Ashitaba, (Angelica keiskei koidzumi) seeds, organic

(13 customer reviews)

$9.95

Family:  Carrot (Apiaceae)

Biennial hardy to Zone 6 to 12

(HACHIJO-SOU, Tomorrow’s Leaf) Biennial native to Hachijojima Island in Japan. Edible-leaved angelica. Green stemmed.  It is called “tomorrow’s leaf” because when harvesting one leaf from the plant, you can expect to see a new one “tomorrow.”  The plant does indeed rejuvenate itself very quickly.  Traditional usage: life extension, infection. Plant prefers potted culture in an unheated greenhouse or may be grown outdoors in maritime regions.

Cultivation from seeds:  Soak seeds overnight in cool, non-chlorinated water and then refrigerate the seeds (approximately 40 degrees F) in moist medium for 30 days.  The moist medium could be moist sand, moist potting soil, moist coir or moist peat.  Note that our recommendation is moist, not sodden, and that we are recommending refrigeration not freezing.  After this pretreatment, plant the (still moist) seeds.  Sow on surface, barely cover with soil and press in firmly and keep evenly moist until germination. When we say to barely cover with soil, we truly do mean to use a very thin layer.  Actually, the best orientation is to half-cover the seed with soil and tamp firmly, leaving a portion of the seed showing to the light.   Use a greenhouse, shadehouse or grow lights.  Germination occurs 15 days after sowing.   Seedlings are slow-growing and will require about 60 days to transplant.  Once past the seedling stage, the plant is fast growing.

Packet contains 10 seeds

Certified Organically Grown

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5 out of 5 stars

13 reviews

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What others are saying

  1. Question

    Christen

    Hi Richo – so when you say Ashitaba enjoys potted culture but you also state it’s hardy in zone 6, once the plant is past the seedling stage, can I put it on the ground or not? I’m just a bit confused and I would appreciate any insight to help me! Thanks!

    Christen

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  2. Question

    Jordi Albert

    Hi Richo!

    I would like to confirm that the seeds must be kept in the fridge for 30 days for their stratification. I’ve seen other sources that says only 3 days, that’s my doubt.

    Thanks a lot in advance,

    Jordi

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    • One person found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hello Jordi,
      To be clear the 30 day refrigeration is in moist medium, not just putting the naked seeds in the fridge. Other methods can certainly be tried, and it is possible that some results will occur, but for best response, cold stratify moist for 30 days, plant warm, and expect germ in 15 days. I just tested this seed and have a good population of seedlings as a result. Richo

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  3. Question

    Mandy

    Non-GMO seeds?

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    • 3 out of 3 people found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hi mandy, yes, they’re certified organically grown by us, the real thing, we wouldn’t know how to gmo if we wanted to. r

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  4. One person found this helpful
    Megan Olmstead

    Worth Bringing in for Winter

    Megan Olmstead (verified owner)

    I can’t think of many vegetables worth overwintering indoors. Ashitaba is worth it. Taboolee with ashitaba instead of parsley and lots of lemon juice. Food/medicine perfection. Thank you for the good seeds and for all the information on how to grow it

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  5. Question

    Megan Olmstead (verified owner)

    Could overwintered plants handle evening temps in the lower 40°F? Besides slightly chilly nights the days are truly spring in NW GA. They have grown nicely this winter but their poor faces are smushed against the window, as if they are ready to bust through the glass and into the sunlight. Can bring them out for light and back in for the evenings… ?

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hi Megan,
      Right, must be getting warm enough in Georgia by now to set them outdoors. Bring them in if it gets too cold. 40 degree temps are not a problem–freezing temps potentially a problem. r

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  6. 2 out of 2 people found this helpful
    Robin

    My daily medicine

    Robin

    I use this daily! I eat it raw, I smoothie it, I cook in with greens, salad, and dry for tea and ashitaba powder. I feel great… been using for years all because of Richo

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  7. Question

    Sheryl Burkhalter (verified owner)

    How many seeds in 1 g? Cost is much higher than 20 seed packet, but on purchasing former the confirmation came back with a 20 seed packet?

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  8. One person found this helpful

    Question

    Natalie

    Can angelica keiskei plant be grown in the west Indies..tropics? If so do you ship seeds to the west Indies?

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  9. One person found this helpful

    Question

    B

    Is this plant not a perennial rather than a biennial?

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    • One person found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Admin Richo Cech

      Ashitaba is biennial and monocarpic. The plant normally goes to flower in the fall of the second year of growth and dies back after that. If you cut back the flowering stalk and prohibit the formation of flowers, then it may live for longer than 2 years.

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  10. Richo Cech

    Admin Richo Cech

    No replacements on Ashitaba seed! Ashitaba seeds are PAIRED like the 2 halves of a clam.  Technically speaking we should be packaging up 20 “halves” per packet.  Practically speaking the seeds are often stuck together, doubles are counted as “1s”,  and doubles should be planted that way (given the right conditions 2 seedlings will emerge closely together, and can be separated at transplant).  If the paired seeds are split apart this does not mean they are “broken.”  We double-bubble all ashitaba seed shipments to assure that the fragile seeds make it to you in good shape. Ashitaba seeds are rare, they are tested viable, they are sold as-is. 

    More on preferred growth conditions: The plants prefer rich, deep, evermoist, well-drained soil and full sun to part shade.  As these leaves mature they begin to go yellow and die back, with new green leaves coming on from the central growth points. Many growers are concerned when this happens, but the fact is that this is the way the plant grows, and to take care of it, you must cut off these older leaves in order to encourage new growth.  The plant craves even temperatures and does best on coast or in greenhouse, planted in a half drum of compost.

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    • Nicole

      Need a little help first time growing plants! Can you recommend an organic soil brand that I can use to grow plants? And do you sale this plant pre grown?

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    • Richo Cech

      Admin Richo Cech

      Hi Nicole,
      Here’s a link to the ashitaba plants this year, which are exceptional now in 2019 https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/product/ashitaba-angelica-keiskei-koidzumi-potted-plant-organic/
      Regarding potting soil, the more organic compost you use, the more ashitaba you get. There is no limit. However if you don’t make compost at your house, then you can use “black gold” or some other commercial soil mix. Make sure it says “OMRI CERTIFIED” or “ORGANIcALLY CERTIFIED” on the label. Steer away from heavy manures and perlite.
      Richo

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    • Loreen

      1. Another website about ashitaba said you have started selling baby plants (not just seeds) for those who don’t want to start from seeds. Do you?
      2. I live outside Phoenix. If I want to grow these outdoors, will I have to have a small green house to protect from our vicious, unrelenting sun?

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    • Richo Cech

      Admin Richo Cech

      Yes, I do think the greenhouse would be good, to raise the humidity. Yes, here’s the link to the ashitaba plants https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/product/ashitaba-angelica-keiskei-koidzumi-potted-plant-organic/

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    • Greg Lewis (verified owner)

      If I won’t be able to start germinating the seeds for 6-8 weeks, is it better to delay the stratification process or extend it past 30 days?

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    • Richo Cech

      Admin Richo Cech

      I have had more trouble not giving it 30 days than giving it more than 30 days. Use peat or coir, and make sure its not too damp. r

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    • Bradley Capron

      I’ve grown your seed very successfully before. I highly recommend it. I grazed it in my greenhouse regularly, and dried and powdered it for green drink/tea additions. Do you have any info on your variety’s medicinal profile? I have read that the high content medicinal type ashitaba produces a certain more greenish sap, due to its native growing area in Japan. The sap on my plants was more whitish. Just curious if you have any info, especially as I’ve seen Ashitaba show up in some plant nurseries the last few years, as a landscape plant. Its a very slow gerninator, and fickle, to those others out there, and definitely needs all the cold strat. Once it gets going, it jumps up fast. Nice plant, would recommend.

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hi Bradley,
      I believe if you click on the stars you can leave a review. The strongest sap is yellow, which is always the color I get when growing the plant, not white or green. This is as it should be, because of the peculiar color of the chalcones. Actually, yes, this particular strain has been tested extensively and shown to be rich in a wide assortment of chalcones. You can check some of the technical data on this blog and the references cited. https://blog.strictlymedicinalseeds.com/ashitaba-mystical-reiso-of-japan/

      Best regards,
      Richo

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    • Anne

      Hi, can I grow them in the weather of 75 F degrees or higher?

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hello Anne, Yes, that sounds good. Richo

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    • El Pastor

      As i have read from other customers ashitaba can be eaten fresh, smoothie etc., How’s the process of making a-green tea with the leaves and stems? Thank you

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hello El Pastor, Thanks for contacting. Ashitaba leaves can be reduced to a tea cut by rubbing through one of our herb rubbing screens. The leaves can then be made into tea in the usual manner. However, the stems contain the lion’s share of the chalcones, and they are not easily reduced to tea cut. Because of this, the best approach is to grind the stems and leaves to a fine powder. The typical approach to making tea with this is to put a teaspoonfull in a cup, add 1/3 cup cold water, allow to absorb, then fill cup with hot water and enjoy. See pages 116 to 118 of “Making Plant Medicine.”

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