Mandrake, official (Mandragora officinarum) seeds, dried, organic
$16.95
Family: Nightshade (Solanaceae)
Hardy to Zones 6 to 10
(White Mandrake, Mandragora officinalis) Perennial. Native to southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean. Rare. 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, dry, in the part-shade. The plant begins its vegetative cycle in the midwinter, flowers in the spring, fruits, and goes quickly dormant in the summer, then re-sprouts from beneath the callus in fall or spring. Keep crowns in perfect drainage. I plant mine in deep sand mulch on the shady side of rocks. Flower color is variable, some plants making vibrant purple flowers, others flowering like washed-out lavender. Flower to 16 inches, giving way to green, apple-like fruits that eventually turn yellowish and soft before harvest. The smell is exquisite. Sow seeds as soon as possible upon receipt. It makes sense to put them in a small jar of water or willow tea in the fridge for up to 2 weeks before planting. This seems to prime them for faster germination. Sow these cold water soaked seeds about 1/4 ich deep in sandy, alkaline mix in a flat or preferably in a gallon pot. Tamp securely and keep very warm for fast germination (often as fast as 30 days under lights). If not concerned about organic status of planting, an overnight pre-soak in very dilute GA3 will stimulate very rapid germination. Alternatively, place pot in the shadehouse or in the greenhouse in a relatively cool, shaded area. Lacking the shadehouse or the greenhouse, you might try a sheltered spot outdoors. Planted in this manner, germination may take as long as 12 months. Seedlings and indeed older plants senesce in summer and resprout from beneath the callus, usually january to february zones 7 and up, or in colder zones, in early spring. Space plants 2 to 3 feet apart
13 seeds per standard packet
Large packet contains 100 seeds
Certified Organically Grown (INTERNATIONAL ORDERS OK)
No replacements on mandrake seed.
Question
Judy –
Will I be able to receive it in South Africa please
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Richo Cech –
hello judy, if you can order it, we will send it, but will you receive it? we cannot guarantee it. r
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Question
R –
Do you happen to have any reports from gardeners up here in Canada ?
I would be in zone 5a, so I will need to overwinter plants indoors. I have been looking for these everywhere and you seem to be the only one to carry them.
Any feedback is greatly appreciated Thank you.
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Richo Cech –
hi! yes, we’ve had positive reports from Canada and indeed from all over the world. If you’re working with indoor culture, it really doesn’t matter where you’re from. a fertile seed will give fertile results. r
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Sabrina –
8 of 13 seeds have sprouted in a months time. I have them started in a large deep pot in my reptile room window. At what size can I repot individually and safely share with a friend or two?
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Richo Cech –
hi sabina, good work! your seedlings look ready to transplant into individual pots. hopefully they will remain aerial when you do this but sometimes they go dormant after transplant. it is a slow process and you have a really good start. check the various mandragora youtubes at strictly medicinal seeds and also richo’s blog for more details. r
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Kristin Leggett (verified owner) –
Hello Richo. Ordered these seeds from you last fall and got 4 mandrakes going. I have a question about sun vs shade exposure for these lil ones. I live in NC, not far from Charlotte so more southern in the state and kinda in the middle. Anyway, I have them getting morning sun only currently but other sources say they should have full sun?? Should I expect dormancy sometime soon with the fact we get hot/humid summers?? I am trying to just watch and see how “they” direct me but they have become so precious to me that I also do not want to cause harm/make deadly mistakes because I am a first time grower of Mandrakes. Thanks 🙂
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Richo Cech –
hi kristin, good for you, like bilbo, you’re left complacency behind–you’ve begun the journey! the other advice was right, it needs full sun but plant the plant on the north side of a rock in the full sun and plant it in the part shade if you can’t find a rock. then make sure to put some sand and ground limestone in the hole under the plant. do not utter the word “dormant” around the plant–they use any excuse to go dormant. grow them aerially for as long as possible–that’s when they are increasing their root, gathering strength. here’s a link to the mandrake blog https://blog.strictlymedicinalseeds.com/growing-mandrake-beyond-the-basics/ r
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Avery (verified owner) –
I got a pack of seeds as well as a potted one because I wasn’t sure i would be able to get them to sprout. I started soaking my seeds 3/13, planted them 3/26, and seven have already come up!
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Richo Cech –
hi avery, good going and thanks for letting us know. this is a good testimonial for the long soaking method. r
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Question
Meredith –
I recently planted a mandrake seed after cold treating but I inadvertently let it dry out for a couple of days before I could actually get it planted. Did that dry period ruin the seed at all or will it affect germination? Would any seed that needs cold stratification need to stay wet right up until it’s planted? And does it really take up to a year for mandrake to sprout? Thanks!
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Richo Cech –
Hi Meredith,
As long as the seed was still unsprouted, there would be moisture reserves inside of it, so you’re probably still ok on that. Yes, dried and stored mandrake seeds can take a year to come up, but if you’re doing the trick where you refrigerate it in water for a couple of weeks and then plant in fast-draining medium right under grow lights, then germination may occur quite rapidly–a couple of weeks or so. Mandrake fruit harvest is upon us–I have a ripe fruit on my desk as we speak–and so if you purchase fresh seed now, then this would be the fastest way to get a number of plants going. There really are a lot of directions on all this in the website monograph and in “richo’s blog.” r
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Question
Erica Reyes –
Hi richo..
I was wondering, is there a reason to buy both the dried and fresh mandragora seed? I’m assuming the fresh are going to have a better germ rate?
Thanks
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Richo Cech –
Hi Erika, Nice to hear from you. The fresh mandrake seed is sometimes already sprouting by the time you get it. The dried mandrake seed can take up to a year to sprout. The germ rate is the same. The fresh mandrake seed is available within the USA only. Richo
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Erica Reyes –
Hi Rico..
I was wondering if you think it would be possible for me to successfully grow these from seed, either fresh or dry (or rather, do you think they will be happy) in las vegas, NV? I will only be here about 2 months as I am currently on an extended visit with my dad since his health is in decline. After a a month or two I’ll be in salt lake city, UT. Do you have any advice for me, considering my location? I feel called to get to know the plants/plant spirits of both mandragora autumnalis & mandragora officinarum and so am committed to making a happy environment for them, but my concern is that I don’t have grow lights, and at least for right now I don’t have as much space as I’d like. Sorry for such a long question! I truly appreciate your time and any guidance you’d be so kind as to impart! Your website is an absolute treasure to me, and although I’m kind of a kid in a candy store right now..simultaneously overwhelmed and exhilarated by the vast selection of organic seeds. But I will eventually make my final selections and be placing a rather large order soon, and I anticipate being a long time customer. It’s so heartening to purchase from someone as insightful, knowledgeable & also in tune with the less “science” & more “spirit” side of working with plants. Thank you & your wife for the wonderful service you provide!
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Richo Cech –
Hi Erica,
Thanks for contacting, your name is familiar to me. Las Vegas is plenty warm enough to plant mandrake outside and Salt Lake City is a bit too cold, although the dry climate is conducive. Since space is at a premium and you’re moving, I would suggest starting the seeds indoors–maybe plant 6 or 7 to a gallon pot. Make the soil sandy and on the alkaline side. There are at least 2 videos on mandrake cultivation at our you tube channel so check those out. The grow light would be best but a bright window might do the trick. I have had mandrake germinate in the shade house so lights are not essential. Richo
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Ramona Campbell (verified owner) –
Mandrake seeds were my choice of something different this year. I took possession of the seeds in February hoping they all took ages and ages to germinate, so I wouldn’t really have to figure out where to put them, once they did come up. Sort of a ho-hum approach. By sheer happenstance I came across some of those “individual peat-pot plugs” that come with their own plastic containers, at the local feed store. Little mini greenhouse things, only I didn’t use the lid. I gave each seed a plug of its own, watered it thoroughly, and found a cool’ish place in the bathroom, that doesn’t get too much light, in the shade of other plants. I soaked it all down every week or so. The family members were seen “checking” on them every once in awhile and I must admit they are pretty cute seedlings. The first three sprouts showed up early April, and I left them all together for a couple weeks, then transplanted them into a shallow clay planter. The plugs made transplanting pretty much stress free for everyone. Three more have sprouted over the summer, so I have a 50% germ rate in six months, and continue to keep the rest wet, just in case. Living at a higher elevation, I’m hoping to keep them as house plants until they are a couple years old, and then put them outside, in a planter against the house. Plants, what an adventure! Thanks, Richo!
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Kristy Therrien (verified owner) –
i love my seedlings!!! when i got them, i said hello to each seed before putting them in a “crystal head vodka” mini bottle of water. i started on a full moon, kept the skull of seeds in the fridge and changed their water every night by an alarm on my phone. on the next full moon, i planted them! i had a great germination rate, the seeds are wonderful. i DO NOT have a green thumb, i really suck at plants. BUT, i also get a crazy passionate drive about what i become interested in. mandrakes called me, i looked them up, i found Richo’s site, youtube videos and i am so very thankful! I find myself spoiling them, i built a custom planter to germinate them in, laid huge quartz crystals down in the rocks on the bottom for good drainage, then built it up with a mixture of plant starter/seedling soil, crushed eggshells, kelp dust and worm castings lol. ( i’m that crazy cook who throws things into the mix, not knowing what’s gonna turn out. HAHA) 😀 but i’m glad it worked. there were 3 seeds in my shipment that looked smaller and dark brown, not like the rest. i put extra quartz crystals under them beneath the soil and outlined them in the planter and called it the “N.I.C.U.” , hoping that the extra care would help. and it did! they came up healthy and happy. 😀 right now, they are are in tall, homemade wooden planters about 3 feet tall, indoors. and i’m kinda addicted to them. i just sent one of the seedlings in the mail to a friend and it was really hard to let one go. lol. the best part, so far, is discovering the baby seedlings when they break the top of the soil layer. i let out a gasp each time i see the hint of one folding up, into life. i, personally, had a 90% germination rate, and there is still a chance that the last 3 seeds could pop up in the coming months. but there’s no telling. mandrakes take life at their own pace. i attribute the seedling success to *MAGICK* and quality products! <3 thanks guys 😀 much love.
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