Is it Goldenseal? I've never seen it in the flesh. Lucky you to have it in your woods.

Yes, it is goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis.

While I do have some wild areas including some with mature trees, sadly I am not fortunate enough to have a true woods. That is a long term goal for some of our property but the poor quality of much of the soil (bad farming techniques relying too much on chemicals for too long) has slowed that goal. The land must heal itself before it can support a more healthy ecosystem. After 10 years of letting it let fallow, I am just seeing the first and toughest woody shrubs take hold in some of it. It gives me hope!

As such, I have had to content myself for the time being with a woodland garden of native plants in an area that has pretty comparable conditions to a native woodland setting. I've added many wonderful plants like goldenseal to it. This garden is the only way I will see this wonderful plant in the "flesh" either. Overharvesting combined with the fact that little land in my small corner of the world escaped the plow has made this plant a true rarity. I have never seen a wild goldenseal or ginseng plant.

FataMorgana

Here is a link that might be useful: Goldenseal