"Medicinal and aromatic plants in the Appalachian Mountains, which have stood for hundreds of millions of years and contributed to biodiversity across the region, are facing threats from poaching, climate change, and more. The multiple national parks dotting the region are often havens for these plants, though even the protections afforded by the parks cannot prevent all threats.
“Many medicinal species are slow-growing perennials that require intact forest canopy, rich soils and stable microclimates,” explained Kirsten Stephan, teaching professor of forest resources management and program coordinator of forestry at West Virginia University’s Davis campus. “Timber extraction, land conversion and invasive species disrupt these delicate environments.”
At Shenandoah National Park, which covers 200,000 acres in Virginia, there are a large number of plant species with aromatic and medical qualities. For example, visitors exploring the park can come across Lindera benzoin (Spicebush), Hamamelis virginiana (American witch hazel), Sassafras albidum (sassafras), and Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng).
Spicebush is used as a digestive aid; witch hazel acts as an astringent and anti-inflammatory to treat hemorrhoids, varicose veins and skin irritation; sassafras is used as a diaphoretic and blood purifier for fevers, arthritis and respiratory problems; and American ginseng functions as an adaptogen, boosts immunity, regulates blood sugar, and supports cognitive processes, according to Wendy Cass, a park botanist at Shenandoah."
Jennifer Roberts reports for National Parks Traveler March 26, 2026.
