A study by the Institute for Environmental Solutions confirms that yarrow, plantain, cowslip and many other plants found in natural meadows have high added value in monetary terms as well, yet their economic potential is not being fully utilised, reports lsm.lv.

Alongside identifying the richest grasslands, the study economically evaluated 39 medicinal plant species found in meadows, of which the most expensive proved to be sweet vernal grass, meadow bistort and lingonberry leaves – their price in standard quality ranges from 14 to 18 €/kg, while for high-quality dried herbs it can even reach 98-112 €/kg. "There are no known or only very poorly developed cultivation methods for these plants, which is why their harvesting currently takes place in the wild with the help of manual labour. This is how these plant materials reach the global market for medicinal and aromatic plants. Sweet vernal grass is a delicate grass, from which it is difficult to obtain significant biomass. It is a distinct species of natural grasslands. Therefore, this plant can almost only be obtained in natural grassland habitats, which are among the most critically endangered natural habitats throughout Europe." (...)