Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens), a plant well adapted to the desert conditions of the Kalahari in Southern Africa, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. The herb used is the sliced and dried secondary root tuber developing from the side roots of the succulent main root containing harpagoside as active ingredient. Because the herb is usually collected from the wild the harvesting method used in the past cannot sustain demand on the long term. Experiences of a project for cultivation and sustainable harvest of Harpagophytum in the Kalahari of South Africa paralleled by intensive ecological research will be presented. Keywords: Harpagophytum; sustainable use; wild-collection; domestication; cultivation; plant ecology; ecophysiology.