grow or moderately-easy.
Perennial herbs:
1 Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
2 Arnica, Meadow (Arnica chamissonis)
2Astragalus, Huang Qi (Astragalus membraneceus)
2 Betony (Stachys betonica)
2 Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
2 Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
1 Borage (Borago officinalis)
1 Bugleweed (Lycopus americanus)
2 Butterburr (Petasites palmatus frigidus)
3 Butterfly Weed, Pleurisy Root (Asclepias tuberosa)
2 Calamus Root, Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus)
2 California Poppy (Eschscholtzia californica)
2 Chamomile, German (Matricaria recutita)
? Codonopsis, Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilusola)
1 Comfrey (Symphytum officinalis), root and leaf
1 Comfrey, Russian (Symphytum x uplandicum)
2 Culvers Root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
1-2 Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
2 Echinacea pallida
1 Echinacea purpureum
1 Elecampane (Inula helenium)
1 Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
1 Figwort (Scrophularia nodosa)
3 Ginseng
1 Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
1 Hops (Humulus lupulus)
1 Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)
2 Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris, A. mollis)
2 Lavender (Lavandula species)
2 Lemon Verbena (Aloysia triphylla)
2 Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)
2 Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus rosea)
2 Madder (Rubia tinctorum)
2 Marijuana (Cannabis sativa), Risky politically even where legal.
1 Marjoram (Origanum vulgare)
1 Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) root and leaf
1 Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)
1 Mugwort/moxa (Artemisia vulgaris)
2 Mugwort, Western (Artemisia ludoviciana)
2 Mugwort, Puget Sound (Artemisia suksdorfii)
1-2 Mullein, Greek (Verbascum olympicum)
2 Oregano (Origanum heracleoides)
1 Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
2 Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)
1 Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
1-2 Purslane (Portulacca oleracea) If you have a food market.
2 Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
2 Rue (Ruta graveolens)
1 Sage (Salvia officinalis)
3 Skullcap, Baikal (Scutellaria baikalensis)
1 Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
1-2 St John’s Wort (Hypericum perfoliatum)
1 Sage, Garden (Salvia officinalis)
2 Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
1 Wild Lettuce (Lactuca serriola)
2 Winter Savory (Satureja montana)
1 Wormwood (Artemisia absynthium)
3 Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica)
Biennials
1 Burdock (Arctium lappa)
1-2 Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
2 Gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa)
1 Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
2 Teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris)
1 Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus)
Annuals
2 Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus)
1 Borage (Borago officinalis)
3 Lobelia (Lobelia inflata)
1 Oats (Avena sativa)
2 Safflower, Hong hua (Carthamus tinctorius)
2 Spilanthes (Spilanthes acmella)
3 Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)
2 Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis)
2 Sweet Annie, Qing Hao (Artemisia annua)
Trees:
1 Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)
2 Juniper, Rocky Mountain (Juniperus scopulorum)
1 Willow (Salix species)
Shrubs
2 Bayberry (Myrica gale)
1 Black Currant (Ribes nigra)
1 Crampbark (Viburnum opulus, V. trilobum)
3 Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridum)
3 Ephedra, Ma-Huang (Ephedra sinensis)
2 Goji Berry (Lycium chinense)
3 Kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
1 Oregon-grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
2 Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
1 Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)
1 Rose (Rosa species)
Small (or unknown) market.
There are specialty markets for many of these, but you have to locate them.
Perennial herbs:
1 Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Small
2 Anise-hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
2 Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) medicinal root (great income as food shoots)
1 Beebalm, Lemon Mint (Monarda citriodora)
3 Belladonna (Atropa bella-donna) poisonous
2 Black Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) I do have large orders currently
1 Black Horehound (Ballota nigra)
3 Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
1 Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata)
1 Celandine (Chelidonium majus)
3 Chinese Foxglove (Rehmannia glutinosa)
2 Chinese Yam (Dioscorea batatas)
1 Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
3 Dan Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza)
2 False Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria)
1 Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
1 Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium, syn Epilobium)
1 Garlic-chives (Allium tuberosum) mainly as food
3 Gentian, Yellow (Gentiana tibetica)
3 Gentian (Gentiana dahurica)
2 Goat’s Rue (Galega officinalis)
1 Gypsywort (Lycopus virginicus)
1 Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
2 Japanese Catnip (Schizonepeta tenuifolia)
1 Joe-Pye Weed, Gravelroot (Eupatorium purpureum)
2 Lemon Bergamot (Monarda citriodora)
2 Leopard Lily, She-gan (Belamcanda chinensis)
2 Licorice, American (Glycyrrhiza lepidota)
1 Lovage (Levisticum officinalis)
3 Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
2 Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
2 Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum americanus)
1 Orris root (Iris florentina)
2 Oxknee (Achyranthes bidentata)
2 Pasque Flower (Anemone pulsatilla)
1 Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)
3 Pellitory-of-the-wall, (Parietaria judaica)
1 Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
3 Pinellia, Ban Xia (Pinellia ternate)
1 Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
2 Pokeroot (Phytolacca americana)
2 Primrose, Cowslip (Primula veris)
2 Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris)
1-2 Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella pursa-pastoris)
2 Shiso (Perilla frutescens)
3 Skullcap, Barbat, Ban-zhi-lian (Scutellaria barbata)
1 Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata)
2-3 Sweetgrass (Hierochloe odorata)
1 Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
2-3 Thorow-wax, Chai Hu (Bupleurum falcatum)
1 Vervain (Verbena officinalis)
2 Vitex negundo incisa
3 Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum)
2 Yerba Buena (Satureja douglasii)
2 Zi-cao (Lithospermum erythrorhizon)
Biennials
1 Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
Annuals
1 Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)
1 Coriander Coriandrum sativum)
1 Dill (Anethum graveolens)
2 Epazote, Wormseed (Chenopodium ambrosioides)
1 Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Trees:
2 Amur Cork Tree (Phellodendron amurense)
2-3 Bay Tree (Laurus nobilis)
2 Beebee tree (Tetradium daniellii, was Evodia)
2 Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
1-2 Cascara (Rhamnus purshiana)
1 Eastern Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
2 Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) deer love it.
2 Empress Tree (Paulownia tomentosa)
1 Mulberry (Morus alba)
2 Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)
2 Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolia)
Shrubs
1 Heather
1 Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)
2 Redroot (Ceanothus velutinus)
1 Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia)
1 Sumac (Rhus glabra)
2 Witch-hazel (Hamamelis species)
Miniscule or not at all
(there may be specialty markets)
Perennial herbs:
2 Aconite, Monkshood (Aconitum napellus), Small, poisonous
2 Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) culinary, fancy restaurants.
3 Asafoetida (Ferula asafoetida) value may be in seed.
2 Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) Market is for Korean food.
2 Balm of Gilead (Cedronella canariensis)
1 Bugle (Ajuga reptans)
3 Coyote Mint (Monardella odoratissima)
2 Datura (Datura stramonium) poisonous
3 Dittany/Gas Plant (Dictamnus albus)
2 Germander (Teucrium marum)
3 Giant Fennel (Ferula communis)
2 Goats-beard (Aruncus dioicus)
2 Gromwell (Lithospermum officinale)
3 Henbane (Hyocyamus niger) (annual)
2 Horsemint (Agastache urticifolia)
2 Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majus) poisonous
3 Rupturewort (Herneraria glabra)
