Only the seeds on this page are limited-access—not to restrict availability, but to encourage successful propagation. (About Reserved Access) All other seeds are unrestricted access.
To receive these seeds, simply write on your request "I agree to the reserved-access terms."
NOTE: We do not supply these seeds unless you include the sentence: "I agree to the reserved-access terms." on your request!
Two types are reserved-access: rare, threatened, or endangered species, and seeds with prolonged, irregular, uncertain, or exacting germination requirements. To insure they reach experienced, qualified propagators, and to weed out "consumer-types", we reserve access to these seeds to those who:
1. Agree to propagate and distribute the plants, and to share their germination results.
2. Agree to distribute solely in the public domain—no patents, trademarks, or other intellectual property.
3. Commercial propagation is encouraged, but in the unlikely event that large-scale commercial distribution is achieved, benefit-sharing along the path towards the source, in accordance with the spirit of the International Convention on Biological Diversity, will be undertaken.
4. Absolutely, positively, NO refunds or replacements for any reason other than out-of-stock!
Thanks for helping insure that we can continue to distribute these special seeds!
ACACIA
—Acacia simplicifolia (=simplex) (10,h) R-ACAC-117. Packet: $5.00
25 seed: $10.00, 100 seed: $30.00, 1000 seed: $225.00
Extremely rare tree or shrub to 40 feet, with broad, oval, pointed 2 - 4" leaves, and small flower-balls followed by 6" pods. Endemic to New Caledonia and Vanuatu, often growing in seashore dunes. Does well in Florida—try it in S. California and Texas. "This tree thrives on abuse. It seems to grow with no water, highly alkaline soil, and strong sunlight. It is remarkable. My trees were submerged in salt water during a storm and did not even blink."—H.P., Florida Keys. Nick seed to germinate in 2 - 4 weeks. Scarce as hen's teeth!
To maximize germination of these expensive seed: Nick seed lightly with a file - just abrade the surface and don't go all the way to the quick - then soak for 15 minutes in a solution made of 1 part household bleach and 8 parts water. Rinse them well. Fold a paper towel into quarters and moisten with distilled water. Squeeze out excess, so it is just damp, and put on a clean plate. Put the seeds (nicked side down) on the towel and cover with plastic wrap, leaving an air space above the seeds. Keep in a warm place (70 - 80°F) and inspect every day. Any seeds that don't swell in a day or two should be re-nicked and re-sterilized. Any seeds that develop mold should be removed and re-sterilized and put on a separate plate - most of these will sprout, too, but this keeps the others clean. When the roots are a half-inch long, plant the seed in a light, well-drained seed-starting mix, and keep warm. If you have had trouble with these in the past, try this method and you are sure to be successful! This method gives high germination.
ALLIUM
—Allium karataviense. (e,v) R-ALUM-45. Packet: $2.50
'BLUE TONGUE LEEK'. White-lilac starry flowers in giant round balls up to 8 - 12" across. Ornamental grey-green 4" wide leaves mottled purple. Central Asia. Zone 5. Very hardy. Give outdoor cold treatment and hold pots several years for complete germination, as varying temperatures help.
ASPERULA (as-PER-oo-la or as-per-OO-la)
RUBIACEAE. 'WOODRUFF'. Herbs with whorled leaves and small flowers, grown in the border and rockery for their abundant bloom and for herbal use. Best in part shade and moist soil. Sow seeds in April for summer bloom, and September for early spring bloom. Seed viable over 3 years.
—Asperula odorata. (=Galium odoratum) (c,v) R-ASPR-12. Packet: $3.00 OUT OF STOCK
'SWEET WOODRUFF'. Sprawling perennial to 6 - 8", with whorled leaves and white flowers in clusters in May. Eurasia. Zone 3. Useful ground cover for shady places under trees, as it spreads rapidly and smothers itself with bloom. The herbage is not scented when fresh, but on drying it becomes perfumed with a delightful scent which is retained for years. The fresh shoots are steeped in wine and beer, including the famous 'May Wine' drunk on May first in Germany. They are also added to tobacco and snuff, and are placed among clothing. Germination prolonged, 7 months or more, and hold pots over 2 - 3 years for stragglers.
CARDIOCRINUM (kar-dee-o-KRI-hum)
LILIACEAE. Giant Himalayan lilies, grown for their striking display.
—Cardiocrinum cordatum. (d,v) R-CARDI-8. Packet: $3.00
Click for photo » Photo
Gram: $10.00
Large fragrant creamy white 6" flowers in clusters of 4 - 24 blooms. Tall lily to 6 feet, with heart-shaped foot-long leaves. Japan. Zone 6. Shade-lover. Start seed with 3 months cold, then alternate temperatures and hold pots for five years for stragglers.
—Cardiocrinum cordatum var. Glehnii. (50) R-CARDI-8G. Packet: $3.00
Gram: $10.00 Photo Photos
'O-UBA-YURI'. Large fragrant greenish-white 6" trumpets in large clusters on stems to 6 feet. Large heart-shaped leaves. Japan. Zone 6. Germinates the second spring, or give 8 weeks each warm, cool, cold, cool, to germ. in 9 months. GA-3 helps.
—Cardiocrinum giganteum. (d,v) R-CARDI-12. Packet: $3.00 OUT OF STOCK
'G1ANT HIMALAYAN LILY'. The most magnificent of all lilies, reaching 9 - 12 feet tall, with racemes of 6 - 20 deliciously scented white flowers, each 6" long and nearly as wide. May and June. Large heart-shaped leaves. Himalayas, in damp, shady forest, 7500 to 10,600 feet. Zone 5. Easily grown in light sandy soil. Hardy to Boston. Sow in fall outdoors to germinate and give top growth the next spring. Flowers in 5 - 6 years.
CHAEROPHYLLUM (kay-ro-FEE-lum)
UMBELLIFERAE. Scented annuals, biennials and perennials with divided leaves and small white flowers. Several species are grown for food and flavoring. The seed can be tricky to germinate. Best sown in fall or stratified over winter to germinate in spring. If sown in spring, they will germinate the next spring. Try 4 - 8 weeks cold treatment, and let me know your results.
—Chaerophyllum bulbosum. (c,v) R-CHAER-6. Packet: $2.50
'TURNIP ROOTED CHERVIL'. Biennial or short-lived perennial to 3 - 5 feet, with deeply cut foliage. Europe. Zone 6. Grown for the sweet, aromatic, edible roots, which are like short, fat carrots, about 4 - 5" long, grey or black skinned, with yellow or white flesh. Seldom seen in this country, the boiled roots are highly esteemed in Europe. They have a distinctive aromatic flavor, and are sweet and floury. Needs deep rich soil and frequent waterings. Harvest roots when foliage dies back in summer, though they are said to improve in quality if left in the ground for a month. "The great value of this vegetable... is not only its deliciousness to the epicure but the earliness of its maturity, fully supplying the place of potatoes."—F. Webster.
CIMICIFUGA (si-mi-SI-fu-ga)
RANUNCULACEAE. Tall, stately, North Hemisphere woodland perennials grown for their slender spikes of flowers and handsome foliage, and also for their valuable medicinal roots. Good in part shade.
—Cimicifuga racemosa (=Actaea racemosa). (c,h) R-CIMI-21. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $6.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Click for photo »
'BLACK COHOSH', 'BLACK SNAKEROOT'. Narrow spikes of small white flowers, up to 2 feet long, in July and August. Bold perennial to 8 feet, with shiny, dark green compound leaves. E. N. America. Zone 4. Very showy and good in rich moist soil and part shade. The valuable medicinal roots are one of the best remedies for problems associated with menopause, PMS, ringing in the ears, and depression. Seed needs 2 - 10 weeks warm, then 12 weeks cold to germinate. Hold pots 3 years.
—Cimicifuga ramosa atropurpurea (=Actaea ramosa purpurea). (c,v) R-CIMI-23A. Packet: $3.00
Attractive purple-red palmately-lobed foliage, on a tall hardy perennial to 6 feet, with nodding 16" racemes of small creamy flowers in fall. Kamchatka. Zone 4. Give 6 weeks warm, then 6 - 8 weeks cold, and hold pots over two years.
CLEOME
—Cleome serrulata. (c,h) R-CLEO-22. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $9.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
'ROCKY MOUNTAIN BEE PLANT', 'TU'MI' (Hopi name). Rosy lavender 1/2" flowers in dense racemes from June to August. Annual to 2 - 3 feet with trifoliate leaves. N. America. Zone 3. Grown as a bee-crop for a century. Excellent cut flower or annual hedge. The boiled leaves and flowers are eaten, tasting like mustard. The Hopi allow it to seed in their corn fields for spring greens, and they use it in making prayer-sticks. The Tewa of the Rio Grande make pottery paint with it. The Ramah Navaho boil the young plants 1 - 2 hours and discard the water. They use a cold infusion of the leaves as a deodorant. The Nightway god-impersonators drink a tea made of 'a few seeds' to gain a strong voice. Attracts butterflies. Sow in fall or give cold treatment and plant out when the ground is still cold. Strong sunlight may help. "If seed isn't scattered in fall or patted onto thawing soil in earliest spring, the soil is too warm and the seed does not germinate."—D.S. Larkin, Utah, 1/2001.
COLCHICUM (KOL-chi-kum)
LILIACEAE. Crocus-like cormous perennials from the Mediterranean and Central Asia, most blooming in late summer and fall, after the narrow leaves wither. Good in full sun. "Colchicums are most charming and interesting plants of easy culture."—L.H. Bailey. Seed often slow to germinate.
—Colchicum autumnale. (c,v) R-COLC-2. Packet: $2.50 OUT OF STOCK
'AUTUMN CROCUS', 'MEADOW SAFFRON'. Showy purple or white flowers to 4" across, blooming in autumn. Hardy perennial with narrow, foot-long leaves. Europe. Zone 5. The corms and seeds are the source of colchicine, used in the treatment of gout and to induce chromosome doubling in plant breeding. Give seed warm/cold/warm, and seedlings will straggle in over 1 - 3 years.
DIPSACUS (DIP-sa-kus)
DIPSACEAE. Tall, mostly hardy biennials and perennials of Eurasia and N. Africa. Valued for the interesting spiny heads used in dried arrangements. Good in the wild garden or border, sun or part shade Sow in May and: June, 14" deep, to germinate in about 1 - 4 weeks. Seed long-lived.
—Dipsacus sativus. R-DIPS-22. Packet: $3.50 OUT OF STOCK
'TRUE FULLER'S TEASEL'. Pale lilac or white flowers in dense heads, followed by attractive prickly seed-heads. Hardy biennial to 10 feet. Eurasia. Zone 5. This is said to be the true fuller's teasel (which I haven't seen in years), which has hooked bract-tips, so they are used in raising the knap on woolens. From a respected European grower, but until my plants flower and I'm positive this is true fuller's teasel, this will be a Reserved Access no refunds for any reason item!
EUPHORBIA
Dormant species may need cold, nicking, or GA-3.
—Euphorbia enopla. (e,g) R-EUPH-40. Packet: $2.50
'BOKNOORS'. Cactus-like succulent shrub to 1 - 3 feet, with many 2" thick, 6 - 7 -angled branches with red to purple 1 - 2" spines. Flowers have striking dark red bracts. S. Africa. Zone 7. CITES Appendix II endangered species. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
NEW—Euphorbia ferox. (25) R-EUPH-48. Packet: $2.50
'VOETANGEL'. Clumps of ribbed, cactus-like 10" branches with brown spines. S. Africa. Forms clumps 2 feet across. CITES Appendix II endangered species. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Euphorbia inermis. (e,f) R-EUPH-70. Packet: $2.50
Clumps of foot-long, finger-like, succulent, knobby stems rise from a thick caudex to 6" across. Small woolly-white flowers in spring and summer. S. Africa. Zone 9. CITES App. II endangered species. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks, and GA-3 may help.
—Euphorbia pentagona. (d,v) R-EUPH-109. Packet: $3.00
Cactus-like shrub to 10 feet, with many 1 1/2" thick, 5 - 8-angled branches, bright glossy green turning grey with age. Small buff-lavender flowers. S. Africa. Zone 7. CITES App. II endangered species. Seed dormant, try GA-3.
LEUCHTENBERGIA (look-ten-berg-EE-a)
CACTACEAE. A single endangered species.
—Leuchtenbergia principis. (e,g) R-LEUCH-4. Packet: $2.50
Peculiar cactus with elongated grey-green tubercles tipped with papery 4" spines. Somewhat resembles an Agave. Reaches 2 feet tall, with golden-yellow 3" flowers. México, where is is used medicinally. A CITES Appendix I endangered species, cannot be sent out of the U.S. Well-drained soil. Can bloom in 4 - 5 years. Use GA-3 to germinate in 3 - 4 weeks.
LOBELIA
—Lobelia inflata. (1000) R-LOB-17. Packet: $3.00
'INDIAN TOBACCO'. Light blue 1/4" flowers followed by inflated pods. Annual to 1 - 3 feet, with oval, 3 1/2" leaves. E. U.S. This medicinal herb was very popular with the Indians. The herb should be collected in August to September, and dried carefully. Sow seed on a thin layer of wood ashes or use GA-3 to germinate in 2 - 4 weeks warm. Very irregular and temperamental germination.
LUNARIA (loo-NAR-ee-a)
CRUCIFERAE. Old fashioned annuals and perennials grown for their attractive, sweet-scented flowers and the large, flat, silvery pods used in dried arrangements. Easily grown, standing poor soil, part shade, and drought. Reseeds well. Sow early in spring or fall in mild climates.
—Lunaria rediviva. (10,h) R-LUNA-4. Packet: $2.50
'PERENNIAL HONESTY'. Handsome hardy perennial to 4 - 7 feet, with larger and lighter-colored flowers than L. annua, and with pods much longer than wide. Blooms in May and June. Europe. Zone 5. An odd and interesting counterpart to the common species. "A stately plant."—I. Grabo. Seed highly dormant, needs to be sown in fall for outdoor conditions.
MONODORA (mo-NO-dor-a)
ANNONACEAE. Tropical African trees and shrubs.
—Monodora Myristica. (5) R-MONO-16. Packet: $5.00
25 Seed: $15.00, 100 Seed: $40.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Click for photo » Flower
'CALABASH NUTMEG', 'AFRICAN NUTMEG'. Spectacular rare tree. Amazing fragrant flowers that dangle from the tree on 8" peduncles. Each has three large 4" wings that are red netted creamy yellow, around a globe-shaped cream center. Softball-sized fruits with nutmeg-scented pulp. Tree to 20 - 100 feet, with drooping 20" leaves. W. Africa. Zone 10. The seeds have a nutmeg flavor, and are used as a spice and medicinally. Germinates in about 2 months warm. Contrary to internet myth, the seed is viable for over a year stored dry.
PARIS (PAR-is)
LILIACEAE. Eurasian Trillium-like perennials.
—Paris quadrifolia. (25) R-PARI-24. Packet: $3.00
'HERB PARIS', 'LOVE APPLE', 'TRUE LOVE'. Sends up a single stem with four 6" leaves, from the center of which blooms a single greenish-white flower with long spidery sepals that remain while the blue-black berry ripens. Hardy perennial to 8 - 16", for cool moist woodlands. Eurasia. Zone 5. Unusual in that some years it doesn't send up a shoot, but the rhizome persists. Odd medicinal uses, allegedly aphrodisiac. Give seed warm, cold, warm.
ROMNEYA (ROM-nee-a)
PAPAVERACEAE. Two species.
—Romneya Coulteri. (d,v) R-ROMN-1. Packet: $3.00
Gram: $6.00, 5 grams: $15.00
'MATILIJA POPPY' (pronounced ma-TEE-lee-ya). A magnificent shrub to 3 - 8 feet, with huge crinkled papery white fragrant flowers to 6" across, with bright yellow stamens, staying open for several days. Divided leathery grey-green foliage. Canyons of south coastal California, but surprisingly hardy and successful in the North if planted by a south-facing wall. Zone 7. GA-3 gives fair germination in 1 - 4 months, or try burning leaves over the flat in fall, may take 2 years to sprout. Difficult but worth it.
SCHISANDRA (ski-ZAN-dra)
MAGNOLIACEAE. Ornamental woody vines with red or white flowers, handsome bright green foliage, and drooping clusters of scarlet berries. They twine to about 10 - 20 feet, and thrive in partly shaded moist areas. Male and female plants; grow several for the fruits. They are medicinal and some have edible fruits.
—Schisandra chinensis. R-SCHI-6. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Oz: 16.00
'CHINESE MAGNOLIA VINE', 'WU WEI ZI'. Fragrant white to pink 3/4" flowers followed by attractive 6" spikes of red berries on female vines. Woody twiner to 25 feet, with glossy, deep green 4" leaves. China. Zone 4. The fruits are an important tonic and adaptogen in Chinese medicine. Give seed 8 - 12 weeks prechill.
TRICHOSANTHES (tri-ko-SAN-theez)
CUCURBITACEAE. Tendril -climbing annual or perennial vines grown for food and medicine. Easy in a warm sunny spot and rich soil.
—Trichosanthes cucumeroides (=Trichosanthes ovigera). (10) R-TRCS-10. Packet: $3.00
10 grams: $15.00
'KARASU-URI'. Vermillion-red egg-shaped 3" fruits on a vigorous perennial vine to 15 feet, with 3 - 5-lobed 4 - 6" leaves. White flowers with beautifully-fringed petals. Japan. Zone 7. Forms a large tuberous root that has been used for starch, and can be lifted and stored over winter in cold climates. The immature fruits are preserved in salt and miso, and the ripe fruits used as soap. Has some of the most peculiar-looking seeds I've ever seen!
TROCHOMERIOPSIS
CUCURBITACEAE. A single Madagascar endemic.
NEW—Trochomeriopsis diversifolia. (5) R-TROC-4. Packet: $7.00
Flower photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bos69/3993883900/
Plant and caudex: http://www.bihrmann.com/caudiciforms/subs/tro-div-sub.asp
Extraordinary flowers with fine, very long white ribbon-like trailing petals. Rare Madagascar vine forming a large caudex, and having divided glaucous leaves. Germinates readily in 2 - 4 weeks.