Echinacea angustifolia  (Narrow Leaved Purple Coneflower)
Highest quality Echinacea angustifolia seed, confirmed true to species both botanically and chemically.  New harvest material is of superior germinability, as per our ongoing tests of material originally sourced from a relatively remote, northerly source.  Highly recommended.  For information on growing this herb, see our book "Growing at-risk medicinal herbs, cutivation, conservation and ecology," which has a whole chapter on Echinacea.  The second photo is of fresh Echinacea angustifolia roots as they looked harvesting them from our farm after 3 years of growth.  They turned out very nicely and were in high demand from medicine makers, who often prefer angustifolia over other species.  We grew these by preparing a fine seed bed in the early spring and direct-seeding the seeds, allowing the plants to grow close together, as one would carrots, perhaps, and found that we had a very good yield that way, about 5 lbs fresh per 20 row feet. 
Organically grown 100 seeds/pkt.

Echinacea laevigata              Smooth Purple Coneflower                  

Herbaceous perennial native to the Southern Appalachias .  The plant is somewhat similar to E. purpurea in that it has a spreading root system, but the leaves remain low on the rosette, are very smooth and elongated, and the flowers are somewhat smaller and very late maturing.  E. laevigata is a federally listed endangered plant, with the total wild population probably less than 10,000 individuals.  We are cultivating this plant for seed production, and our seedstock does not come from the wild. Plant prefers full sun to part shade and rich soils. Sow seeds in the fall or early spring for germination in the spring.

Family:  Aster (Asteraceae)
Hardy to all temperate zones.
Herbaceous perennial prairie dweller.  Originally native to a wide band stretching from Michigan south to Louisiana, then west to Texas and Oklahoma, but currently uncommon in the wild. Widely cultivated. Does well in pots.  Our strain was derived from a rare wild collection and has been successfully and profitably cultivated for years here in the Williams Valley of Southern Oregon. It has not been intentionally modified or hybridized in any way from the original source, and therefore contains the rich spectrum of active chemicals found in the original wild plant. Medical activity as per E. angustifolia. On a plant-protection note, please consider that growing and using E. purpurea also takes the strain off wild populations of E. angustifolia. Cultivation: Sow seed in the early spring in flats outdoors or in the greenhouse, and transplant seedlings out to the garden or field in mid-spring (middle of May in our area). Starting earlier, and transplanting twice into progressively bigger containers will result in a much better rooted transplant, which will probably flower in the first year. It is fairly easy to seed this plant directly in the garden or field. Sow the seed shallowly in the early to mid-spring. Keep moist. Once the plants are up, you must stay on top of the weeds, and thin to 1 foot spacing after the second set of leaves has formed. E. purpurea likes full sun, plenty of water, and rich, limey soil. This is the species best suited to varied growing conditions, whether coastal or mountain, east or west. It is easy to grow, and produces on the average 1/2 pound of fresh root by the dormant period following the second year of growth. Plant 1 foot apart. Flowers 3 to 4 feet tall.
Organically grown 200 seeds/pkt.
[LIFELINE PRICING]

Echinacea sanguinea                        Sanguin purple coneflower       

Herbaceous perennial.  The most southerly ranging of all Echinacea species, E. sanguinea grows in acidic, sandy soils in the open fields and pine woods of the West Gulf Coastal Plain.  The plants are not very cold hardy in comparison to other species in the genus.   This species is similar to E. pallida, with long, thin ray flowers that occur on slender, swaying stems.  The disk corolla of E. sanguinea is characteristically blood red in color, as are the seeds.  Sow in spring—stratification not necessary.   

10 seeds/pkt $3.95, Organic

(Tennessee coneflower)
Echinacea tennesseensis

This plant is on the federal endangered species list and growing it from this cultivated seed is an act of conservation.  This is a powerful plant, with a higher alkylamide content than any other species.  It is easier to grow than Echinacea angustifolia, withstands a more acid/clay type soil, and has (like all the Echinaceas, really) an incredible and unique coneflower.  The ray flowers on Echinacea tennesseensis reflex backward.
Organically grown 100 seeds/pkt.

Eclipta (Eclipta alba)
(Bhringaraj)
Family:  Asteraceae
Annual.  A creeping and moisture-loving herb.  Good subject for around the hose bib or used as a low-lying bedding plant.  In Ayurvedic practice, the juice of the plant is used both as a hepatic tonic and as a hair tonic.  Makes the hair black.  Sow seed just below soil surface, tamp in well and keep warm and in the light.  Germ in 12 days.  Space plants 1 foot apart.  Grows to about a foot tall. 
Organically  grown 100 seeds/pkt.

In response to many requests here's a collection of our top edible flowers, a full packet each or Bean, Scarlet Emperor; Borage; Calendula, wild; Nasturtium, jewels; Love in the Mist; Shungiku; Violet, Heartsease.  7 packets, Organic (price marked is a discount)

Black Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)
(Black Elder, Elder Berry, Black )
Family:  Honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae)
Hardy to -30 degrees F
Perennial, deciduous, multistemmed bush to small tree native to Europe.  Wild form.  This is the most tried-and-true species for medicinal use, and the berries are very tasty, and about twice as big as the berries of other species.  Elder berries are rich in anthocyanins, bioflavonoids, vitamins and antioxidants. The syrup, tincture or glycerite of the berries is excellent for treating the common cold and for overall increase in immunity.  The fresh green leaves may be infused in olive oil to make an emollient embrocation for treating sunburn, rough skin, age spots, and/or diaper rash (assumedly individuals will not have both age spots and diaper rash, but it can happen). Truly, all parts of the plant may be used in herbal medicine, and this is much expanded upon in my book "Making Plant Medicine." Cultivation: This is prestratified, moist seed in coir.  Sow as soon as possible after receipt, in outdoor conditions, in pots or flats, and expect germination in the spring.  The best conditions for germination are cool, moist shade.  We find that this method is pretty reliable, especially when using the fresh (undried) seed.  Elder will not grow properly in sterile soil. Sow seeds in very rich and composty soil medium. The breakdown of fungi in the soil will produce gibberellic acid, a growth hormone which is helpful for the germination of Elder. Once germinated, grows very rapidly into a handsome bush or small tree.  Grow out in a shaded place in pots for a year before transplanting to final location.   Flowers generally appear in year 3. Flowers turn rapidly into heavy clusters of fruits.  Its probably a good idea to grow 3 trees for pollination purposes, although we have certainly seen good crops of fruit from a single tree grown in isolation.  Elderberries are best placed as an understory to a higher tree canopy. Will also grow in full sun if the roots are kept cool and moist.   
50 seeds/pkt, organic

Eleuthero               (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
(Ci-wu-jia) 
Woody perennial with spiny stem and clusters of blue-black berries. Classic adaptogen.  The root helps you adapt to stress.  Native to cold northern lakeshores and woods of China and Siberia.  For us, this plant grows best in the deep woods where there is rich soil and plenty of water.  Sow in flats left in the shadehouse, shade garden, or in moist, cool woods. Mulch on top of flat in order to keep seed from drying out during the germination cycle.  Use well-rotted sawdust, forest duff or (our favorite) hydrated coir. Fresh seed from our own farm is delivered stratified and in moist medium, giving quicker and more dependable germination than dried seed.  (Fresh seed may become unavailable on toward summer, and fresh seed also not available internationally.)  Space 2 to 3 feet apart.  Flowers to 12 feet.
20 fresh seeds/pkt $9.95, Organic

Please note:  Domestic (USA) orders will receive fresh, stratified seeds in coir from our own organic harvest, delivery November 2010.  International orders, due to phytosanitary restrictions on fresh seeds, will receive the dried seeds from Siberia=150 seeds per packet.

Also note:  If you are a domestic (US) customer and would like the dried seeds immediately, please order this item and let us know in the "customer comments" field at checkout.  We'll send the dried seeds pronto, planto. 

Germination note on dried Eleutherococcus seed:  We planted 100 seeds in a gallon pot on 2/24/07 placed in a cool, moist and shady spot in our shadeouse.   We noted vigorous germination at 27% on  3/17/09, a 2 year induction period.  Basically, it requires the right conditions combined with the passage of 2 vernal cycles to get good germ.  Richo 

The misnomer Siberian Ginseng was never appropriate for identifying this plant.

Empress Tree (Paulownia tomentosa) 
Family:  Figwort (Scrophulariaceae)
Deciduous, dioecious tree native to Central and Western China.  Hardy to -15 degrees F. 
This is one of the most signficant of all permaculture trees.  It is used extensively in China as a divider between fields.  Instant shade in the summer, with leaves as big as elephant ears and much greener.  Every year it gets harder for me to get the seed pods, as they occur many feet up in the trees here on our farm (trees that were started from seed some years ago--these babies grow fast!).  Anyhow I was putting off the harvest this year because its dangerous and all, and then finally got up the courage to go out and grab the ladder and a long pole to try to knock down some pods, and when I came to the trees, one of them had BENT OVER ITS TOP and was offering me the pods, completely ripe and ready to go, right there at head level.  I said "Thank You" and took some of them.  Talk about a giving tree...

Later, I cut some empress tree twigs to use as stakes to hold up impressotags in the greenhouse (for marking plants).  I had built a giant, waist-high raised bed out of rocks and dirt, and was marking rows of newly planted seeds (Tulsi, Jiao-gu-lan, White Sage, Spicebush, and others) and I shoved these twigs into the dirt and twisted the tags around the tips, and thought nothing more about it.  Then, the seeds started to come up, and I also noticed something a bit surprising--the buds on the empress tree stakes were swelling, too.  I thought, "well, that's all very nice, but of course a twig like that will not spring roots.  Wrong again, Mr. Green Man--not only did they sprout roots, but they started to territorialize quite vigorously.  This reminded me of the story of "Robinson Crusoe" that I read as a kid, and how he made a fence of green poles (to protect himself from a footprint in the sand, I seem to remember--not his) which then sprouted and made an impenetrable fortress.  Empress tree would be good for this.  Actually, I believe DeFoe wrote this book based on a sailor left behind on one of the ill-fated botanical voyages headed up by no less than the infamous Captain Bligh, later memorialized by several movies usually entitled something like "Mutiny on the Bounty."  Breadfruits, it turned out, were not preferred food among the Caribbean slave population...
Organically Grown  200 seeds/pkt.

Germination note on this seed: I sowed one packet of out seed on the surface, pressed it in and kept it moist, at 65 degrees F, and ended up with over 100 seedlings after an extended germination time of 64 days.  Even I was beginning to wonder.  Faith, faith, faith is the most essential ingredient!  Richo