Plants will ship early June 🙂
Mandrake, Autumn (Mandragora autumnalis), potted plant in a 5-inch deep pot, organic
$18.00
Family: Nightshade (Solanacea)
Hardy to Zones 6 to 10
Herbaceous perennial, native to Southern Europe. One of the most choice of all true Mandrake species. Flowers purple to 12 inches tall, giving way to fruits of yellow and orange. Traditional usage (TWM): fertility, aphrodisiac, a magical totem, relieve pain, promote sleep. Source of tropane alkaloids–do not ingest. Plant prefers alkaline pH—deep, sandy soils. Autumnalis does fine in dry sun to moist shade, tends to flower in the autumn as opposed to the winter-flowering types. Flowers are amazing. Space plants 2 feet apart.
Potted plant, Certified Organically Grown
Please note: Mandrakes are rare and finicky. The plants are dormant more months of the year than they are aerial, and an aerial plant can easily go dormant in shipment. Therefore we guarantee only that you will receive a viable taproot in a pot. The plant may be up-potted to a gallon or planted to a sunny, well-drained site outdoors. It helps to mark the planting spot with a large rock to partially shade the plant. There is more about mandrake culture available in “Growing Plant Medicine” vol. 1 and 2, in Richo’s Blog as well as on our youtube channel Strictly Medicinal Seeds.
Out of stock
Question
Michele Pierre-Brignolle –
Is this a real mandragore plant please?
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Richo Cech –
hi michele, yes, it is a real mandragora. Autumnalis is one of the nicer species, and these are very solid right now. We try to keep the price down and the plants up. If you’re into it, i do recommend getting it soon, these will sell out. richo
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Amanda (verified owner) –
When dormant, what care do these plants need?
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Richo Cech –
hi amanda, if planted in the garden, it is a good idea to remove weeds, stake the spot and mulch with sand. Beyond that watching and waiting for re-emergence. If potted, best to leave pot outside in a protected area where it gets natural precip. potted plants left indoors may or may not make it. they require sporadic watering. richo
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Michael Swift (verified owner) –
Richo, I have a question. When these go dormant, do we keep the soil damp, or just let it go dry? I’m asking because last year there seemed to be some rotting of the root when I kept them watered. I’m on a mission to finally get this right this year.
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Richo Cech –
Hi Michael,
That is the thousand dollar question to be sure. I find they need to be watered only enough to keep the root from desiccating. Depending on quite a number of factors that might look like a good watering every 2 weeks, allow to dry between waterings, and never allow to sit in water. Their ability to resurge is legendary despite their susceptibility to rot. The game is actually to keep them growing aerially as long and as healthily as possible, lest they slip into the sleep that has no waking. richo
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Question
Alison Meeks (verified owner) –
Hi there!
I just have a few questions regarding this plant and it’s care. Does the Autumn mandrake require the same type of quick draining, high ph soil that Official mandrake need? What soil mixture do you recommend? For sunlight, I normally place my mandrakes in a shaded north facing window. I’ll also turn on a pink/purple grow light for about 2 hours from time to time. Is this sufficient for an autumn mandrake? Lastly, how often do you recommend watering during hibernation vs when it’s in season?
Thanks!
Alison
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Richo Cech –
Hello Alison, Autumn mandrake will do fine in the same conditions as Mandragora officinarum, with a tendency perhaps to tolerate more water, a richer soil of neutral pH and perhaps a bit more shade. During dormancy, a weekly watering will help ensure that the dormant eyes that surround the crown do not dry up, and that the root stays turgid enough to remain viable. It gets picky keeping these in pots, and they never really thrive the way they do when they get their roots into real free dirt outdoors. But it is a good hobby to keep them in potted culture, and thataway you can relate to them more intimately. r
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Question
Donna –
I have several young mandrakes- sprouted last year-they have come to life with the cooler weather, and I have noticed that the root is growing out of the bottom of the pots. Would I be safe to plant them out in their permanent spots now, or should I just re-pot them and plant out in Spring?
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Richo Cech –
hi donna, autumn mandrake is actively growing right now, its a good time to transplant them! (i know, its counterintuitive–most people transplant plants during dormancy but I find mandrake likes the opposite) I’ll have to post some pictures of flowers on the older plants, they’re going off right now! cheers Richo
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Marie m (verified owner) –
Just got my seedling from you! So excited and hoping to keep it alive! During the first couple of years of its life, if kept in a gallon pot, can you please provide some insight on: (1) best soil type (2) should it be “fed”? (3) how much to water? (4) how much sun?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Marie,
Thanks for staying in touch. There’s a whole blog on mandrake at this link https://blog.strictlymedicinalseeds.com/?s=mandrake
The Autumn mandrake are nice and you should do well with your plant. Pot up to a gallon pot using fast-draining mix (I recommend cactus mix mixed with standard potting soil 50/50) and add a small handful of ground limestone or oyster shells to the soil to increase alkalinity. Water every week or so. Give as much sun as possible if the plant is indoors in a window, if outside plant to the north side of a rock so it gets shade sometimes but not all the time. Mandrakes are going to be happiest if you can develop an outdoor area for it. They go dormant through much of the year. I have a large autumn mandrake in fruit right now which is about 6 months off cycle–you can expect the unexpected when working with mandrake. Richo
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Question
Donna –
When planting my Mandrake by a rock, how close should I put it to the rock?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Donna,
About 4 inches back. Richo
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Question
Roberto –
do you delivery to london?
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Richo Cech –
sorry, no, we can’t ship plants internationally
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Question
Yasell –
Is this still available?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Yasell,
Yes, if you can put it in your cart, then it is order-able.
Richo
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