Wild-harvested African plants play a significant role in the continent’s wildlife economy. From the luxurious notes of frankincense in our perfumes to the ancient antibacterial properties of wild thyme, and the invisible extracts of countless others in traditional and modern-day medicines, we benefit more than we realise from the continent's medicinal and aromatic wild plants. Some of these plants are threatened by unsustainable and illegal harvesting, but as consumers increasingly demand responsibly sourced ingredients, many are now harvested sustainably, legally, and with social responsibility in mind.

The theme of this year’s World Wildlife Day on 3 March 2026 is Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage, and Livelihoods. World Wildlife Day is an annual event hosted by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). 

To acknowledge this day, this article showcases some of these plants from Africa. The following seven plants illustrate both the diversity and the scale of the wild plant industry, drawn from more than 5,000 wild plant species across Africa that are harvested and traded for medicinal and aromatic uses. 

Examples of wild-harvested African plants

Wild ThymeAWEI

(Thymus satureioides) — North Africa
Harvested across North Africa, notably by local Berber women in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, this plant is prized locally and exported widely for its medicinal and aromatic properties. The leaves and the extracted oil are used in cooking and traditional medicine to inhibit bacterial growth, reduce swelling, and relieve pain. The global market is estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars and is likely to grow significantly over the next decade.

African SerpentwoodAWEI

(Rauwolfia vomitoria) — West Africa
The roots and bark are harvested by traditional herbalists and healers and used to manage hypertension, reduce anxiety and insomnia, and treat fever and infections. Nigeria is a key exporter of plant extracts sold to Europe, North America, and Japan. As the product is sold to specialised pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors, the volume and value of the trade are not officially reported but may exceed $2 million annually.

SheaAWEI

(Vitellaria paradoxa) — East to West Africa
Shea nuts are almost exclusively harvested by rural women from wild trees. In Ghana, for example, a FairWild-certified programme involves 200,000 women harvesters (the FairWild Standard is an international standard that ensures wild plant harvesting is both ecologically sustainable and socially equitable). With large exports from countries such as Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso, the African shea economy is valued at more than $1 billion, with the nuts used across Africa, Asia, and Europe for cosmetics and personal care products, medicinal uses, and as a food ingredient.

YohimbeAWEI

(Pausinystalia johimbe) — Central Africa
The bark of the yohimbe tree has long been used in traditional medicine to relieve fatigue, enhance athletic performance, and stimulate sexual desire. It is harvested by villagers living near the lowland forests where the tree grows. Cameroon is a major supplier, with exports going to EU Member States, notably the Netherlands, generating around $5 million annually.

FrankincenseAWEI

(Boswellia species) — East Africa
For centuries, this resin has been used for religious and medicinal purposes. Today, it is also used in aromatherapy and skin care products. Most of the supply is wild-harvested from Somalia, where the trees are protected by rural Somali clans and men typically do the harvesting. There is also a supply from neighbouring countries. The region's export value could reach $150 million annually, with increasing volumes FairWild-certified to ensure sustainable and equitable harvesting. 

African GeraniumAWEI

(Pelargonium sidoides) — Southern Africa
Local communities have long used this plant to treat coughs, colds, sinusitis, and sore throats. Wild-harvested by local communities in South Africa and Lesotho, the export market is valued at $160 million and is expected to double over the next ten years. A growing proportion of exports is FairWild certified, assuring customers in Germany and elsewhere that the products are responsibly sourced.

BaobabAWEI

(Adansonia digitata) — Sub-Saharan Africa
Baobab fruits are harvested in over 30 countries and sold in global markets valued in the billions of dollars. Mostly collected by rural women, the fruit is used as a superfood rich in vitamin C, as a traditional medicine for fever, malaria, and other illnesses, and as an oil for skin and hair care. FairWild-certified baobab is available from Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Zimbabwe.

With over 40,000 wild plant species on the continent, these seven examples represent only a fraction of what Africa has to offer. Following standards like those of the FairWild Foundation, the African wild plant market could become a flagship example of how humans use nature harmoniously, rather than exploitatively, where our use of it actually incentivises and resources the protection of the ecosystems these plants grow in.

The trade operates at local, domestic, regional, and international levels. It can be formal, informal, legal, or even illegal, where required permits have not been obtained. Harvesting rates can be sustainable or unsustainable, and collectors can be treated well or poorly. These distinctions matter enormously for the sector's long-term viability, for the resilience of rural communities, and for the health of the ecosystems that support us all.

For some threatened species, CITES plays a role in regulating trade to ensure they are harvested sustainably and with minimal disturbance to their surroundings. For other species, the FairWild Foundation, which provides voluntary certification, helps ensure that trade is both sustainable and equitable. Certification does this by assessing harvesting methods to determine their impact on plant populations and ecosystems, and by confirming that local harvesters are paid fairly, ensuring a responsibly sourced supply for processors and traders. Brands, in turn, can market products with confidence in their quality and socio-ecological credentials.

This World Wildlife Day, with its spotlight on wild medicinal and aromatic plants, let’s celebrate the magnificent potential across the African continent of the legal and sustainable harvest and trade of wild plants for human benefit. If done right, with a potential market worth billions of dollars and the opportunity to create thousands of jobs, conserve habitats, and benefit buyers worldwide, Africa is well-positioned to grow its wild plant-based economy for the betterment of the continent and the planet.