While the oshá plant might not appear as much more than a tall, leggy version of parsley, the perennial herb’s prized roots are a highly sought-after treasure in the Rocky Mountains—and, in recent years, have become the center of complicated debate at the intersection of tribal sovereignty, health care, and potentially illegal commercial harvesting across Colorado’s public lands. ⠀ Also known as bear root and Colorado cough root, oshá is a medicinal plant that grows in finicky patches between 9,000 and 11,000 feet in elevation, primarily in southwestern Colorado and other parts of the Rocky Mountains. ⠀ Sacred to many Native American and Indigenous people, the plant’s roots have long been used for treating ailments including colds, sore throats, indigestion, and asthma, and are harvested annually by members of several Native American tribes; traditional Hispanic healers in southern Colorado and New Mexico; and other folks gathering it for personal use or to sell to herbal product companies. ⠀ Increased demand and forest damage might now threaten oshá’s abundance, however. And because it often grows on public lands and is nearly impossible for farmers to cultivate in mass quantities, the commodification of the revered plant has pitted the American herbal products industry against Native American tribes—and put the U.S. Forest Service smack in the middle of the fight. Tap the link in our bio to learn more about the medicinal plant called Colorado cough root, and the ongoing debate over who should—and shouldn’t—have access to it. ⠀ ✍️: by Elizabeth Miller 📸: by @mineshbacrania ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #5280 #5280magazine #denver #colorado #denvercolorado #rockymountains #herbalmedicine #traditionalmedicine #herbal #herbalism #medicinalplants #medicinalherbs #southwestcolorado #sanjuanmountains #fourcorners