Fagus sylvatica ’COMMON BEECH’
[Prov. UK]
Fagacea: Large deciduous tree to 50 m, with a broad, rounded crown. Bark is usually smooth and grey, but it can also be rougher, crowded ascending branches. The leaves are oval and pointed, wavy margin with tiny silky hairs. The shiny 3-sided brown nuts, enclosed in a prickly casing. It has a typical lifespan of 250 to 300 years, though there are some specimens up to 600 years old in Britain. A widespread native tree of western and central Europe, being one of the late to colonise Britain after the last ice age.
The young leaves can be eaten raw, and have a very nice mild flavour, and go well in a mixed salad. However, the leaves quickly become tough so only the youngest should be used, the new growth is usually produced for 2 periods of 3 weeks each year, one in spring and one in mid-summer. The seed or beech nuts can be used raw or cooked, these has a pleasant sweet flavour, though rather small and fiddly. The nuts can also be dried and ground into a powder and then used with cereal flours when making bread, cakes and the like. The seed is also rich in oil.
The bark has antacid, antipyretic, antiseptic, antitussive, expectorant, odontalgic properties. A tar (or creosote), obtained by dry distillation of the branches, is stimulating and antiseptic. It is used internally as a stimulating expectorant and externally as an application to various skin diseases. The pure creosote has been used to give relief from toothache, but needs to be used with care.
The seeds have a short viability and are best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Protect the seed from mice.
Germination should take place in the spring.
Seeds collected August 2014.
12 seeds £1.25
[Prov. UK]
Fagacea: Large deciduous tree to 50 m, with a broad, rounded crown. Bark is usually smooth and grey, but it can also be rougher, crowded ascending branches. The leaves are oval and pointed, wavy margin with tiny silky hairs. The shiny 3-sided brown nuts, enclosed in a prickly casing. It has a typical lifespan of 250 to 300 years, though there are some specimens up to 600 years old in Britain. A widespread native tree of western and central Europe, being one of the late to colonise Britain after the last ice age.
The young leaves can be eaten raw, and have a very nice mild flavour, and go well in a mixed salad. However, the leaves quickly become tough so only the youngest should be used, the new growth is usually produced for 2 periods of 3 weeks each year, one in spring and one in mid-summer. The seed or beech nuts can be used raw or cooked, these has a pleasant sweet flavour, though rather small and fiddly. The nuts can also be dried and ground into a powder and then used with cereal flours when making bread, cakes and the like. The seed is also rich in oil.
The bark has antacid, antipyretic, antiseptic, antitussive, expectorant, odontalgic properties. A tar (or creosote), obtained by dry distillation of the branches, is stimulating and antiseptic. It is used internally as a stimulating expectorant and externally as an application to various skin diseases. The pure creosote has been used to give relief from toothache, but needs to be used with care.
The seeds have a short viability and are best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Protect the seed from mice.
Germination should take place in the spring.
Seeds collected August 2014.
12 seeds £1.25
Filipendula ulmaria ‘MEADOWSWEET’
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Currently Unavailable
Filipendula ulmaria
Foeniculum vulgare ‘FENNEL’
[Ex. Crimdon Dene, Co. Durham]
Currently Unavailable
[Ex. Crimdon Dene, Co. Durham]
Currently Unavailable
Foeniculum vulgare
Fragaria vesca ’WILD STRAWBERRY’
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Rosaceae: low perennial to 30cm with long, rooting runners. Found growing in dry, grassy places and woodland. The flowers are 12-18mm across, with 5 white petals, blooming from April-July. The fruit are tiny compared to garden varieties, but are much sweeter. The leaves comprise of 3 oval, toothed leaflets that are hairy beneath. Widespread and fairly common. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, to temperate Asia.
The fruit is eaten raw, cooked or can be made into preserves, they are sweet and succulent with an exquisite taste, they are far superior to the cultivated strawberry. The fruit is fairly small, up to 15mm in diameter, but it is produced abundantly from early summer until the frosts of autumn. The young leaves can be used raw or cooked, and added to salads or used as a potherb. The fresh or dried leaves are used as a tea substitute.
The leaves and the fruit are astringent, diuretic, laxative and tonic. The leaves are mainly used, though the fruits are an excellent food to take when feverish and are also effective in treating rheumatic gout. A slice of strawberry is also excellent when applied externally to sunburnt skin. A tea made from the leaves is a blood tonic. It is used in the treatment of chilblains and also as an external wash on sunburn. The leaves are harvested in the summer and dried for later use. The fruits contain salicylic acid and are beneficial in the treatment of liver and kidney complaints, as well as in the treatment of rheumatism and gout. The roots are astringent and diuretic. A decoction is used internally in the treatment of diarrhoea and chronic dysentery. Externally it is used to treat chilblains and as a throat gargle.
Surface sow seed in early spring in a greenhouse, the seed can take 4 weeks or more to germinate. The seedlings are very small and slow-growing at first, but then grow rapidly.
Harvested: Summer 2014.
Approx. 250+ seeds £1.75 [I only have limited amount, due to the fact that I kept eating them!]
Fragaria vesca
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Rosaceae: low perennial to 30cm with long, rooting runners. Found growing in dry, grassy places and woodland. The flowers are 12-18mm across, with 5 white petals, blooming from April-July. The fruit are tiny compared to garden varieties, but are much sweeter. The leaves comprise of 3 oval, toothed leaflets that are hairy beneath. Widespread and fairly common. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, to temperate Asia.
The fruit is eaten raw, cooked or can be made into preserves, they are sweet and succulent with an exquisite taste, they are far superior to the cultivated strawberry. The fruit is fairly small, up to 15mm in diameter, but it is produced abundantly from early summer until the frosts of autumn. The young leaves can be used raw or cooked, and added to salads or used as a potherb. The fresh or dried leaves are used as a tea substitute.
The leaves and the fruit are astringent, diuretic, laxative and tonic. The leaves are mainly used, though the fruits are an excellent food to take when feverish and are also effective in treating rheumatic gout. A slice of strawberry is also excellent when applied externally to sunburnt skin. A tea made from the leaves is a blood tonic. It is used in the treatment of chilblains and also as an external wash on sunburn. The leaves are harvested in the summer and dried for later use. The fruits contain salicylic acid and are beneficial in the treatment of liver and kidney complaints, as well as in the treatment of rheumatism and gout. The roots are astringent and diuretic. A decoction is used internally in the treatment of diarrhoea and chronic dysentery. Externally it is used to treat chilblains and as a throat gargle.
Surface sow seed in early spring in a greenhouse, the seed can take 4 weeks or more to germinate. The seedlings are very small and slow-growing at first, but then grow rapidly.
Harvested: Summer 2014.
Approx. 250+ seeds £1.75 [I only have limited amount, due to the fact that I kept eating them!]
Fragaria vesca
Fraxinus excelsior ’Common Ash’
[Ex. Hurworth-on-Tees, Co. Durham]
Currently Unavailable
Currently Unavailable
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Fraxinus excelsior [Hurworth-on-Tees, Co. Durham]
Fraxinus excelsior [Hurworth-on-Tees, Co. Durham]
Fumaria officinalis 'Fumitory'
Seeds Available: £1.25
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