Plants will ship Mid-March 🙂
Eleuthero, Spineless (Eleutherococcus senticosus) potted shrub, organic
$31.00
Family: Ginseng (Araliaceae)
Hardy to Zones 3 to 9
(Ci-wu-jia, Siberian Ginseng) Woody perennial shrub with ginseng-like leaves and white flowers giving way to the blue-black fruits. Rare in cultivation. Native to North Korea, northern China and Siberia. The root and root bark are the parts used. Traditional usage: adaptogen. Source of eleutherosides. The plant will thrive in full sun and moist soil in the north, but prefers shade and moist soil in hotter, more southerly locations. Plant does well with standard garden soil and may be spaced 10 feet apart.
P.S. OK, it has been pointed out to me that these plants do have some spines. This is true, “spineless” in a relative sense. Spiny eleuthero is simply COVERED with really dangerous spines, while this cultivar may be expected to have none or few spines. Richo
Potted shrub, Certified Organically Grown
Out of stock
Bekki Shining Bearheart –
I put this plant in the new section of the garden that is in front of my house, on the north east side. It gets some morning sun but there are also some very tall pines between us and the neighbors that also shade it and it is next to the the house and sheltered some by the roof. I planted probably around 2019? and it is really thriving. Has really bushed out and is probably 9-10 feet tall. This year it is making copious seeds- will they be fruitful? I’m thinking of spreading them around our property to see what they will do. Any tips, Richo?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Bekki, thanks for taking such good care of the spineless eleuthero. Very difficult to grow from seeds, which never seem to quite mature. The birds will spread them around–who knows? If you know how to make cuttings (or if not see Growing Plant Medicine Vol 1) then make the cuttings after the leaves fall off. They are pretty reliable from hardwood cuttings. richo
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Question
Kay Masterson –
I’m in Central Massachusetts and ordered Eleuthro – it’s doing great in a small pot outside. Wondered about transplanting to a bigger pot or if I should wait until the fall? Also I will need to bring in to over winter and looking for tips on doing that. Thanks!
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Richo Cech –
Hi Kay, Thanks for writing. You’re in a zone 6 so the plant will overwinter for you–its good down to a zone 3. As you know a shady location is best, and best to transplant now to the landscape or up to a bigger pot–it will appreciate that at this juncture. Don’t transplant in the late summer or autumn, it may not have time to root in before frost. The shrub will go winter dormant. If you need to keep it potted and want to give it winter protection, wait until it loses its leaves, then bring it in. Better in a cold greenhouse than indoors, because dry heat is not so good for it. When I have remaining potted eleuthero in the fall, I keep them in the shadehouse and they do freeze over but it does them no harm. They create dormant buds and overwinter just fine, making new leaves in late spring. Richo
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Question
ariel martian (verified owner) –
hi! i got one of these lovely plants from you a few months ago. i wasn’t sure where to put it, so opted for planting in a 3 gal. pot. it’s thriving and is now about 4′ tall, and i’m wondering if that’s a sign i ought to get it in the ground, or if i should wait till fall? lastly, is pruning recommended to induce branching out? it’s currently just one tall stem. thanks!!
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Richo Cech –
hello ariel, it really sounds like you’ve done the best thing for this plant. maybe don’t disturb or prune it, since its doing so well and actively growing. r
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Darla M (verified owner) –
Are the berries edible?
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Richo Cech –
hi darla, oh, this isn’t a food plant. it is grown as a rare shrub for the moist shade that makes medicinal roots. even the birds don’t much consume the fruits. r
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Tati (verified owner) –
This is a rare plant in cultivation, indeed.
It is also, highly medicinal ! From teas to balms to tinctures – I have had it for 2 years now. It blooms beautifully and the smell is soft and semi sweet. I am SO GRATEFUL for your hard work and for giving your customers an opportunity to grow wonderful and medicinal plants. Thank You ! Sincerely, Tati
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Sandi Arseth mpls, mn. (verified owner) –
Will be finally putting my siberian ginseng in the earth this week. They have been under basement grow lites for weeks and still are vibrant. They were packed perfectly, nothing moved in the shipping turmoil. Thanks to all your great staff for all the years i have purchased plants and seeds from you.
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Richo Cech –
hi sandi, good going! i guess you know that these do best in a part shade situation. richo
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Question
Jennie (verified owner) –
My plant arrived before last frost in zone 3 Vermont. Should I keep it inside until danger of frost has passed?
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Richo Cech –
hi jennie, yes, thanks for contacting, these are not cold acclimatized right now and should be kept indoors until all danger of frost is passed, then planted out to part shade. r
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Question
info57 –
Hi Richo,
We are going to have some Eleuthero shrubs sent to us in Vermont. We know they won’t ship until April, but when can we plant? Hope all is well.
Margrit
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Richo Cech –
ok, here’s how i would work with it. plants won’t arrive until after danger of frost. they are in 9 inch deep pots. they are shade/moisture lovers that will have had a long journey. i would unpack and replant to 3-gal size with rich potting soil, mulch, water, keep in shade. After a month or two I’d look to setting them to the landscape. either that or grow on potted for a year and then transplant, probably in the spring. r
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Question
Pam –
I live in Carmel midway between the coast and Carmel Valley. The planting zones around me go from 10a,8a,8b,9a,and 9b. It is hard to figure but my best guess is 9a or 9b. Do you think Eleuthero will do well here? It can be cool and we get some fog but mostly we are above it on a north facing hillside, that can also catch some sun.
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Richo Cech –
Hello Pam, What a nice photo, it seems I already know you–and I do know your area very well, having lectured in Carmel and worked all around Aptos, Big Sur, etc. etc. Well, the north exposure and fogs sound good. You need a niche in the moist shade and you’ll be fine. I get nothing but rave reviews about this plant, we will be listing it again in January. Richo
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Max –
How old are your ginseng plants?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Max,
I need to let you know that the Eleuthero are not currently available. You can hit “waitlist” and we’ll enable sales in January of 2022. These are not really ginseng, although they are in the ginseng family. The plants will be about 6 months old rooted cuttings when shipped. richo
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Pam Tate –
Do you ever get any Aralia Californica root or plant ? I would love to buy some from you. I have available a spot on a shady moist hillside that I think it would like. Let me know if this is something that you offer. Thank you.
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Richo Cech –
Hi Pam,
Yes, we’re well supplied with california spikenard (Aralia californica) plants. Hard for me to navigate you there from here, but you can paste this in a browser if you like https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/product/spikenard-california-aralia-californica-potted-plant-organic/
or simply use the on-site search engine. Richo
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Jennifer MacGregor (verified owner) –
I have a happy healty plant that I purchased from you last year. I plan to put it in the ground this spring after the danger of frost has passed. I am wondering, under the right conditions, how fast & how tall should I expect this plant to get? Would it be suitable to use as a privacy hedge around my yard if I had a few more? Thanks so much!
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Richo Cech –
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for letting us know how the plant is doing. These tend to top out at 10 feet tall and equally as wide. Microsite variances may affect these measurements. I do think it is a good choice for a privacy fence–fast growing, multistalked, covered with leaves in season, late flowering and fruiting. The plants we’re now selling are really nice as they’re in deep pots and have overwintered to year 2 from cuttings. I recommend you to get more of them, i don’t think you’ll be disappointed. richo
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Jennifer (verified owner) –
Hey Richo! I didn’t realize you’d replied….I forgot I’d asked the question, actually and came here looking for more growing info! I guess I really need this plant! Thanks for your help! I’m excited to watch her grow:)
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Question
Rhonda Lewis –
Will you be getting Any Siberian ginseng plants this year
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Richo Cech –
hi Rhonda,
Thank you for your interest in Eleuthero–what an amazing plant! We grow our own. People have been ordering these since Jan 1. We’ll see if there are any left over after shipping those out so please do hit “waitlist,” we’ll enable this when we can. Richo
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Richo Cech –
yes, please hit “waitlist”
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Margaret FitzGibbon (verified owner) –
Is Eluthero senticosus monecious or dioecious? I am seeing listed both ways online.
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Richo Cech –
only someone who has never grown the plant would say they are dioecious. The plant is self-fertile and the flowers are hermaphroditic. richo
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Question
Cynthia –
Hello,
Do you expect any more Eleuthero at some point ?
Thanks
Cynthia
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Richo Cech –
Hi Cynthia, I think the plants I grew this year barely managed to fulfill existing orders. If there are any left I’ll try to e-mail you, but do hit “waitlist.” The next big listing will be January 2022. Richo
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Angela Christensen –
I am on the waitlist also and would love some if any are available!
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Richo Cech –
Hello Angela, hitting waitlist is a worthy trick, we still have quite a few of these in stock, and have to catch our tail in terms of shipping before we can enable any remainders. r
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Question
Elisabeth Holmgren –
How would Siberian ginseng do in Alaska zone 4? Will it want full sun? Thanks!
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Richo Cech –
Hi Elisabeth, I would say the plant would do best under aspen or birch and near water. Richo
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Jeremy Lewis –
Hello Richo I was just wondering how I order this Eleuthero plant. Haven’t had very much success germinating seeds over the last 2 years. It says if ordered now it will ship the second week of May. Is there a way to place an order? Thank you very much!
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Richo Cech –
Hello Jeremy, Nice to hear from you. They are really hard to start from seeds. I tried to get more going from cuttings than were listed in January although the ones that were listed did sell out. The thing about the second week of May is currently on every plant regardless of stock status. I’ll try to e-mail you–please do hit waitlist. Richo
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Cindy –
Hi Ricoh,
We live in Colorado, super dry and 8700 feet. Do you think we could grow this in a greenhouse? Seems like all of the imported Siberian ginseng is ladened with many pesticides…..
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Richo Cech –
Hi Cindy, Colorado is a Zone 3 and spineless eleuthero is listed down to zone 3, so it should overwinter for you. These get pretty big for a greenhouse, you might want to try it outdoors. Right, high elevation and dry–provide wind protection and a sunny exposure, like up against the south side of the house. The watering requirements are moderate but they don’t do well if allowed to completely dry out. richo
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Sara McGuire –
That’s a GREAT idea…! I’ve had a few little plants starting off of the main plant (spider plant style), but I haven’t tried this…TY!!!
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Sara McGuire –
Hey, fyi: I bought one of Richo’s Eleuthero shrubs a few years ago, and it’s THRIVING (well over 6 feet high) growing on the east side of a tool shed our our property on the Arkansas/Oklahoma border, zone 6. Hot, dry summers. Cold rain/sleet at other times of the year. Bedrock near the surface or just under a thin layer of soil in many areas. This year, the Eleuthero was blooming and we got a lot of berries. Many of my plant medicine friends want one. This plant is one tough cookie…
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Richo Cech –
hi sara, not to sound too woo woo or anything but i just came in from making eleuthero cuttings. Its been very cold, the trees have been very dormant, and its due to warm up in the next few days. gotta make cuttings prior to breaking bud. One thing that’s been fun and rewarding this year is finding windfall branches and making cuttings from them before they die. Feels a little like pulling the baby out of the fire. Richo
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Question
Gwyn (verified owner) –
Thank you so much for Eleuthero! I love it! Mine has a few spines. I have a pruning question…when it was a tiny baby it had an upright stalk that didn’t survive but a side stalk did! I waited to see if more shoots would come, but it stayed as one branch angled right from the base. The plant is healthy and has a small flower, and now I am wondering if I should prune it to be more upright, how much to prune, and when is a good time? Thank you!
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi Gwyn,
“Spineless” eleuthero does have some spines. Its a relative thing. Spiny eleuthero bristles with spines. Normally the live bush is not pruned but allowed to take a natural shape. Prune dead wood out. If you want to train the plant to a more upright position, then stake it.
Richo
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