Where Do the Slimming Cactus Plant called Hoodia Grows?

Growing hoodia gordonii is not an easy task. Some varieties of these hoodia cactus plants can be found in green houses and may not be hoodia gordonii which is used for slimming. Likewise some hoodia cactus plants have different effects on eating habits. It could even be poisonous once ingested.

Morover, Hoodia gordonii contains natural appetite suppressant. That means that it makes you loss the will to eat more than what you need. These hoodia are in fact being studied by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in South Africa for its medicinal purposes.

Hoodia gordonii is now protected specie in the countries of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. These countries ordered that the specific species on hoodia in their region should be protected against over harvesting and other reasons.

They have also ordered that people who wished to grow the hoodia gordonii should have a permit from the government. People who want to export the plant and its extract should also get permits from the authorities.

Likewise people are not allowed to even pick hoodia gordonii in the Northern and Western Cape areas of South Africa. They must have a permit before they are allowed to cultivate this special plant.

People who are keen on growing and cultivating the hoodia gordonii should also secure necessary permits. If they wish to export products based on hoodai gordoniim they must get a phyto-sanitary certificate from the National Department of Agriculture in Africa.

In Namibia for example, hoodia cactus plant is being studied by the government and they are currently reviewing each species found in their country.

Likewise, countries in southern Africa wanted to protect all hoodia plant variety. They fear that the miracle plant is heading extinction especially that San people, a group of bushmen in South Africa, are using them for various health cares.

The San peoples have been planting the hoodia gordonii plant for years since they are usingit to cure various illnesses. Now that it is being used for commercial purposes, the governments of South Africa believed that the San people should also benefit from the extensive use of hoodai plant in the market.

Growing the hoodia gordonii is not easy. Wind usually carries its seeds to other places. But collecting the seeds of the hoodia gordonii from its mother cactus could adversely affect this natural process. This could eventually lead to the extinction of the hoodia plant especially now that it is being grown in various laboratories.