Shoo-Fly Plant (Nicandra physalodes) seeds, organic

Family:  Nightshade (Solanacea)

Hardy to zones 7 to 10, otherwise readily grown as an annual in the summer garden.

(Apple of Peru) Tender perennial native to South America.  The plant is fast-growing to a height of 3 to 4 feet, flowers short-lived but occurring daily, in succession, lavender, pretty.  They give way to an attractive winged sepal enclosing the marble-sized fruit.  Used in dried flower arrangements.*  The entire plant, as its name suggests, is active against white fly in the greenhouse.  We tested this by setting shoo-fly plants among white-fly infested Vitex plants and sure enough, the next day the white fly was gone.  So we think its a good companion plant in the greenhouse.  Traditional use (TWM): diuretic, cooling, analgesic, anthelmintic, in treatment of contagion, toothache, worms and impotence.  Plant prefers a sunny exposure and rich, dryish soils.  Our tests showed easy germination of seeds using standard greenhouse technique, although the literature claims that inhibitors may be present, and that long germ times and oscillating temperatures may be required.  Sow in spring by barely covering seeds, tamping well and keeping warm and in the light until germination.  Once the seedlings produce their second set of true leaves, individuate to pots.  Transplant to the garden in early spring.  We covered the plants with sheets during a late frost and they came through unharmed.  It was not clear whether or not our ministrations were necessary.  Space plants 2 feet apart.

100 seeds per packet
1 g contains ~1,000 seeds
5 g contains ~5,000 seeds
10 g contains ~10,000 seeds
100 g contains ~100,000 seeds
Certified Organically Grown

* We also recommend this as a fresh cut flowering sprig.  My wife was doing the taxes and for 2 days a housefly continually harassed her.  As if the taxes weren’t bad enough.  I went out and cut a nonflowering sprig of shoo-fly and set it in a vase of water next to her on the table.  Either because the fly escaped when I went out the door, or because the plant really worked, she was no longer bothered by the fly.  “Now, if we could only find a plant that repels taxes we’d really be set,” I joked.  But that wasn’t the end of the story.  So, the sprig sat there on the table until the taxes were finished and turned in.  One morning it set a flower, which was rather nice.  Then, the flower gave way to the seedpod and another flower appeared.  The sprig stayed completely turgid and healthy.  Its now been a week and the plant is still happy.  We got rid of the flies by bringing in the flowers…