Plants ordered today will begin shipping in June of 2024
Osha (Ligusticum porteri) potted plant, organic
$8.50
Family: Carrot (Apiaceae)
Hardy to Zones 5 to 9
Long-lived herbaceous perennial. Native to the Rocky Mountains. The plant thrives on moist soils that are high in organic, forest-derived debris and likes a good mulching with bark. Osha associates with aspen groves and oak, and it prefers a part shade situation although I’ve also found it growing out of rock at high elevation in scorching sun, so it really can adapt to a wide range of conditions. Traditional usage: Mexican Indians, cough, upper respiratory infection, altitude sickness. Not to be used during pregnancy. Space plants 6 inches to a foot apart.
Potted plant, Certified Organically Grown
In stock
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Question
Lila McClellan –
What time of year is best to plant this start or seeds? spring or fall? And, how long does it take for the start or seeds to produce roots that can be harvested?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Lila,
Thanks for getting in touch. Osha seeds can be started in the fall or in the spring. I checked the Osha chapter in my book “Growing At-Risk” and found that the normal induction period is 79 days in cool outdoor treatment and that some of the seed germinates a year later in the second vernal cycle. The last time I planted osha seed, ALL of it waited for the second vernal cycle and germination was prolific! 4 to 6 years to full-sized roots.
Richo
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Rebecca –
Best time to plant outside in zone 7 SE US?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Rebecca, short-lived seed should be planted in outdoor conditions immediately on receipt. richo
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Rebecca –
What are requirements for this potted plant in winter where temperatures are frequently below freezing to as low as 5 degrees at night?I would like to buy but unsure if I will have to keep inside under lights til spring?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Rebecca,
Thanks for contacting. The osha plants are currently available for purchase and will be delivered in the spring. You can thus plant them to the garden at that time and not worry about having to overwinter them in a pot. Yes, they are extremely cold hardy and elevation tolerant. They may also be grown at lower elevations. We recommend reading the osha chapter in “Growing At-Risk” for more information on how best to keep the plant in the home garden. We also recommend ordering soon, these will sell out. richo
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Marie –
How old are the potted Osha plants you are selling at the moment? I live in central Oregon and would love to know how many more years it might take to harvest some of the roots. When you do harvest, do you only take a few and continue to let it grow? Thanks so much.
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Richo Cech –
Hello Marie,
Thanks for writing! The osha plants are in their third year. We repotted them last fall for spring sales. Osha grows very slowly. It can take 6 years to get a plant of sufficient size for much root production. This is a taprooted plant. It does not take kindly to cuttings but is instead grown from seeds. I encourage a good read of the osha chapter in “Growing At-Risk Medicinal Herbs” or the Osha monograph in “Growing Plant Medicine Vol 1.” Richo
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