'Meadow Clary'
Salvia pratensis
[Rare native]
Lamiaceae: attractive downy, slightly aromatic, upright perennial. Grows in dry grassland on chalk and limestone soils. Bluish violet flowers in whorls in upright spikes, from June-July. Very rare and restricted to a few sites in Southern England. Native Europe, including Britain, from Scandinavia south and east to Spain, Serbia, the Crimea, Bulgaria.
The pungent, bitter flavoured herb has been used as a flavouring in beers and wines.
Requires a very well-drained light sandy soil in a sunny position. Sow seeds from March/April in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks. A good bee plant.
Harvested: 2014.
'Wild Clary'
Salvia verbenaca
Salvia pratensis
[Rare native]
Lamiaceae: attractive downy, slightly aromatic, upright perennial. Grows in dry grassland on chalk and limestone soils. Bluish violet flowers in whorls in upright spikes, from June-July. Very rare and restricted to a few sites in Southern England. Native Europe, including Britain, from Scandinavia south and east to Spain, Serbia, the Crimea, Bulgaria.
The pungent, bitter flavoured herb has been used as a flavouring in beers and wines.
Requires a very well-drained light sandy soil in a sunny position. Sow seeds from March/April in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks. A good bee plant.
Harvested: 2014.
'Wild Clary'
Salvia verbenaca
[Ex. Norfolk]
Lamiaceae: an upright, downy, almost unbranched perennial herb to 80cm. grows in dry grassland, typically on calcareous soils and often near the coast. Bluish violet flowers in whorls in compact spikes. Blooming from May-August. Rare, local in South East England only. Native to Mediterranean region to Spain, France and Britain.
The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. They are most often used as a flavouring in cooked foods. They are aromatic. The young leaves can be eaten fried or candied. An herb tea is made from the leaves, it is said to improve the digestion. Flowers can be used raw as a flavouring in salads.
The seed forms a thick mucilage when it is soaked for a few minutes in water. This is efficacious in removing small particles of dust from the eyes.
Requires a very well-drained light sandy soil in a sunny position. Sow seeds from March/April in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks. A good bee plant.
Harvested: 2014.
Lamiaceae: an upright, downy, almost unbranched perennial herb to 80cm. grows in dry grassland, typically on calcareous soils and often near the coast. Bluish violet flowers in whorls in compact spikes. Blooming from May-August. Rare, local in South East England only. Native to Mediterranean region to Spain, France and Britain.
The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. They are most often used as a flavouring in cooked foods. They are aromatic. The young leaves can be eaten fried or candied. An herb tea is made from the leaves, it is said to improve the digestion. Flowers can be used raw as a flavouring in salads.
The seed forms a thick mucilage when it is soaked for a few minutes in water. This is efficacious in removing small particles of dust from the eyes.
Requires a very well-drained light sandy soil in a sunny position. Sow seeds from March/April in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks. A good bee plant.
Harvested: 2014.
45+ Seeds £1.35
'Dwarf Elder'
Sambucus ebulus
Sambucus ebulus
Seeds available but untested.
'Elderberry'
Sambucus nigra
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Sambucus nigra
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Caprifoliaceae: deciduous shrub or small tree to 10m, with spreading, outcurved main branches and corky bark. Grows in woodland, scrub and hedgerows, thriving best on nitrogen rich soils. The flowers are 5mm across, creamy white, with a heady scent; in flat-topped clusters, 10-20cm across, blooming from June-July. Blackish-purple berries, in clusters, the leaves are divided into 5-7 leaflets, they have an unpleasant smell. Europe, from Scandinavia south and east to North Africa and West Asia, and widespread and common across the UK.
The fruit can be used raw or cooked, the flavour of the raw fruit seems not acceptable to all tastes, though when cooked it makes delicious jams, preserves, pies and so forth. It can be used fresh or dried, the dried fruit being less bitter. The fruit can be used to add flavour and colour to preserves, jams, pies, sauces, chutneys etc., it is also often used to make wine. The flowers are crisp and somewhat juicy, they have an aromatic smell and flavour and are delicious raw as a refreshing snack on a summers day. The flowers are used to add a muscatel flavour to stewed fruits, jellies and jams (especially gooseberry jam), also they are often used to make a sparkling wine.
All parts of the elder can be used in medicine. Traditionally, the inner bark has been as a purgative and an emetic, while the leaves have been applied to bruises, sprains and headaches. Today it is primarily the blossoms and berries which are used in medicine. The blossoms make a delicious tea that has an anti-inflammatory effect on the sinuses, and also helps heyfever. The berries have potent anti-viral effects and stimulate the immune system, and are best taken as a hot decoction (optionally with honey and ginger).
Seeds can be deeply dormant requires 39 weeks cold stratification treatment, so probably best sown in the autumn.
100+ SEEDS £1.25
Sambucus nigra
'Salad Burnet'
Sanguisorba minor
Sanguisorba minor
(syn. Poterium sanguisorba)
[Ex. Yorkshire]
Rosaceae: perennial of grasslands to 35cm. The leaves smell of cucumber when crushed. The flowers are tiny, green with red styles, in dense, rounded heads. Pinnately divided leaves in a rosette. Locally common across the country. Native to Europe, including Britain, from Sweden south and east to France, Armenia and Iran.
The young leaves and shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. They are best used before the plant comes into flower. Eaten in salads, used as a garnish or added to soups, cooling drinks and claret cups. An herbal tea is made from the dried leaves.
Both the root and the leaves are astringent, diaphoretic and styptic, though the root is most active. The plant is an effective wound herb, quickly staunching any bleeding. An infusion is used in the treatment of gout and rheumatism. The leaves can be used fresh, or are harvested in July and dried (the plant should be prevented from flowering). The root is harvested in the autumn and dried. An infusion of the leaves is used as a soothing treatment for sunburn or skin troubles such as eczema.
Prefers a light dry calcareous soil, but succeeds in most good soils. Dislikes shade. Sow seeds from March/April or September/October in a cold frame. Germinates in 3 weeks. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle into individual pots. Plant them out in the spring or early summer.
Harvested: 2014
25+ Seeds £1.35
Rosaceae: perennial of grasslands to 35cm. The leaves smell of cucumber when crushed. The flowers are tiny, green with red styles, in dense, rounded heads. Pinnately divided leaves in a rosette. Locally common across the country. Native to Europe, including Britain, from Sweden south and east to France, Armenia and Iran.
The young leaves and shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. They are best used before the plant comes into flower. Eaten in salads, used as a garnish or added to soups, cooling drinks and claret cups. An herbal tea is made from the dried leaves.
Both the root and the leaves are astringent, diaphoretic and styptic, though the root is most active. The plant is an effective wound herb, quickly staunching any bleeding. An infusion is used in the treatment of gout and rheumatism. The leaves can be used fresh, or are harvested in July and dried (the plant should be prevented from flowering). The root is harvested in the autumn and dried. An infusion of the leaves is used as a soothing treatment for sunburn or skin troubles such as eczema.
Prefers a light dry calcareous soil, but succeeds in most good soils. Dislikes shade. Sow seeds from March/April or September/October in a cold frame. Germinates in 3 weeks. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle into individual pots. Plant them out in the spring or early summer.
Harvested: 2014
25+ Seeds £1.35
'Great Burnet'
Sanguisorba officinalis
[Ex. Oxfordshire]
Sanguisorba officinalis
[Ex. Oxfordshire]
Rosaceae: an elegant, hairless perennial of damp grassland and riverbanks. The tiny, reddish purple flowers, form dense, ovoid heads on long stalks, flowering from June-September. The leaves are pinnately divided, comprising of 3-7 pairs of oval, toothed leaflets. Local and sadly declining, and common only in central and Northern England. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, temperate Asia to Iran, China and Japan.
The young leaves and flower buds can be used raw or cooked. They should be harvested in the spring before the plant comes into flower, and have a cucumber flavour, normally added to salads or used as a potherb. The fresh or dried leaves can be used as a tea substitute.
Great burnet is employed mainly for its astringent action, being used to slow or arrest blood flow. It is taken both internally and externally internally and is a safe and effective treatment. Modern research in China has shown that the whole herb heals burns more effectively than the extracted tannins (the astringent component of the plant). Patients suffering from eczema showed marked improvement when treated with an ointment made from the root and petroleum jelly. The leaves are astringent, refrigerant, styptic and tonic. They are used in the treatment of fevers and bleeding. The plant is prevented from flowering and then the leaves are harvested in July and dried for later use. The root is anodyne, astringent, diuretic, febrifuge, haemostatic, tonic and vulnerary. It is used in the treatment of peptic ulcers, haematuria, menorrhagia, bloody stool, dysentery, diarrhoea, haemorrhoids and burns. The root is harvested in the autumn as the leaves die down and dried for later use. All parts of the plant are astringent, but the root is most active. Great burnet is an excellent internal treatment for all sorts of abnormal discharges including diarrhoea, dysentery and leucorrhoea. It is used externally in the treatment of burns, scalds, sores and skin diseases. This species was ranked 19th in a Chinese survey of 250 potential anti-fertility plants.
All in all a very useful and pretty wild flower.
Can be sown at any time of the year although probably best in the autumn.
Harvested August 2014
Approx. 100+ seeds £1.50
Sanguisorba officinalis
'Wood Sanicle'
Sanicula europaea
Sanicula europaea
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Apiaceae: evergreen perennial growing to 0.6 m (2ft) in height, glossy, dark green leaves are glabrous and coarsely toothed, the pinkish white flowers are borne in tight spherical umbels and are followed by bristly fruits which easily attach to clothing or animal fur and are thus easily distributed. Native to calcareous woodland across Europe, including the UK.
The plants roots have been used in the traditional Austrian medicine internally (as tea) or externally (as ointment) for treatment of disorders of the skin, respiratory tract, locomotor system, gastrointestinal tract, and infections.
Plants prefer part to full shade and moist, rich soils of woodland or shade garden. Seeds need cold stratification, Sow seed in fall or very early spring for germination in the spring, or give 30 days’ cold, moist refrigeration and then sow in cool, moist shade. Sow in pots or directly in the woodland or shade garden.
Seeds are limited!
35+ seeds - £1.50
Seeds were collected from wild plants from various locations across Co. Durham, June 2014.
Apiaceae: evergreen perennial growing to 0.6 m (2ft) in height, glossy, dark green leaves are glabrous and coarsely toothed, the pinkish white flowers are borne in tight spherical umbels and are followed by bristly fruits which easily attach to clothing or animal fur and are thus easily distributed. Native to calcareous woodland across Europe, including the UK.
The plants roots have been used in the traditional Austrian medicine internally (as tea) or externally (as ointment) for treatment of disorders of the skin, respiratory tract, locomotor system, gastrointestinal tract, and infections.
Plants prefer part to full shade and moist, rich soils of woodland or shade garden. Seeds need cold stratification, Sow seed in fall or very early spring for germination in the spring, or give 30 days’ cold, moist refrigeration and then sow in cool, moist shade. Sow in pots or directly in the woodland or shade garden.
Seeds are limited!
35+ seeds - £1.50
Seeds were collected from wild plants from various locations across Co. Durham, June 2014.
Sanicula europaea
'Soapwort'
'Soapwort'
Saponaria officinalis
Currently Unavailable
'Scabious'
Scabiosa columbaria
Currently Unavailable
Scabiosa columbaria
'Water Figwort'
Scrophularia auriculata
[Ex. Monmouthshire]
Scrophulariaceae: upright, hairless perennial to 70cm, with stems that are square. Grows in damp ground, in woodlands and beside fresh water. The flowers are small and maroon, and adorn spikes from June-September. The seed capsules look like miniature figs. Widespread and common except for Scotland. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Southern Sweden to France, Palestine and Asia to Tibet.
The leaves have detergent and vulnerary properties. They are harvested as the plant comes into flower and can be used fresh or dried for later use. The plant has a good reputation as a wound herb, either applied externally as a poultice or taken as a decoction. Water betony is said to have similar medicinal properties to the knotted figwort, S. nodosa. These properties are as follows: Knotted figwort is a plant that supports detoxification of the body and it may be used as a treatment for various kinds of skin disorders. The whole plant is alterative, anodyne, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, mildly purgative and stimulant. It is harvested as the plant comes into flower in the summer and can be dried for later use. A decoction is applied externally to sprains, swellings, burns, inflammations, and is said to be useful in treating chronic skin diseases, scrofulous sores and gangrene.
Succeeds in most moist soils. A good bee plant. Sow seeds spring or autumn in a cold frame or greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Harvested: 2014.
Scrophularia auriculata
'Knotted Figwort'
Scrophularia nodosa
Currently Unavailable
Scrophularia nodosa
Currently Unavailable
'Scabious'
Scabiosa columbaria
Currently Unavailable
'Water Figwort'
Scrophularia auriculata
[Ex. Monmouthshire]
Scrophulariaceae: upright, hairless perennial to 70cm, with stems that are square. Grows in damp ground, in woodlands and beside fresh water. The flowers are small and maroon, and adorn spikes from June-September. The seed capsules look like miniature figs. Widespread and common except for Scotland. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Southern Sweden to France, Palestine and Asia to Tibet.
The leaves have detergent and vulnerary properties. They are harvested as the plant comes into flower and can be used fresh or dried for later use. The plant has a good reputation as a wound herb, either applied externally as a poultice or taken as a decoction. Water betony is said to have similar medicinal properties to the knotted figwort, S. nodosa. These properties are as follows: Knotted figwort is a plant that supports detoxification of the body and it may be used as a treatment for various kinds of skin disorders. The whole plant is alterative, anodyne, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, mildly purgative and stimulant. It is harvested as the plant comes into flower in the summer and can be dried for later use. A decoction is applied externally to sprains, swellings, burns, inflammations, and is said to be useful in treating chronic skin diseases, scrofulous sores and gangrene.
Succeeds in most moist soils. A good bee plant. Sow seeds spring or autumn in a cold frame or greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Harvested: 2014.
'Knotted Figwort'
Scrophularia nodosa
Currently Unavailable
'Skullcap'
Scutellaria galericulata
Scutellaria galericulata
[Ex. Norfolk]
Currently Unavailable
'Biting Stonecrop'
Sedum acre
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Crassulaceae: distinctive mat-forming perennial of free-draining rocky ground and old walls, and often in the cracks of pavements. Star-shaped bright yellow flowers from May-July. Fleshy crowded stems. Widespread and locally common across the UK. Native to Eastern Europe.
The leaves can be eaten either raw or cooked, and are rich in vitamin C, but it has a bitter acrid taste. The main interest in the edible qualities of this plant is as a survival food, since it grows wild in the driest deserts as well as in arctic conditions. Large quantities can cause stomach upsets. It is best to dry the leaves (which can be difficult because they are very fleshy) and then powder them and use them to add a peppery taste to foods. The leaves are dried and ground into a powder to make a spicy seasoning.
The herb has astringent, hypotensive, laxative, rubefacient, vermifuge and vulnerary properties. One of its best uses is as an effective and harmless corn-remover, it can also be used to bring boils to a head. The bruised fresh plant is applied as a poultice to wounds and minor burns, though some care should be exercised because the plant can cause blisters or skin irritations. The herb is difficult to dry and so is best used when fresh, it can be gathered at any time during the spring and summer. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant. It is used in the treatment of piles and anal irritations.
A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but prefers a sunny position in a fertile well-drained soil. Established plants are drought tolerant and grows well on walls.
Sow seeds in spring in well-drained soil in a sunny position in a greenhouse. Do not allow the soil to dry out. It can also be sown in the autumn in a cold frame, some seed will germinate immediately whilst others germinate in the spring.
Harvested: 2015.
Approx. 300+ seeds
Sedum album 'White Stonecrop'
Seeds available but untested.
Crassulaceae: mat-forming, evergreen perennial to 15cm, of rocky ground and old walls. The flowers are star-shaped, 6-9mm across, white above but often pinkish below: in terminal clusters from June-September. The leaves are small and flashy, green or reddish. Very local, mainly in South Western England and often naturalised elsewhere. Native to most of Europe.
The leaves can be used raw or cooked, but are usually eaten as a pickle, though it can also be added to salads or cooked with other leafy vegetables.
The leaves and stems are applied externally as a poultice to inflammations and are especially recommended for treating painful haemorrhoids.
A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but prefers a fertile well-drained soil. Established plants are drought tolerant, they grow well in dry soils and succeed on a wall. Requires a sunny position.
Surface sow seeds in spring in well-drained soil in a sunny position in a greenhouse. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle.
Harvested: 2014
Approx. 300+ Seeds £1.35
Sedum telephium 'Orpine'
Crassulaceae: Quite different from other large border sedums. Pretty serrated fleshy leaves and deep dusky-pink flowers from the leaf axils all up the stems Jul-Sep, 45cm.
The Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, they have occasionally been used in salads. The root can be cooked, and used in soups, stews.
The whole plant is astringent and cytostatic, it is a popular remedy for diarrhoea, stimulates the kidneys and has a reputation in the treatment of cancer. A poultice of the crushed leaves has been used in the treatment of boils and carbuncles.
Plants will succeed in most soils but prefers a fertile well-drained soil that is not too dry, but can tolerate poor soils, also tolerant of quite deep shade. Surface sow seeds in spring in well-drained soil in a sunny position in a greenhouse, don’t allow the soil to dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If sufficient growth is made, it is possible to plant them out during the summer, otherwise keep them in a cold-frame or greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in early summer of the following year.
Seeds harvested October 2014.
Approx. 300+ seeds [warning the seeds are very small]
Currently Unavailable
Sedum acre
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Crassulaceae: distinctive mat-forming perennial of free-draining rocky ground and old walls, and often in the cracks of pavements. Star-shaped bright yellow flowers from May-July. Fleshy crowded stems. Widespread and locally common across the UK. Native to Eastern Europe.
The leaves can be eaten either raw or cooked, and are rich in vitamin C, but it has a bitter acrid taste. The main interest in the edible qualities of this plant is as a survival food, since it grows wild in the driest deserts as well as in arctic conditions. Large quantities can cause stomach upsets. It is best to dry the leaves (which can be difficult because they are very fleshy) and then powder them and use them to add a peppery taste to foods. The leaves are dried and ground into a powder to make a spicy seasoning.
The herb has astringent, hypotensive, laxative, rubefacient, vermifuge and vulnerary properties. One of its best uses is as an effective and harmless corn-remover, it can also be used to bring boils to a head. The bruised fresh plant is applied as a poultice to wounds and minor burns, though some care should be exercised because the plant can cause blisters or skin irritations. The herb is difficult to dry and so is best used when fresh, it can be gathered at any time during the spring and summer. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant. It is used in the treatment of piles and anal irritations.
A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but prefers a sunny position in a fertile well-drained soil. Established plants are drought tolerant and grows well on walls.
Sow seeds in spring in well-drained soil in a sunny position in a greenhouse. Do not allow the soil to dry out. It can also be sown in the autumn in a cold frame, some seed will germinate immediately whilst others germinate in the spring.
Harvested: 2015.
Approx. 300+ seeds
Currently Unavailable
Sedum album 'White Stonecrop'
Seeds available but untested.
Crassulaceae: mat-forming, evergreen perennial to 15cm, of rocky ground and old walls. The flowers are star-shaped, 6-9mm across, white above but often pinkish below: in terminal clusters from June-September. The leaves are small and flashy, green or reddish. Very local, mainly in South Western England and often naturalised elsewhere. Native to most of Europe.
The leaves can be used raw or cooked, but are usually eaten as a pickle, though it can also be added to salads or cooked with other leafy vegetables.
The leaves and stems are applied externally as a poultice to inflammations and are especially recommended for treating painful haemorrhoids.
A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but prefers a fertile well-drained soil. Established plants are drought tolerant, they grow well in dry soils and succeed on a wall. Requires a sunny position.
Surface sow seeds in spring in well-drained soil in a sunny position in a greenhouse. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle.
Harvested: 2014
Approx. 300+ Seeds £1.35
Crassulaceae: Quite different from other large border sedums. Pretty serrated fleshy leaves and deep dusky-pink flowers from the leaf axils all up the stems Jul-Sep, 45cm.
The Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, they have occasionally been used in salads. The root can be cooked, and used in soups, stews.
The whole plant is astringent and cytostatic, it is a popular remedy for diarrhoea, stimulates the kidneys and has a reputation in the treatment of cancer. A poultice of the crushed leaves has been used in the treatment of boils and carbuncles.
Plants will succeed in most soils but prefers a fertile well-drained soil that is not too dry, but can tolerate poor soils, also tolerant of quite deep shade. Surface sow seeds in spring in well-drained soil in a sunny position in a greenhouse, don’t allow the soil to dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If sufficient growth is made, it is possible to plant them out during the summer, otherwise keep them in a cold-frame or greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in early summer of the following year.
Seeds harvested October 2014.
Approx. 300+ seeds [warning the seeds are very small]
Currently Unavailable
'Groundsel'
Senecio vulgaris
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Asteraceae: annual growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in). The inflorescences usually lack ray florets, the yellow disc florets mostly hidden by the bracts giving the flowers an inconspicuous appearance. Blooming from January to December. Downy head of seeds spread by wind. Common flower found along roadsides and waste places, it is also a common weed of cultivated land, succeeding on most soils but avoiding shade. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandinavia to North Africa and temperate Asia.
Groundsel has had a long history of herbal use and, although not an official plant, it is still often used by herbalists. The whole herb is anthelmintic, antiscorbutic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue and purgative. It is often used as a poultice and is said to be useful in treating sickness of the stomach, whilst a weak infusion is used as a simple and easy purgative. The plant can be harvested in May and dried for later use, or the fresh juice can be extracted and used as required. This plant should not be used by pregnant women. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant. It has also been used in the treatment of menstrual disorders and nose bleeds.
Warning: This plant should not be used by pregnant women.
Surface sow seeds in spring, seed shouldn't need much encouragement to germinate. Groundsel is a good food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly and moth species, and is one of only two species that provide food for cinnabar moth caterpillars.
Harvest 2014
Seeds available £0.99
Senecio vulgaris
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Asteraceae: annual growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in). The inflorescences usually lack ray florets, the yellow disc florets mostly hidden by the bracts giving the flowers an inconspicuous appearance. Blooming from January to December. Downy head of seeds spread by wind. Common flower found along roadsides and waste places, it is also a common weed of cultivated land, succeeding on most soils but avoiding shade. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandinavia to North Africa and temperate Asia.
Groundsel has had a long history of herbal use and, although not an official plant, it is still often used by herbalists. The whole herb is anthelmintic, antiscorbutic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue and purgative. It is often used as a poultice and is said to be useful in treating sickness of the stomach, whilst a weak infusion is used as a simple and easy purgative. The plant can be harvested in May and dried for later use, or the fresh juice can be extracted and used as required. This plant should not be used by pregnant women. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant. It has also been used in the treatment of menstrual disorders and nose bleeds.
Warning: This plant should not be used by pregnant women.
Surface sow seeds in spring, seed shouldn't need much encouragement to germinate. Groundsel is a good food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly and moth species, and is one of only two species that provide food for cinnabar moth caterpillars.
Harvest 2014
Serratula tinctoria
Currently Unavailable
'Pepper Saxifrage'
Silaum silaus
[Ex. Wiltshire]
Silaum silaus
[Ex. Wiltshire]
Currently Unavailable
'Bladder Campion'
Silene vulgaris
[Ex. Somerset]
Silene vulgaris
[Ex. Somerset]
Caryophyllaceae: an upright perennial of dry grassland to 80cm. flowers are white, dropping, 16-18mm across, petals are deeply divided, the calyx are swollen and form a purple veined bladder, flowering form June-August. The leaves are grey-green and oval. Pretty widespread but only really common in the south. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, to North Africa and temperate Asia.
The young shoots and leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, the young leaves are sweet and very agreeable in salads. The cooked young shoots, harvested when about 5cm long, have a flavour similar to green peas but with a slight bitterness.
The plant is said to be emollient and is used in baths or as a fumigant, also the juice of the plant can be used in the treatment of ophthalmia.
Easily grown from seed sown at any time of the year.
Harvested August 2014.
Approx. 100+ seeds £1.25.
Silene vulgaris
'Charlock'
Sinapis arvensis
[Ex. Sunderland]
Brassicaceae: bristly annual to 0.8 m (2ft 7in). Lower leaves, are large and lyre shaped, upper are lanceolate, not clasping the stem. Flowers yellow, 15 to 20 mm, blooming from May to July. Fruit 25 to 45 mm long and beaded. Similar in appearance and habitat to Oil-seed Rape. Found in arable fields, waste and disturbed ground, roadsides. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Norway to North Africa, Siberia and South West Asia.
The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, and are somewhat hot, the young leaves are used as a flavouring in salads, where they add a piquant flavour, and the older leaves are used as a potherb. It is best to use just the young shoots and leaves in the spring, older leaves are bitter. Flowering stems can be cooked, they have a pleasant, cabbage/radish flavour, and they can be used as a broccoli substitute before the flowers open. The stems should be lightly steamed for no more than 5 minutes. The flowers can also be cooked as a vegetable or used as a garnish. Its seeds it can be sprouted and eaten raw, they also have a hot flavour, they can be added to salads and sandwiches. The seed can be ground into a powder and used as a food flavouring. It has a hot mustard flavour.
The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Black depression', 'Melancholia' and 'Gloom'.
Germinate seeds in spring and autumn, they should not need much encouragement. Usually found on heavy alkaline soils in the wild, but succeeds on most soils. Dislikes shade.
Harvested 2014.
Approx. 100+ seeds £0.99.
'Hedge Mustard'
Sisymbrium officinale
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Brassicaceae: annual growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in). Small four petaled flowers on wire like stalks. Blooming from June to July. The basal leaves are deeply pinnately-lobed and typically grow to around 15-20cm long. Found growing in hedge banks, uncultivated ground, waste ground, the sites of ruined buildings etc. It is a fairly common weed of cultivated land. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandinavia to North Africa and the Near East.
The young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked, and have a bitter cabbage-like flavour, they are used as a flavouring in salads or cooked as a potherb. The seed can be used raw or cooked, and can be ground into a powder and used as a gruel or as a mustard-like flavouring in soups.
The whole plant is said to have antiaphonic, diuretic, expectorant, laxative and stomachic properties. This plant was at one time known as the 'singer's plant' because of its use in treating loss of the voice. A strong infusion of the whole plant has been used in the treatment of throat complaints. Excessive doses can affect the heart. The dried plant is almost inactive, so it should only be used when freshly harvested.
Sow seeds in spring or autumn. An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but prefers a moist to dry acid to alkaline soil in full sun or light shade. A food plant for the caterpillars of several butterfly and moth species. The plant has a peculiar aptitude for collecting and retaining dust, this means that when growing near roads or other polluted places the leaves are seldom edible.
Harvested 2014.
Approx. 100+ seeds £0.99.
'Crummock'
Sium sisarum
[Introduced species]
Said to have been cultivated in Great Britain since 1548.
Currently Unavailable
'Alexanders'
Smyrnium olusatrum
[Ex. Tynemouth]
Apiaceae: Stout, sometimes clump-forming, hairless biennial, to 1.25m in height, yellowish flowers, in umbels 4-6cm across, with 7-15 rays, Blooming from March-June, the fruits are globular, ridged, black when ripe, the leaves are dark green, shiny and 3 times trifoliate. Favours waste ground, road-side verges and hedgerows, mainly on calcareous soils, an introduced flower that is widely naturalised, mainly on the south and south east coasts of England and Ireland.
The leaves and young shoots are used raw in salads or cooked in soups, stews etc., the plant comes into growth in the autumn and the leaves are often available throughout the winter, they have a rather strong celery-like flavour and are often blanched (by excluding light from the growing plant) before use, the raw flower buds can be added to salads, the root can also be cooked, boiled and used in soups.
The whole plant is bitter and digestive, it has been used in the past in the treatment of asthma, menstrual problems and wounds, but is generally considered to be obsolete as a medicinal plant.
Succeeds in most soils but prefers an open sunny position in a well-drained moisture retentive soil, best sown in an outdoor seedbed in autumn and planted into its permanent position in late spring, germination can be slow.
Approx. 35+ seeds £0.99
Seeds collect from wild plants growing on the old embankments of Tynemouth Priory & Castle, North Tyneside. July 2014.
Sinapis arvensis
[Ex. Sunderland]
Brassicaceae: bristly annual to 0.8 m (2ft 7in). Lower leaves, are large and lyre shaped, upper are lanceolate, not clasping the stem. Flowers yellow, 15 to 20 mm, blooming from May to July. Fruit 25 to 45 mm long and beaded. Similar in appearance and habitat to Oil-seed Rape. Found in arable fields, waste and disturbed ground, roadsides. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Norway to North Africa, Siberia and South West Asia.
The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, and are somewhat hot, the young leaves are used as a flavouring in salads, where they add a piquant flavour, and the older leaves are used as a potherb. It is best to use just the young shoots and leaves in the spring, older leaves are bitter. Flowering stems can be cooked, they have a pleasant, cabbage/radish flavour, and they can be used as a broccoli substitute before the flowers open. The stems should be lightly steamed for no more than 5 minutes. The flowers can also be cooked as a vegetable or used as a garnish. Its seeds it can be sprouted and eaten raw, they also have a hot flavour, they can be added to salads and sandwiches. The seed can be ground into a powder and used as a food flavouring. It has a hot mustard flavour.
The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Black depression', 'Melancholia' and 'Gloom'.
Germinate seeds in spring and autumn, they should not need much encouragement. Usually found on heavy alkaline soils in the wild, but succeeds on most soils. Dislikes shade.
Harvested 2014.
Approx. 100+ seeds £0.99.
'Hedge Mustard'
Sisymbrium officinale
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Brassicaceae: annual growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in). Small four petaled flowers on wire like stalks. Blooming from June to July. The basal leaves are deeply pinnately-lobed and typically grow to around 15-20cm long. Found growing in hedge banks, uncultivated ground, waste ground, the sites of ruined buildings etc. It is a fairly common weed of cultivated land. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandinavia to North Africa and the Near East.
The young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked, and have a bitter cabbage-like flavour, they are used as a flavouring in salads or cooked as a potherb. The seed can be used raw or cooked, and can be ground into a powder and used as a gruel or as a mustard-like flavouring in soups.
The whole plant is said to have antiaphonic, diuretic, expectorant, laxative and stomachic properties. This plant was at one time known as the 'singer's plant' because of its use in treating loss of the voice. A strong infusion of the whole plant has been used in the treatment of throat complaints. Excessive doses can affect the heart. The dried plant is almost inactive, so it should only be used when freshly harvested.
Sow seeds in spring or autumn. An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but prefers a moist to dry acid to alkaline soil in full sun or light shade. A food plant for the caterpillars of several butterfly and moth species. The plant has a peculiar aptitude for collecting and retaining dust, this means that when growing near roads or other polluted places the leaves are seldom edible.
Harvested 2014.
Approx. 100+ seeds £0.99.
Sium sisarum
[Introduced species]
Said to have been cultivated in Great Britain since 1548.
Currently Unavailable
'Alexanders'
Smyrnium olusatrum
[Ex. Tynemouth]
Apiaceae: Stout, sometimes clump-forming, hairless biennial, to 1.25m in height, yellowish flowers, in umbels 4-6cm across, with 7-15 rays, Blooming from March-June, the fruits are globular, ridged, black when ripe, the leaves are dark green, shiny and 3 times trifoliate. Favours waste ground, road-side verges and hedgerows, mainly on calcareous soils, an introduced flower that is widely naturalised, mainly on the south and south east coasts of England and Ireland.
The leaves and young shoots are used raw in salads or cooked in soups, stews etc., the plant comes into growth in the autumn and the leaves are often available throughout the winter, they have a rather strong celery-like flavour and are often blanched (by excluding light from the growing plant) before use, the raw flower buds can be added to salads, the root can also be cooked, boiled and used in soups.
The whole plant is bitter and digestive, it has been used in the past in the treatment of asthma, menstrual problems and wounds, but is generally considered to be obsolete as a medicinal plant.
Succeeds in most soils but prefers an open sunny position in a well-drained moisture retentive soil, best sown in an outdoor seedbed in autumn and planted into its permanent position in late spring, germination can be slow.
Approx. 35+ seeds £0.99
Seeds collect from wild plants growing on the old embankments of Tynemouth Priory & Castle, North Tyneside. July 2014.
'Bittersweet'
Solanum dulcamara
Solanum dulcamara
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Native climber to 5’/150cm, very pretty bright purple/yellow flowers are followed by poisonous red berries, the stems and flowers are used to treat skin problems and rheumatism. It has also used in folk medicine as a sedative and a narcotic agent.
Currently Unavailable
Native climber to 5’/150cm, very pretty bright purple/yellow flowers are followed by poisonous red berries, the stems and flowers are used to treat skin problems and rheumatism. It has also used in folk medicine as a sedative and a narcotic agent.
Currently Unavailable
'Black Nightshade'
Solanum nigrum
Solanum nigrum
Solanaceae: hardy annual growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in), small white and yellow potato like flowers from July to September, these are followed by shiny black berries, found growing on uncultivated and waste land, It is a common garden weed in some areas, grows worldwide including southern Britain.
Used in preserves, jams and pies, a pleasant musky taste, somewhat like a tomato, but much less pleasant, it is said to improve slightly after a frost. Only the fully ripe black fruits should be used, the unripe green fruits contain the toxin solanine. The fruit contains about 2.5% protein, 0.6% fat, 5.6% carbohydrate, 1.2% ash, the young leaves and new shoots can be eaten raw or cooked as a potherb or added to soups.
Medically the whole plant is antiperiodic, antiphlogistic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emollient, febrifuge, narcotic, purgative and sedative, harvested in the autumn when both flowers and fruit are upon the plant, and is dried for later use.
Sow seeds in spring in situ, the seeds can also be sown in a greenhouse during the spring if required. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant out in late spring, very easy, and will self-seed.
WARNING:
There is a lot of disagreement over whether or not the leaves or fruit of this plant are poisonous. Views vary from relatively poisonous to perfectly safe to eat. The plant is cultivated as a food crop, both for its fruit and its leaves, in some parts of the world and it is probably true to say that toxicity can vary considerably according to where the plant is grown and the cultivar that is being grown. The unripe fruit contains the highest concentration of toxins.
Seeds Available: 100+ £1.75
Solanum nigrum
Used in preserves, jams and pies, a pleasant musky taste, somewhat like a tomato, but much less pleasant, it is said to improve slightly after a frost. Only the fully ripe black fruits should be used, the unripe green fruits contain the toxin solanine. The fruit contains about 2.5% protein, 0.6% fat, 5.6% carbohydrate, 1.2% ash, the young leaves and new shoots can be eaten raw or cooked as a potherb or added to soups.
Medically the whole plant is antiperiodic, antiphlogistic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emollient, febrifuge, narcotic, purgative and sedative, harvested in the autumn when both flowers and fruit are upon the plant, and is dried for later use.
Sow seeds in spring in situ, the seeds can also be sown in a greenhouse during the spring if required. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant out in late spring, very easy, and will self-seed.
WARNING:
There is a lot of disagreement over whether or not the leaves or fruit of this plant are poisonous. Views vary from relatively poisonous to perfectly safe to eat. The plant is cultivated as a food crop, both for its fruit and its leaves, in some parts of the world and it is probably true to say that toxicity can vary considerably according to where the plant is grown and the cultivar that is being grown. The unripe fruit contains the highest concentration of toxins.
Seeds Available: 100+ £1.75
'Canadian Goldenrod'
Solidago Canadensis
Solidago Canadensis
[Introduced species]
Currently Unavailable
'Goldenrod'
Solidago virgaurea
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Asteraceae: upright perennial to 75cm. the flowers are yellow, individual heads 5-10mm across, comprising ray and disc florets, in branched spikes from June to September. The leaves are narrow and unstalked. Found growing in woods and grassland, and rocky banks. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, temperate Asia and North America. Not a common sight in Co. Durham, these seeds were collected from plants growing in ancient Mallygill wood.
An herbal tea can be made from the leaves.
Goldenrod is a safe and gentle remedy for a number of disorders. In particular, it is a valuable astringent remedy treating wounds and bleeding, whilst it is particularly useful in the treatment of urinary tract disorders, being used both for serious ailments such as nephritis and for more common problems such as cystitis. The plant contains saponins that are antifungal and act specifically against the Candida fungus which is the cause of vaginal and oral thrush. It also contains rutin which is used to treat capillary fragility, and phenolic glycosides which are anti-inflammatory. The leaves and flowering tops are anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, aromatic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, mildly diuretic, febrifuge and stimulant. A good vulnerary herb, it has also proved of value when used internally in the treatment of urinary infections, chronic catarrh, skin diseases, influenza, whooping cough, bladder and kidney stones. Due to its mild action, goldenrod is used to treat gastro-enteritis in children. It makes an excellent mouthwash in the treatment of thrush. The plant is gathered in the summer and dried for later use. The seed is anticoagulant, astringent and carminative. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant. It is used in the treatment of kidney and bladder disorders, rheumatism and arthritis.
Sow seeds in spring in a cold frame or greenhouse. Just cover the seed and do not allow the compost to become dry. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on for their first winter in pots. Easy.
Solidago virgaurea is a native plant to the UK and not be confused with the American introduction Solidago Canadensis, which seeds to been growing everywhere here in Durham.
Harvested 2014.
[limited stock]
Solidago virgaurea
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Asteraceae: upright perennial to 75cm. the flowers are yellow, individual heads 5-10mm across, comprising ray and disc florets, in branched spikes from June to September. The leaves are narrow and unstalked. Found growing in woods and grassland, and rocky banks. Native to most of Europe, including Britain, temperate Asia and North America. Not a common sight in Co. Durham, these seeds were collected from plants growing in ancient Mallygill wood.
An herbal tea can be made from the leaves.
Goldenrod is a safe and gentle remedy for a number of disorders. In particular, it is a valuable astringent remedy treating wounds and bleeding, whilst it is particularly useful in the treatment of urinary tract disorders, being used both for serious ailments such as nephritis and for more common problems such as cystitis. The plant contains saponins that are antifungal and act specifically against the Candida fungus which is the cause of vaginal and oral thrush. It also contains rutin which is used to treat capillary fragility, and phenolic glycosides which are anti-inflammatory. The leaves and flowering tops are anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, aromatic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, mildly diuretic, febrifuge and stimulant. A good vulnerary herb, it has also proved of value when used internally in the treatment of urinary infections, chronic catarrh, skin diseases, influenza, whooping cough, bladder and kidney stones. Due to its mild action, goldenrod is used to treat gastro-enteritis in children. It makes an excellent mouthwash in the treatment of thrush. The plant is gathered in the summer and dried for later use. The seed is anticoagulant, astringent and carminative. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant. It is used in the treatment of kidney and bladder disorders, rheumatism and arthritis.
Sow seeds in spring in a cold frame or greenhouse. Just cover the seed and do not allow the compost to become dry. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on for their first winter in pots. Easy.
Solidago virgaurea is a native plant to the UK and not be confused with the American introduction Solidago Canadensis, which seeds to been growing everywhere here in Durham.
Harvested 2014.
[limited stock]
Approx. 50+ seeds £1.50
'Perennial Sow-thistle'
Sonchus arvensis
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Currently Unavailable
Currently Unavailable
'Sow-thistle'
Sonchus oleraceus
Sonchus oleraceus
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Asteraceae: biennial growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). The yellow flowers are 20-30mm across, the flower heads are grouped together in umbel-like clusters from May-October. The feathered pappus hairs forming a ‘clock’. The leaves are matt, pinnate with triangular lobes, spiny margins and clasping at the base. Brocken stems exude a milky sap. Found growing on disturbed and cultivated ground. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandinavia to North Africa, North and West Asia.
The young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, this species has the nicest tasting leaves of the genus, and they usually have a mild agreeable flavour especially in the spring. They can be added to salads, cooked like spinach or used in soups. The leaves contain about 30 - 40mg of vitamin C per 100g, 1.2% protein, 0.3% fat, 2.4% carbohydrate, 1.2% ash. It might be best, though it is not essential, to remove the marginal prickles. Stems can be cooked like asparagus or rhubarb. They are best if the outer skin is removed first. Young root can be cooked, but they are woody and not very acceptable. The milky sap has been used as a chewing gum by the Maoris of New Zealand.
The plant has emmenagogue and hepatic properties. An infusion has been used to bring on a tardy menstruation and to treat diarrhoea. The latex in the sap is used in the treatment of warts. It is also said to have anticancer activity. The stem juice is a powerful hydrogogue and cathartic, it should be used with great caution since it can cause colic and tenesmus. The gum has been used as a cure for the opium habit. The leaves are applied as a poultice to inflammatory swellings. An infusion of the leaves and roots is febrifuge and tonic.
Sow seeds in spring in situ. This species is seen as a weed and should not need much encouragement to germinate and grow. Very easy.
Harvested 2014.
Seeds available £0.99
Seems to be popular as food for tortoise!
Sonchus oleraceus
Asteraceae: biennial growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). The yellow flowers are 20-30mm across, the flower heads are grouped together in umbel-like clusters from May-October. The feathered pappus hairs forming a ‘clock’. The leaves are matt, pinnate with triangular lobes, spiny margins and clasping at the base. Brocken stems exude a milky sap. Found growing on disturbed and cultivated ground. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandinavia to North Africa, North and West Asia.
The young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, this species has the nicest tasting leaves of the genus, and they usually have a mild agreeable flavour especially in the spring. They can be added to salads, cooked like spinach or used in soups. The leaves contain about 30 - 40mg of vitamin C per 100g, 1.2% protein, 0.3% fat, 2.4% carbohydrate, 1.2% ash. It might be best, though it is not essential, to remove the marginal prickles. Stems can be cooked like asparagus or rhubarb. They are best if the outer skin is removed first. Young root can be cooked, but they are woody and not very acceptable. The milky sap has been used as a chewing gum by the Maoris of New Zealand.
The plant has emmenagogue and hepatic properties. An infusion has been used to bring on a tardy menstruation and to treat diarrhoea. The latex in the sap is used in the treatment of warts. It is also said to have anticancer activity. The stem juice is a powerful hydrogogue and cathartic, it should be used with great caution since it can cause colic and tenesmus. The gum has been used as a cure for the opium habit. The leaves are applied as a poultice to inflammatory swellings. An infusion of the leaves and roots is febrifuge and tonic.
Sow seeds in spring in situ. This species is seen as a weed and should not need much encouragement to germinate and grow. Very easy.
Harvested 2014.
Seeds available £0.99
Seems to be popular as food for tortoise!
'Rowan'
Sorbus aucuparia
[Prov. UK]
A very hardy small tree to 20m, with 11 to 19 sharp toothed leaflets per leaf. Creamy white flowers appear in dense heads in May, followed by colourful bright red fruits form dense bunches in late summer, the berries are a favourite food for birds in winter. Found in woodland and open land on a variety of soils, apart from very wet ones, and grows at a higher altitude on mountains than many other species. It is highly tolerant of extreme acidity and easy to grow. A native of a wide area of Europe, including Britain and Ireland.
The fruit can be used either raw or cooked, the fruit is very acid and large quantities of the raw fruit can cause stomach upsets. It can be used to make delicious, if slightly acidulous, jams and preserves.
The bark is astringent, it is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and as a vaginal injection for leucorrhoea etc. The fruit is antiscorbutic and astringent, and are normally used as a jam or an infusion to treat diarrhoea and haemorrhoids. An infusion can also be used as a gargle for sore throats and as a wash to treat haemorrhoids and excessive vaginal discharge. The seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides which, in reaction with water, produce the extremely toxic prussic acid. In small quantities this acts as a stimulant to the respiratory system but in larger doses can cause respiratory failure and death, it is therefore best to remove the seeds when using the fruit medicinally or as a food. Both the flowers and the fruit are aperient, mildly diuretic, and laxative and emmenagogue, an infusion is used in the treatment of painful menstruation, constipation and kidney disorders.
Seeds germinate better if given 2 weeks warmth then 14 - 16 weeks cold stratification, so sow it as early in the year as possible.
Approx. 50+ seeds £1.25
Collected from wild plants located across the north east of England.
Sorbus aucuparia
[Prov. UK]
A very hardy small tree to 20m, with 11 to 19 sharp toothed leaflets per leaf. Creamy white flowers appear in dense heads in May, followed by colourful bright red fruits form dense bunches in late summer, the berries are a favourite food for birds in winter. Found in woodland and open land on a variety of soils, apart from very wet ones, and grows at a higher altitude on mountains than many other species. It is highly tolerant of extreme acidity and easy to grow. A native of a wide area of Europe, including Britain and Ireland.
The fruit can be used either raw or cooked, the fruit is very acid and large quantities of the raw fruit can cause stomach upsets. It can be used to make delicious, if slightly acidulous, jams and preserves.
The bark is astringent, it is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and as a vaginal injection for leucorrhoea etc. The fruit is antiscorbutic and astringent, and are normally used as a jam or an infusion to treat diarrhoea and haemorrhoids. An infusion can also be used as a gargle for sore throats and as a wash to treat haemorrhoids and excessive vaginal discharge. The seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides which, in reaction with water, produce the extremely toxic prussic acid. In small quantities this acts as a stimulant to the respiratory system but in larger doses can cause respiratory failure and death, it is therefore best to remove the seeds when using the fruit medicinally or as a food. Both the flowers and the fruit are aperient, mildly diuretic, and laxative and emmenagogue, an infusion is used in the treatment of painful menstruation, constipation and kidney disorders.
Seeds germinate better if given 2 weeks warmth then 14 - 16 weeks cold stratification, so sow it as early in the year as possible.
Approx. 50+ seeds £1.25
Collected from wild plants located across the north east of England.
'Spanish Broom'
Spartium junceum
[Introduced species]
The young herbaceous tips of flowering shoots are harvested in spring, generally in May, and can be used fresh or dried, they act as a cardiotonic, cathartic, diuretic, emetic and purgative. The seeds can also be used. The plant is an efficacious and potent diuretic. This plant is 5 - 6 times more active than the medicinally similar Cytisus scoparius and should be used with caution since large doses are likely to upset the stomach and cause purging.
Give the seeds a pre-soak of 24 hours in hot water and sow February/March in a greenhouse, normally germinating well and quickly.
Approx. 35+ seeds £1.50.
'Downy Woundwort'
Stachys germanica
[very rare, it is only found in Oxford]
Currently Unavailable
'Wood Betony'
Stachys officinalis
Stachys officinalis
[Ex. Yorkshire]
Seeds available £0.99
Seeds available £0.99
Stachys officinalis
'Marsh Woundwort'
Stachys palustris
Currently Unavailable
Stachys palustris
'Hedge Woundwort'
Stachys sylvatica
[Ex. Penshaw Monument, Sunderland]
Lamiaceae/Labiatae: roughly hairy perennial with creeping stems, upright flower stalks, and an unpleasant smell to the whole plant when bruised. Grows in hedgerows, wayside ground and verges, often on disturbed soil. Flowers are an attractive reddish purple, with white markings on the lower lip, in open terminal spikes, blooming from June to August. Widespread and common throughout much of the UK.
The whole herb is styptic, applied externally to wounds etc., it is also said to have been used as a diuretic, emmenagogue and a tonic. A tough fibre is obtained from the stem, which has commercial possibilities. A yellow dye is also obtained from the plant
Approx. 100+ SEEDS £1.25
The whole herb is styptic, applied externally to wounds etc., it is also said to have been used as a diuretic, emmenagogue and a tonic. A tough fibre is obtained from the stem, which has commercial possibilities. A yellow dye is also obtained from the plant
Approx. 100+ SEEDS £1.25
Stachys sylvatica
'Hybrid Woundwort'
Stachys x ambigua
[S. sylvatica X S. palustris]
'Chickweed'
Stellaria media
Caryophyllaceae: annual growing to 0.1 m (0ft 4in) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in). White flowers 5-10mm across, appearing at any time of the year. The fruit capsules are on long, drooping stalks. The leaves are oval, fresh green and opposite. An annual of disturbed ground. A cosmopolitan plant, found in most regions of the world, including Britain.
The young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked as a potherb. They can be available all year round if the winter is not too severe. Very nutritious, they can be added to salads whilst the cooked leaves can scarcely be distinguished from spring spinach. The seed can be ground into a powder and used in making bread or to thicken soups. It would be very fiddly to harvest any quantity of this seed since it is produced in small quantities throughout most of the year and is very small.
Chickweed has a very long history of herbal use, being particularly beneficial in the external treatment of any kind of itching skin condition. It has been known to soothe severe itchiness even where all other remedies have failed. In excess doses chickweed can cause diarrhoea and vomiting. It should not be used medicinally by pregnant women. The whole plant has astringent, carminative, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, laxative, refrigerant, vulnerary properties. Taken internally it is useful in the treatment of chest complaints and in small quantities it also aids digestion. It can be applied as a poultice and will relieve any kind of roseola and is effective wherever there are fragile superficial veins. An infusion of the fresh or dried herb can be added to the bath water and its emollient property will help to reduce inflammation - in rheumatic joints for example - and encourage tissue repair. Chickweed is best harvested between May and July, it can be used fresh or be dried and stored for later use. A decoction of the whole plant is taken internally as a post-partum depurative, emmenagogue, galactogogue and circulatory tonic. It is also believed to relieve constipation and be beneficial in the treatment of kidney complaints. The decoction is also used externally to treat rheumatic pains, wounds and ulcers. The expressed juice of the plant has been used as an eyewash.
This species should not need much encouragement to germinate and grow. A very easily grown plant, it prefers a moist soil and a position in full sun or partial shade. It can be very lush and vigorous when grown in a fertile soil.
Harvested 2014.
Seeds available £0.99
Stellaria media
Caryophyllaceae: annual growing to 0.1 m (0ft 4in) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in). White flowers 5-10mm across, appearing at any time of the year. The fruit capsules are on long, drooping stalks. The leaves are oval, fresh green and opposite. An annual of disturbed ground. A cosmopolitan plant, found in most regions of the world, including Britain.
The young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked as a potherb. They can be available all year round if the winter is not too severe. Very nutritious, they can be added to salads whilst the cooked leaves can scarcely be distinguished from spring spinach. The seed can be ground into a powder and used in making bread or to thicken soups. It would be very fiddly to harvest any quantity of this seed since it is produced in small quantities throughout most of the year and is very small.
Chickweed has a very long history of herbal use, being particularly beneficial in the external treatment of any kind of itching skin condition. It has been known to soothe severe itchiness even where all other remedies have failed. In excess doses chickweed can cause diarrhoea and vomiting. It should not be used medicinally by pregnant women. The whole plant has astringent, carminative, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, laxative, refrigerant, vulnerary properties. Taken internally it is useful in the treatment of chest complaints and in small quantities it also aids digestion. It can be applied as a poultice and will relieve any kind of roseola and is effective wherever there are fragile superficial veins. An infusion of the fresh or dried herb can be added to the bath water and its emollient property will help to reduce inflammation - in rheumatic joints for example - and encourage tissue repair. Chickweed is best harvested between May and July, it can be used fresh or be dried and stored for later use. A decoction of the whole plant is taken internally as a post-partum depurative, emmenagogue, galactogogue and circulatory tonic. It is also believed to relieve constipation and be beneficial in the treatment of kidney complaints. The decoction is also used externally to treat rheumatic pains, wounds and ulcers. The expressed juice of the plant has been used as an eyewash.
This species should not need much encouragement to germinate and grow. A very easily grown plant, it prefers a moist soil and a position in full sun or partial shade. It can be very lush and vigorous when grown in a fertile soil.
Harvested 2014.
'Devil's Bit Scabious'
Succisa pratensis
[Ex. Oxfordshire]
Dipsacaceae: upright perennial to 75cm with hairy or hairless stems. Found growing on damp grassland, in woodland and marshes. The striking flowers are a pinkish lilac to violet-blue with projecting anthers, in dense, domed terminal heads. The leaves are spoon-shaped at the base of the plant, but narrow on the steam. Widespread and common throughout. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Norway to North Africa, Siberia and the Caucasus.
The young shoots can be eaten raw, the tender young shoots are sometimes added to spring salads.
The herb is anthelmintic, demulcent, depurative, slightly diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, mildly expectorant, febrifuge and stomachic. It makes a useful tea for the treatment of coughs, fevers and internal inflammations and is also a popular application externally to eczema and other cutaneous eruptions. A tincture of the plant is a gentle but reliable treatment for bruises, aiding quick re-absorption of the blood pigment. The whole herb is collected in early autumn and dried for later use. Good results have been achieved by using a distilled water from the plant as an eye lotion to treat conjunctivitis.
The Devil's-bit Scabious provides nectar for hoverflies, bees and butterflies, and is famously the larval food plant of the rare marsh fritillary.
Seeds are best sown in the autumn. Easy.
Harvested: September 2014.
Currently Unavailable
Symphytum officinale
[Ex. Co. Durham]
Boraginaceae: rhizomatous herbaceous perennial to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in). Forming a clumps of erect stems bearing elliptic leaves to 25cm in length, and terminal clusters of nodding, tubular bell-shaped, purple, pink or cream flowers 2cm in length in late spring and summer. Found growing in damp, often shady localities, in meadows, woods, especially near streams and rivers. Native to Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandinavia to Spain, Siberia and Turkey.
The young leaves can be cooked or raw. The leaf is hairy and the texture is mucilaginous. It may be full of minerals but it is not pleasant eating for most tastes. It can be chopped up finely and added to salads, in this way the hairiness is not so obvious. Young shoots can be used as an asparagus substitute. The blanched stalks are used. Older leaves can be dried and used as a tea. The peeled roots are cut up and added to soups. A tea is made from the dried leaves and roots. The roasted roots are used with dandelion and chicory roots for making coffee.
Comfrey is a commonly used herbal medicine with a long and proven history in the treatment of various complaints. The root and the leaves are used, the root being more active, and they can be taken internally or used externally as a poultice. Comfrey is especially useful in the external treatment of cuts, bruises, sprains, sores, eczema, varicose veins, broken bones, internally it is used in the treatment of a wide range of pulmonary complaints, internal bleeding. The plant contains a substance called 'allantoin', a cell proliferant that speeds up the healing process. This substance is now synthesized in the pharmaceutical industry and used in healing creams. The root and leaves are anodyne, astringent (mild), demulcent, emollient, expectorant, haemostatic, and refrigerant, vulnerary. Some caution is advised, however, especially in the internal use of the herb. External applications and internally taken teas or tinctures of the leaves are considered to be completely safe, but internal applications of tablets or capsules are felt to have too many drawbacks for safe usage. The leaves are harvested in early summer before the plant flowers, the roots are harvested in the autumn. Both are dried for later use. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh root, harvested before the plant flowers. This has a very limited range of application, but is of great benefit in the treatment of broken bones and eye injuries.
The plant grows very quickly, producing a lot of bulk. It is tolerant of being cut several times a year and can be used to provide 'instant compost' for crops such as potatoes.
WARNING: This plant contains small quantities of a toxic alkaloid which can have a cumulative effect upon the liver. Largest concentrations are found in the roots, leaves contain higher quantities of the alkaloid as they grow older and young leaves contain almost none. Most people would have to consume very large quantities of the plant in order to do any harm, though anyone with liver problems should obviously be more cautious.
Seeds harvested from plants growing on the river bank opposite Finchale Priory, Co. Durham, 2014.
Purple Form: Approx. 35+ seeds £1.25
Yellow/white Form: Currently Unavailable
'Tuberous Comfrey'
Symphytum tuberosum
[Rare native]
Currently Unavailable
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