This is only a partial list of the plants and seeds we have available. For our complete illustrated catalog send $2 ($4 international)
Medicinals, Edibles, & Other Plants of Interest...
Acorus calamus "Sweet Flag"
Araceae. Rhizomatic semi-aquatic perennial with iris-like leaves to 4'. Yellow-green spadix to 4". Native to North America and temperate Eurasia, our seed stock is from the northern US prairies, medicinally distinct from the Asian plants. A panacea, revered for its medicinal properties wherever it grows. The aromatic rhizome is a premier digestive aid, stimulant, and all around tonic. Cold stratify seed. Z3b
Seed packet $2.75
Allium tricoccum "Ramps" "Wild Leek"
From a slender bulb 2 broad leaves arise in Spring, after these die back a 12" flowering stalk grows bearing a small spherical head of white flowers. Understory plant of the deciduous eastern forests of North America. The celebrated Ramps is one of the tastiest members of the onion clan, inspiring ephemeral culinary festivals throughout its range. Said to be one of the most promising and underutilized vegetables for shade and cold climates. Grows fine in northern California. Prefers shade and moist soil. Cold stratify seed. Z4a
Seed packet $2.75
Amelanchier alnifolia "Serviceberry" "Juneberry"
Rosaceae. Deciduous shrub to 4-16'+. In Spring the plant is a mass of white blossoms. Elliptic leaves and delicious blue fruits ripen June-July. Native to north-western North America. The fruits are a favorite of many indigenous tribes and were a prime ingredient of pemmican. A great addition to the forest garden, sun to partial shade. Cold stratify. Z4a
Seed packet $2.75
Inquire for plants
Angelica ursina "Bear's Angelica"
Apiaceae. Giant herbaceous perennial to 12' tall, umbels of white flowers. Endemic to Sakhalin and Kamchatka, eastern Russia. Wild collected seed. Young shoots are edible. Bears are known to eat the roots. Surface sow seed and give 60+ days cold, can take 1-2 years to sprout. Dies back to the roots in Winter. Z2b-3a
Seed packet $3.50
Betula utilis CC5763 "Bhojapatra" "Himalayan Birch"
Betulaceae. A gorgeous medium sized birch tree 20-35' tall. Exceptional gold and copper peeling bark. The leaves turn a rich yellow and defoliate in Autumn. From seed collected at 12,500' Langtang, Nepal, just south of the Tibetan border. An important tree, the bark is used for wound healing and as a carminative. In India the resin is reportededly contraceptive. Widely used for construction, the tree is now considered endangered in some regions due to deforestation. Easy to grow, does well in most soils. Z7a
12"+ plant, 2 years old $7.50 or 2 for $13
Callicarpa americana SMC091024.1 "American Beautyberry"
Labiatae. Shrub 5-10'. Simple leaves to 8". Clusters of violet flowers followed by dense bunches of bright magenta berries that remain on the plant for months. Native to the southeastern USA. Seed collected in NC. The striking small berries are edible, though somewhat tasteless, they are traditionally made into preserves or jams. An easy and rewarding ornamental. Sun to part shade. Z6a
Seed packet $2
Codonopsis sp. BBG China "Tang Shen"
Campanulaceae. Carrot like perennial root from which graceful twining deciduous vines arise, growing to about 6'. Soft leaves and 1" yellow green bell shaped flowers. We got our mother plant from the UC Berkeley Gardens years ago but lost the original tag. Overall the plant is larger than the more common C. pilosula. The root is sweet and edible, several Codonopsis species are used as general tonics similar to ginseng in Chinese medicine, and a few species are considered magical plants in the Himalayas. Needs a well draining moist soil and something to climb on. Z7a
Seed packet $3
Crataegus pinnatifida "Shan Zha" "Chinese Haw"
Rosaceae. Small deciduous tree to 15'+. Abundant white flowers followed by 1-1.5" red hawthorn fruit. The leaves turn a brilliant crimson in Autumn. Native to Asia. The fruits are eaten fresh, dried, as a tea and made into candies. Widely used in Oriental medicine. Begins fruiting when only 2-3' tall. Cold stratify seed 1-2 Winters. Z5b
10 seed $2.50
Inquire for plants
Crescentia alata "Morro" "Calabash Tree"
Bignoniaceae. Tropical tree to 20'. Nocturnal flowers along the trunk and branches, 4" gourd-like hard seed pods. Central America. The pods are used to make all manner of containers and utensils. The seeds are high in protein and have a licorice like sweet aftertaste, they are used in El Salvador to make a refreshing horchata drink. The tree is considered an anachronism, it evolved with now extinct gomphotheres (elephants) as the primary seed dispersers. It is now our responsibility to crack the hard seed pod and disperse the seed. Easy to grow. Z10a
Seed packet $2.50 / 1 ounce $8
Disporum cantoniense ex DJHC 729
Liliaceae. From underground rhizomes arise asparagus like stalks rich-purple in color and 3-6' tall. Lanceolate leaves, cream colored tubular flowers, black-purple berries. Our mother plants are from Hinkley collections in China. A forest understory plant that is a giant relative to our native fairy bells. The rhizome is used for fever and the young shoots cooked as a vegetable. Rich moist soil and part to full shade. Z6a
Plant 2+ years old $7.50
Elaeagnus multiflora "Goumi"
Elaeagnaceae. Ornamental deciduous shrub to 6-10'. Green/silver leaves, small cream colored flowers, sweet juicy edible red berries, rich in antioxidants. China. Ideal permaculture plant-fast growing, fixes nitrogen in the soil, produces and abundance of edible fruit, easily grown, cold and drought tolerant. Not weedy like some species. Cold stratify for best germination. Z5a.
Seed packet $3
Gaultheria forrestii
Ericaceae. Evergreen shrub 4-5' tall. 3" oval leaves and sprigs of white flowers. Abundant black edible berries. Yunnan Province, China. Leaves and fruit have a delectable wintergreen aroma. Part to full shade. Does well as a forest understory plant. Z7b
Seed packet $3
Gentiana macrophylla "Qin Jiao"
Gentianaceae. Deciduous herbaceous perennial to 1'. Large lanceolate leaves. Clusters of pale green-blue tubular flowers. Mongolia, Russia, and China. This important bitter herb is widely used in Chinese Medicine. Prefers sun to part shade. Z3b
Plant 4 years old $8.50
Hippophae rhamnoides "Sea Buckthorn"
Elaeagnaceae. A striking willow-leafed shrub 10-20'. In Autumn the branches are covered in thousands of small edible orange berries. Native to Central Asia. This fruit is very nutritious, rich in vitamin C, A and E as well as EFA's and the leaves are a source of antioxidant flavonoids. This plant is now an important medicinal fruit crop in western Europe, Asia and Russia, but is gaining popularity in the United States as a nutriceutical and cosmetics ingredient. A highly versatile plant, fixes nitrogen in the soil. Seed germinates best with 30+ days cold. Z3a
Seed packet $3
Ilex paraguariensis "Yerba Mate" "Ka'a"
Aquifoliaceae. Evergreen tree to 60'. Shiny lanceolate leaves, white flowers and red berries. Cultivated throughout South America. Our plants are grown from seed collected in the major growing region of Misiones, north eastern Argentina. The caffeine rich leaves are the national drink of Argentina & Paraguay and have become very popular in the US in recent years. Easy, sun to part shade. Responds well to pruning and can dwarfed. Tolerant of frost. Z8b-9a
6"+ seedling $16
Ilex vomitoria SHL091023.1 "Yaupon"
Evergreen shrub or small tree to 20'+. Divaricate stems, whitish flowers and ornamental red-orange berries. Native to the south eastern US and north eastern Mexico. Another underappreciated stimulating holly. Related to yerba mate and guayusa, the leaves are a rich source of caffeine alkaloids. Once a primary sacred plant of the Cherokee, Creek, Seminole and other tribes. Seed collected by S. Lipe & S. Cody from wild populations at Buxton Woods, Outer Banks, North Carolina. Easy to grow, tolerant of alkaline and salty soils, sun to partial shade. Seed is slow to germinate, cold stratify. May take 1-2 years to sprout, so be patient. Z6a
Seed packet $3
Lepidium peruvianum "Maca"
Brassicaceae or Cruciferae. A radish or turnip like plant that is the highest altitude cultivar in the world, grown in the Andes at elevations over 14,000 feet. An ancient food/medicine that has been farmed for nearly 6,000 years. Incredibly nutritious, considered an energizing aphrodisiac and immunostimulant. Thrives in very harsh conditions, poor, cold soils with minimal water. Little work has been done growing this plant outside the Andes. Let us know how it grows for you. Seed from a yellow root form that shows tolerance for low elevation cultivation. Z5b Seed packet $4
Lycium barbarum "Wolfberry" "Gou Qi Zi" "Goji Berry"
Solanaceae. Deciduous shrub with arching branches, 3-5' tall. Slender linear leaves, pale purple flowers, scarlet berries. Native to the Himalayan foothills of central Asia. The berries are one of the most nutritious foods known to man (the highest carotenoid content of any known edible!). A traditional Chinese longevity enhancer and sexual tonic. Easy and drought tolerant. Seed from the traditional growing region of Ning Xia, China. Z6a
Seed packet $3
Malva sylvestris BK07606.1
Malvaceae. 1-3' plant with round leaves and 2" mauve-purple flowers with dark purple veins and lavender pollen loved by bees. From seed we collected from rural farmsteads in the hills near Figaro and Montseny Bioreserve, north eastern Spain. Traditionally the flowers and young tender leaves are added to salads while the tops of the plants are steamed and seasoned like kale. Highly nutritious and delicious! Also used as a tea for its soothing demulcent properties. Easy, perennial, but best cut back each season. Will naturalize. Z4a Seed packet $2.75
Mandragora officinarum "Mandrake"
Solanaceae. Hardy perennial with rosettes of stemless leaves to 12" long. Greenish bell shaped flowers arise from the center of the plant followed by oval shaped orange berries. Large, thick taproots, often resembling the human form and giving rise to a multitude of myths and legends. Native to southern Europe/Mediterranean. The famed and feared mandrake root, used throughout the ages as aphrodisiac and poison, magical amulet and medicine. Sow in a deep pot or directly in the ground. Prefers rich, alkaline, moist soil with good drainage. The leaves die back and the plant goes dormant by early Summer and begins vegetative growth again in Autumn/Winter. Prefers partial shade. Does well in the rock garden. Seed treated with GA-3, good germination in 30 days. Z5a
Plant 2 years old $12
Mandragora turcomanica "Mandrake"
Large perennial taproot with rosettes of 1-2' leaves and purplish bell flowers. Endemic to a small area of northeastern Iran and Turkmenistan, where it may now be extinct. Traditionally used like other mandrakes. This impressive plant is exceedingly rare, propagation is vital to its survival. Summer dormant. Z5a
Plant 2 years old $14
Nicotiana glauca "Tree Tobacco"
Solanaceae. Perennial shrub or small tree to 20'. Large, leathery, glaucus blue leaves. Clusters of tubular yellow flowers attract hummingbirds. Said to be native to the southern Andes, but is now naturalized all the way into central California. Considered erroneously to be invasive, but it only grows on disturbed ground, hence its abundance along roadsides and construction areas. Does not contain nicotine, but the bioactive analog anabasine. Widely used as a sacred tobacco, makes an interesting smoke. Z9a
Seed packet $3
Nicotiana rustica 'Ancient' "Tobacco"
This seed came to us from a friend who received it as a very special wedding gift. The seed was discovered in a 1000 year old urn at an archaeological dig on Vancouver Island. An amazing relic, it has proven highly viable, we grew out robust plants to 3'. This is the first generation seed from this ancient sacred tobacco. Z9a-b?
Seed packet $6
Nicotiana rustica 'Kessu' "Tobacco"
Small tobacco to 2-3' with round leaves and yellow green tubular flowers. N. rustica is the most potent tobacco, having the highest nicotine content, making an excellent insecticide and shamanic smoke. This specific strain, Kessu, is the most northernly strain ever recorded, growing in central Finland just 400 miles from the Arctic Circle! Z8b?
Seed packet $4
For additional Nicotiana species see our Chilean & Andean offerings
Pernettya coriacea
Ericaceae. Fabulous evergreen to 4'. Densely arranged small green leaves. Clusters of white bell flowers adorn the branch tips , inflated 1/2" purple-black berries. High elevation cloud forest and paramo, Cartago Province, Costa Rica. The current questionable trend in taxonomy is to clump this along with nearly every other Pernettya from the Americas into the bloated P. prostrata or even Gaultheria myrsinoides. The berries are sweet and seem highly edible, but we caution that other Pernettya are said to cause inebriation or delirium if eaten in excess. Taxonomic lumping has further confused which species are edible and which potentially toxic. Sun to part shade. Z8b
Seed packet $3
Plantago coronopus "Minutina"
Plantaginaceae. Herbaceaous perennial to 12". Rosettes of slender frilled leaves. Coastal Europe to north Africa. The crunchy leaves are an heirloom green once favored by the Italian and French. Great in salads or blanched. Regular garden culture. Z6a
Seed packet $2.75
Polylepis australis "Kewina"
Rosaceae. Gorgeous small tree with peeling reddish bark and often gnarled twisted trunks. Pinnate leaves with 5-7 leaflets. The southernmost species of this Andean genus, occuring all the way into the Cordoba mountains of central Argentina. A keystone species of the high Andean forests which are one of the most endangered forest ecosystems in the world. Polylepis are used medicinally for lung issues. So far they seem quite adaptable to low elevation cultivation. Z4b-5a
Seedling 1-2 years old $15
Psoralea esculenta (=Pediomelum esculentum) "Tipsin" "Indian Breadroot"
Fabaceae. Perennial to about 12" with downy stems and compound elaves, blue clover like flowers. Forms rounded edible tubers to 4". Native to the prairies and woodlands of North Dakota and Wisconsin to Missouri. The roots were a staple food for the tribes throughout its range. In the early 1800s there was a failed attempt at introducing it as a food crop in Europe. A great multifunctional garden addition, drought hardy and nitrogen fixing. Knick and soak seeds to sprout. Z4a
Seed packet $3
Rhaponticum carthamoides "Lujza" "Maralroot"
Asteraceae. Spineless thistle like plant 2-5' tall with violet colored flowers. Native to regions of southern Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Xingjiang China. The plant is long lived, up to 150 years. The root is traditionally used to stimulate physical and sexual energy and as a kidney and liver tonic. Modern studies show it to be a very powerful adaptogen and it is now widely cultivated in Russia and eastern Europe. Easily grown as a garden plant. Extremely cold hardy, Winter dormant. Stratify seed 30 + days. Z3b
Seed packet $3.50
Inquire for plants
Rubus calycinoides "Taiwanese Creeping Raspberry"
Rosaceae. Evergreen thornless groundcover with round crinkled foliage that turns a copper hue. Sweet yellow-orange raspberries. Native to Taiwan. Agreeable plant for the edible landscape. In the right conditions it bears a profusion of fruit in August. Cold stratify seed. Z5b
Seed packet $3
Sagittaria latifolia "Arrowhead" "Wapato"
Alismataceae. Aquatic plant with arrow shaped leaves and small white flowers. Forms corms to 2". Native to North America. The crisp and tasty corms were a food for indigenous folks wherever they occured. Easily grown and harvested in wide shallow containers with a layer of soil on the bottom and a 6" covering of water. Harvest in the Fall after the foliage dies back. Seeds can be started in partially submerged pots. Z5a
Seed packet $2.50
Salvia hispanica "Chia"
Labiatae. Herbaceous annual to 2-4'. Dark green leaves and spikes of vivid blue flowers. Central America. The classic chia, one of the most important staple foods of Mesoamerican civilizations. The whole plant has long been used for a variety of medicinal applications and the nutrient packed tiny seeds have the highest omega-3 fatty acid content of any food. Easy to grow. Z10a
Seed packet $2 / 1 ounce $5
Salvia miltiorrizha "Dan Shen"
Herbaceous perennial sage 1-2' tall. Hairy divided leaves and purple flowers. Native to China where the thick red roots are used in traditional medicine to enhance circulation, tonify the liver and as an effective calming sedative. Easy to grow, sun to part shade. Great in garden borders. Z7b
Seed packet $3
Salvia nubicola CC6306
Rosettes of strongly aromatic hairy sagittate leaves. 2-3' spikes of yellow flowers with flared bottom lip and purple speckled nose. Collected by C. Chadwell 9500' Himachel Pradesh, India. Used in for toothache, fevers, and liver health. Easy, sun to part shade. Z6b
Plant $5.50 or 3 for $14
For additional Salvia species see our Andean & Californian offerings
Silene inflata "Stridolo" "Sculpit"
Caryophyllaceae. Herbaceaous perennial to 2'. Blue-green linear leaves, unique white flowers with inflated green calyxes. Heirloom edible green from Italy, the young leaves and shoots are added to salads or steamed. An easy garden plant. Z6b.
Seed packet $2.75
Solanum muricatum "Pepino"
Solanaceae. Shrub to 3', resembles a pepper plant with large purple flowers. Oblong 6" fruit with yellow and purple streaked skin, orange flesh with a cantaloupe sweet flavor. Andean native, where the fruit is very popular. Perennial, but can be grown as an annual. Deserves wider cultivation. Prefers a warm sunny spot and rich soil. Sprout like peppers. Z9b
Seed packet $3
Taxus Baccata "Sacred Yew"
Taxaceae. A slow growing evergreen tree to 50' + tall. Dark green needles and fleshy red berries. A European species, sacred to pagans and christians alike. In Wales there is a specimen that has a circumference of nearly 50 feet and estimated to be 4,000 years old! A tree to plant for future generations. Easily trimmed as a hedge or bonsaid. Source of the anticancer drug, Taxol. All parts of the plant are considered poisonous, except for the fruit which are quite tasty! The aromatic wood is burned as an incense and a tea made from the leaves is insecticidal. Sun to shade tolerant, prefers a moist well drained soil. Our plants are from Hungarian seed. Z4b
8-10" + seedling 4-5 years old $12.50
Toona sinensis
Meliaceae. Attractive deciduous tree to 50'. Peeling bark and large compound leaves 1-2' long! Pendulous clusters of deliciously fragrant white flowers, a magnet for bees. Native to China. Cultivated for the nutritious young leaves and shoots which are a favorite vegetable with an onion like taste when cooked. Research suggests that the leaves have potent anticancer properties. The bark is used in Chinese medicine and the mahogany like hard wood is burned as an incense. A fast growing versatile tree. Prefers sun. Soak seed for 24 hours before sowing. Z7b
Seed packet $2.75
Vaccinium consanguineum "Paramo Huckleberry"
Ericaceae. 4-12' evergreen shrub with densely packed glossy blue green-leaves 1-2" long. Masses of white tinged-pink bell flowers swell to become 1/3" red then blue-black berries when ripe. Native to the high elevation cloud forest and paramo in Cartago Province, Costa Rica. If picked early the berries have a disagreeable flavor, but once fully ripe they are quite delicious. Sun to part shade. Cold stratify for best germination. Z8b
Seed packet $3.50