Medicinal Herb Seeds
We are currently offering 46 varieties of Medicinal Herb Seeds.
New, Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) ($3.50)
Compact semievergreen to deciduous shrub, bearing tiny silver/ white gray berries, which yield an aromatic wax used in scenting candles and soaps. Can take full sun and poor soils. Seeds sprout best if wax removed and planted in Autumn. Plant also has medicinal and dye uses.
New, Chinese Rhubarb - Gansu Strain (Rheum officinale) ($3.50)
(Da huang) From a medicinal rhubarb farm in Gansu Province, Western China where traditionally some of the best medicinal herbs are grown. One of the most widely used herbs in Chinese medicine, revered for 5000 years as a safe digestive tonic and purgative. Has marked anti-tumour properties. Flower plumes up to 2 meters, deep red/crimson. Perennial (hardy in zones 5-8)
New, Wormwood (Artemesia absinthium) » certified organic ($3.50)
Famous for its use in making absinthe. Grows in full sun and dry soils to 3-4 feet, with decorative, lacy silver-grey foliage. Stunning in combination with plants with dark green foliage.
New, Angelica Dahurica ($3.50)
Also known in Chinese medicine as Bai Zhi, the roots are used to treat many ailments including toothache, headache, skin rashes, female reproductive disorders and congestion.This stunning perennial alpine herb can tower over 10 feet tall, has a beautiful dense leafy center, then sends out hollow stocks loaded with upside down 4 inch umbrella shaped flowers. It is the scent that is famous, exuding from both the plants and the seeds. It resembles a cross between maple walnut icecream and apples, and has been used in sachets for centuries. Loved by a vast array of benefical insects, it is a sight to behold when in full bloom.
New, Costmary (Tanacetum balsimata) ($3.50)
Sometimes called Bible leaf , this perennial herb is hardy in zones 4-8. It is an ancient medicinal with many uses. Grows 2-3 feet. Blossoms are white. Leaves are a soft grey green colour and grow in dense rosettes; strong, yet sweet-scented, they are used in salads, added to soups and sauces, and make a refreshing tea, fresh or dried. Also used extensively as potpourris and to sweeten linen closets. Medicinally, used as an antiseptic, an astringent, and as an insecticide. Once established, thrives in hot dry conditions. Easy to grow.
New, Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus) ($3.50)
Very showy perennial. Leafy plants, similar to Columbines. Yellow flowers. Used for stomach ailments and mixed with vinegar as a remedy for warts and corns. New research shows anti cancer properties.Self seeds readily and makes a nice addition to the wild or cottage garden.
New, Pinguica (Arctostaphylos pungens) ($3.50)
Delightful Mexican relative of kinnikkinnick, salal and arbutus. Will grow to 8 feet in favourable location - dry sunny slope. Small evergreen leaves, white flowers, orange berries. Mexican herbal remedy for bronchial, kidney/bladder infections.
Agrimony (Agrimonia Eupatoria) ($3.50)
2-foot plants topped with a small yellow flower spike. Used as a skin wash for healing wounds and internally for liver, kidneys and bladder problems. Also a dye plant.
Arnica (Arnica Montana) ($3.50)
Low-growing, daisy-like perennial used in salves and tinctures for relief of bruises, stiffness and muscle soreness. Also a famous homeopathic medicine.
Baikal Scullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) ($3.50)
Attractive small showy blue flowers on bushy plants. Prized Chinese medicinal for fevers, colds, high blood pressure, headaches, hepatitis and shingles. Easy to grow but does not transplant well: move carefully. Leaves can be used as a boiled vegetable. Whole plant can be dried and used as a tea substitute.
Calamint (Calamintha sylvatica) ($3.50)
Aromatic tea herb that grows to 1 ft tall and is covered in small lilac flowers for most of the summer. Said to resemble a cross between mint and marjoram. Also used in cooking for its pungent flavour.
Caucasian Wood Germander (Teucrium sp) ($3.50)
Dark green, compact, bushy plants, 1 to 2 feet tall with striking deep fushia-coloured flower spikes.
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) ($3.50)
Very important lung medicinal. Dried leaves and flowers are used for bronchitis, whooping cough, and asthma. The spoon-shaped leaves are full of zinc, used freshly bruised are helpful when applied to boils. In early spring, the plant is loaded with small yellow flowers on short stems.
Giant Yellow Hyssop (Agastache nepetoides) ($3.50)
Rare. Large toothy leaves with long lasting pale yellow flower stalks. Over 5 feet.
Japanese Catnip (Schizonepeta tennifolia) ($3.50)
Annual Chinese medicinal herb, Jing Jie, used as a tea for colds and sore throat. Antibacterial. Bushy plants grow 2 feet around. Strong, fresh, mint-like scent. Rare.
Lemon Bergamot (Monarda citriodora) ($3.50)
3 feet. Straight stems with pagoda-style stacked, round, mauve flowers. Very long bloom period. Excellent bee plant. Edible leaves are an excellent addition to salads and make a refreshing tea, hot or cold.
Marshmallow (Althea officianalis) ($3.50)
3 to 4 feet. Heart-shaped leaves with pale purple flowers. Highly prized medicinal, used for soothing inflammation of the skin, throat, eyes, lungs and urinary tract. Roots are used for digestive problems, leaves for the urinary tract and lungs.
Red Leaf Plantain (Plantago atropurpurea) ($3.50)
Large rosettes of ruddy red leaves, very striking in the herb garden. Prefers moist conditions. Used medicinally as an anti-inflammatory. Useful to cleanse wounds, by placing leaves in boiled water. Needs light to germinate and will self-sow.
Spilanthes acmella » certified organic ($3.50)
Annual. Spilanthes is native to South America. It has striking golden, bud-shaped flowers with deep red eyes on glossy green low growing annual plants.Sometimes called "toothache plant" because chewing the leaves and especially the flowers creates an interesting numbing effect. Reputedly enhances the immune system similarly to Echinacea. Leaves can be eaten fresh like cress.
Burdock (Arctium lappa) ($3.50)
This seed was collected from stunning 9 foot tall specimens, very architectural plants. The leaves are a rich green colour and very expansive in size. The blossoms are huge and attract a vast array of beneficial insects. The burr style seed pods can be easily removed before going to seed are very attractive at the green stage. The roots are one of our important medicinals, useful for chronic skin ailments, psoriasis and eczema as well as aiding digestion and kidney function. Burdock helps to balance the whole system.
Mullein (Verbascum thaspus) ($3.50)
Striking yellow flower stalks from a woolly leaf base in the second year. Leaves are brewed or steamed for coughs, hoarseness and bronchitis. Good dye plant.
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) ($3.50)
Vervain is a blue flowered, upright, hardy perennial with bright, somewhat glossy leaves. It grows 2-4 feet high. Traditional sacred medicinal used to calm nerves and reduce inflammation. Start indoors and transplant out.
Lion's Ear (Leonitis leonurus) ($3.50)
South African plant used for epilepsy, headache, hypertension, and for stomach and bronchial problems. Leaves are brewed as tea or smoked. Extremely ornamental plant with whorls of orange flower spikes to 6 feet. Treat as annual.
Chinese Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum) ($3.50)
This is a superb architectural plant. The stems, raw or cooked, have a superior flavour to common Rhubarb. The leaves are arrowhead shaped, tinged with a reddish purple. The plume style flowers are long lasting, and are creamy white and pink. The leaves are highly toxic and make an insect repellent, the fibre can be used for homemade paper. In traditional Chinese medicine, the roots are used in cancer treatment. Easy from seed.
Rue (Ruta graveolens) ($3.50)
A lovely perennial for rock garden and unfenced areas. Grey-green foliage can be used sparingly as a bitter spice. Also used in the treatment of rheumatism and internal parasites. Companion plant for organic gardens. 2-3 feet high. Yellow blossoms.
Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) ($3.50)
Tall stems to 4 feet, topped with large and bushy lilac blossoms in summer. Very long lasting and aromatic. Likes damp areas and can grow in sunnier locations. Medicinal uses include blood purification and as an aid to the liver.
Horehound Green Pompon (Marrubium vulgare) ($3.50)
Horehound is a hardy perennial herb, native to Europe and naturalized in many parts of North America. It is normally found in poor soil. It grows to 2 feet with a bushy spreading habit. The whole plant is covered with a soft, wooly felt which gives the plant a whitish-gray appearance. Thick leaves are about 1" long, oval-shaped and opposite each other on square stems. Tiny white flowers are arranged in tight whorls around the leave axils. The flower calyx has sharp teeth that can cling to clothing when dried. Horehound flowers from June to September. Very ornamental. Amazing scent. Medicinal for coughs and colds. Perennial.
Calendula Mix (Calendula officinalis) ($3.50)
Sometimes called Pot Marigold, Calendula is an annual with light-yellow-to-orange blossoms that brings sunshiny brightness to gardens for most of the year. Usually about two feet high, it has coarse surfaces and many branches. The leaves are oblong, without teeth or with small inconspicuous teeth. They are three to six inches long. The flower heads are from two to three inches across and have several rows of ray florets and a central cluster of tubular flowers. Calendula blossoms appear about six weeks after planting and will keep blooming until the first snows. This is an electric mix of yellows and oranges. An extremely hardy plant that flowers here even in winter. Often used in skin lotions. Flower petals are a special salad addition. Stagger plantings for continuous display. Self-sows readily.
Wood Germander (Teucrium scorodonia) ($3.50)
A tea plant, very popular in Scotland, grows into a 2-3 foot bush, topped with spikes of yellow flowers. Adored by bees. Also known as Garlic Sage, the tea has been used medicinally as a tonic and to fight colds.An ideal plant for poor soils, hillsides and an orchard companion, very drought tolerant once established
Crampbark (Viburnum opulus) ($3.50)
Also called "bush cranberry" and "Guelder rose". Deciduous shrub with maple-shaped leaves, flat clusters of white flowers in spring, brilliant red berries in fall. Bark tincture is used as a remedy for uterine cramping.
St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum) ($3.50)
St Johnswort is a much-branched perennial herb growing from one to three feet high. The oblong, entire (without teeth), opposite pale green leaves are about an inch long. The leaves are covered by translucent dots easily seen by holding the leaves up to light. The star-shaped, golden yellow blossoms appear from June through August. When the fresh flowers are crushed, they exude a blood-red juice, staining the fingers blue violet. Esteemed for antispasmodic, antidepressant, antiviral properties. Good bee and border plant.
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) ($3.50)
Purple Coneflower is a stunning perennial that starts to flower in mid-summer and attracts masses of bees and butterflies. Long, down-turning, purple petals surround bristly, phosphorescent orange cones on 4-foot stems. As medicine, this plant is a powerful immune system stimulant and blood purifier. Easiest to grow as transplants.
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) ($3.50)
Valerian is a hardy perennial growing to about 5 feet. The stems are succulent, hollow and grooved. The deeply divided leaves are larger at the base, becoming progressively smaller on the flower stalks. Seven to ten pairs of lance-shaped leaf segments characterize the fern-like leaves. The tiny, fragrant flowers are pink, white or lavender and are borne in flat, umbel-like clusters. Valerian flowers from late May through August. Widely used to allay pain, nervous unrest, migraine and insomnia. Roots should be simmered very lightly for 10 minutes. Pungent flowers. Best to let roots size up for a few years.
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) » certified organic ($3.50)
A most arresting, stout, branching plant. White-mottled, smooth, shiny, scalloped leaves with sharp spines. 3-7 feet. Large solitary purple flower heads. Leaves are edible and good if you can avoid the prickles. Can self-sow but easy to keep under control. Milk thistle seeds have long been known for their powerful beneficial effect on the liver. We chew them slowly, letting them dissolve in the mouth.
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) ($3.50)
Motherwort is a smooth-stemmed to slightly hairy perennial, growing from 2-10 feet tall. The main stem, often branching at the base, is stout and strongly four-angled. The opposite leaves are lobed, with three to seven unequal, toothed lobes. The upper leaves are lanceolate to three-lobed. The flowers occur in tight whorls at the leaf axils, giving the plant a showy wandlike, spike appearance in the garden. The plant has a strong fragrance. Heart medicine. Excellent bee plant. Traditional female tonic from puberty to menopause. Perennial.
Greek Mountain Tea (Sideritis syriaca) ($3.50)
This perennial has a spreading habit. The oval fuzzy leaves are soft, grey in colour,and form a dense mat.Flowering in mid summer,it is the time to harvest the whole aerial plant for tea. A traditional tea in Greece, it also has valuable medicinal qualities in the treatment of colds and lung congestion.Thrives on hillsides and in poor soil conditions.
Wild Tobacco (Nicotiana rustica) ($3.50)
This is a tobacco different from N. Tabacum, from which all the cultivated varieties were developed. It is a handsome plant in its own right, standing up to 6 feet tall with 12-inch long, soft, light green leaves and pink trumpet flowers at the apex.
1000 Year Old Tobacco (Nicotiana rustica?) ($3.50)
A few seeds were gifted to me (Dan Jason) in 2003 that were preserved in an urn from a burial site and thought to be over 1000 years old. Very different than any tobacco plant I've seen before. 3-foot plants with very broad leaves.
Leopard Lily (Belamcanda chinensis) ($3.50)
Pretty perennial lily, with small yellow, spotted flowers. Seeds are interesting: open pods look like ripe blackberries. Called She-gan in traditional Chinese medicine, and used for respiratory tract disorders.
Figwort (Scrophularia nodosa) ($3.50)
A tall, drought tolerant perennial, with dark green heart shaped leaves. Multi flowering stems are topped with spikes of small orange flowers.A huge favourite with beneficial insects, it teems with life all summer long.A traditional medicinal, used in the treatment of itchy skin disorders.
Huang Qi (Chinese Milk-vetch) (Astragalus membranaceus) ($3.50)
Perennial, important immune-boosting root. Also lowers blood sugar and blood pressure. Scarify seed and soak for 24 hours before planting in sunny, well-drained soil. A legume, it grows to 6 feet, has yellow flowers.
Elecampane (Inula helenium) ($3.50)
Elecampane is a striking robust perennial that grows from 4-6 feet and that can exceed 8 feet in good soil. The basal leaves are 10-18 inches long and about 4 inches across. The leaf stems can add an additional foot to the length of the leaves. The leaves are rough above and covered with soft, velvety white hairs below. The leaves become smaller as they move up the stem until the upper leaves clasp the stalks with their heart-shaped bases. Long slender ray flowers project out from bright golden flower heads, up to 4 inches in diameter. Flower heads are somewhat sparse. The root is large and fleshy, about 6 inches long and an inch or two thick, with lateral rootlets 6 to 12 inches long. Flowering is from May to August. Dried root preparations quiet coughing. Immune system booster. Stomach toner.
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) ($3.50)
Feverfew is a strongly aromatic perennial that grows from 2-4 feet high. Oval leaves are yellowish-green and up to 3" long, with 3-7 oblong lobes further divided into smaller segments. The white-petaled, small, daisy-like flowers usually have yellow disk florets. The flowers last from June to November. Perennial garden favourite. Leaves are highly medicinal for treating migraines, Very drought tolerant.
Bladder Senna (Colutea arborescens) ($3.50)
Attractive medium sized shrub with small oval leaves and bright yellow blossoms in early summer. The dull red seed pods look like bladders.The leaves are used as a gentle laxative.Tolerates poor soils and very dry conditons once established.
Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) ($3.50)
Biennial with bright yellow flowers that open at dusk. Oil in seeds is high in gammalinoleic acid. General tonic and immune system booster. Alleviates PMS. Roots can be eaten as a vegetable, shoots as a salad.
Sweet Annie (Artemesia annua) » certified organic ($3.50)
Sweet Annie is a smooth, sweetly pungent, bushy annual from 2 to 9 feet tall. The leaves are broadly oval to lance-shaped in general outline and up to 4 inches long. Individual leaf segments are entire or with a few teeth. The flowers are in a loose, broad panicle. The individual, tiny, inconspicuous, greenish-yellow flowerheads are round and somewhat nodding. Sweetly aromatic everlasting. Ferny, dark green foliage to 6 feet. Great for dried flower arrangements. Potpourri fixative. Has emerged as the most promising new treatment for malaria in over 300 years. Called Qing-hao in traditional Chinese medicine.