Abstract:
Before the advent of the modern drugstore, wild herbs, roots, and barks were harvested and used for medicinal purposes in North Carolina. Poison mandrake, witch hazel, and the bark of the wild cherry were \"must have\" items. Many of the harvested plants and roots have been found by modern pharmaceutical manufacturers to contain compounds that have been scientifically proven to aid in the treatment of disease and illness. In western North Carolina, the crude botanicals industry has created a booming business for traditional plant harvesters, who seek out the various herbs and roots and sell them to pharmaceutical companies at local buying stations.