(Bluestem Joint Fir, Blue Stem Ephedra)
Family:  Ephedraceae
Hardiness:  -10 degrees F
Perennial, primitive subshrub native to the arid steppes of China and Russia. Rare.  Extremely robust and very high in the alkaloid ephedrine.  Used in TCM as a secondary source of the drug Ma-huang. Plant prefers sun and very fast draining soils.  Mulch with sand or volcanic rock.  Sow warm in fast-draining potting soil.  Keep evenly moist until germination and then back off on watering somewhat until the plants develop sufficiently to prick into individual pots.  Transplant and grow out in gallon pots for a year before transplanting to the landscape.  50 seeds/pkt., Open Pollinated

Family: Onagraceae
Hardiness:  All temperate zones.
Self-seeding overwintering annual or biennial. Native to Europe and North America. This herb is very drought tolerant, bravely producing bloom after yellow, mucilaginous bloom in the evenings, despite sun-baked conditions. The seed is high in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an intermediate in the synthesis of prostaglandins. Some women report alleviation of PMS by eating the plant and the seeds. The flowers especially make a tasty addition to salads. Cultivation: Easy. Scatter seed on surface of disturbed soil in fall or early spring, or start on surface of flat and transplant. Seed requires exposure to light in order to germinate. Plant 12 inches apart. Flowers to 3 to 4 feet. 200 seeds/pkt., Certified Organically Grown

 [LIFELINE PRICING]

Eyebright, Sticky (Large Flowered Sticky Eyebright)(Euphrasia rostkoviana)
Annual herb from Europe. Although Euphrasia officinalis is the species most often mentioned, this species (rostkoviana) is medicinally interchangeable with officinalis and gives higher yields. Nevertheless, the plant is dainty, with fanlike leaves boasting oversize flowers. Eyebright is used for treating red, itchy, or inflamed eyes and also styes. Plant prefers full sun to part shade and rich, moist soils. It is known to be a grass symbiont but we grow it without the grass and it seems to do fine. (Maybe rostkoviana is less dependent on grasses than is officinalis.) Press seed firmly into surface of soil in fall or very early spring. A period of cold, moist conditioning improves germination. We achieved only 10% germination on this seed, sown in March and germinated in May. By July the plants reached about 5 inches in height and began branching out, with multiple flowers. The flowers are pale lilac with a yellow spot, and the ovary is jet black. Low germ. Seed sold as-is (no returns, replacements or refunds). 300 seeds per packet.

New observations on Eyebright germination posted 5/15/06:  Just noted a high rate of germination in last year's flats of eyebright.  This means that much of the seed is double-dormant, meaning that it takes 2 vernal cycles to germinate.  Flats sown last year in the midwinter are now showing germination 15 months later.  Therefore, I do advise not to discard flats prematurely, as the germ rate in the second year is about 4 times greater than the germ rate in the first year, even after a couple of months of cold conditioning (outdoor stratification).  Extended dormancy of this sort is fairly common with wild (undomesticated) seeds, as there is survival advantage to splaying germination out over a couple of years.  Richo

Fennel, Common (Grosfruchtiger) (Foeniculum vulgare) seeds, organic
(Common Fennel)
Family:  Apiaceae
Hardiness: 0 degrees F
The grosfruchtiger variety has very sweet green leaves and sweet seeds, with none of the funky aftertaste that sometimes comes along with common roadside fennel (fennel is pretty variable and it makes sense to use a select variety).  Fennel is easy to grow from seed.  Sow seed directly in regular garden soil in the spring.  The green herb and especially the seeds are one of the most commonly used flavoring agents worldwide.  Medicinally, fennel herb or seed is a carminative and galactagogue.  What this means is it improves digestion, relieving cramps and dispelling malodorous gasses,  and it increases lactation.  The herb is completely safe for pregnancy and for new (or not so new) mothers. 
Organically grown 100 seeds/pkt.

Trigonella foenum-graecum

Family:  Fabacea

Annual.  Native to the Mediterranean.  Aromatic foliage bearing white flowers with distinctive blue markings.  Seed is warming to the digestive tract.  Absorbs toxins.  Lowers cholesterol level in the bloodstream.  Good for sprouts.  Breaks up heavy clay soils--contributes nitrogen and organic matter.  Direct-seed late summer to early spring.  Germinates in cold soils.  Sow 1 to 2 lbs per 1,000 square feet, or 35 lbs per acre.  Call us at (541) 846-6704 to order bulk.  Otherwise for medicinal uses a packet should suffice.
Organically grown 200 seeds/pkt.

Tanacetum parthenium

This is a selection made for high medicinal activity and each flower is encircled by only one layer of ray flowers (as per photo).  It is not frilly, double-flowered or variegated.  Our strain has become the standard strain for extraction among a number of the bigger companies in the US and abroad. 
Organically grown 200 seeds/pkt.

Scrophularia nodosa

Small seed best sown on surface of soil and pressed in hard, kept moist until germination.  This is an easy one.  The root is part of some pretty antique anticancer formulas.  This species is the European one, which is official, although I think local species are medicinally interchangeable.  The plant is handsome, and a big attractor for diverse pollinators.  The root looks like something from Salvador Dali (see photo).
Organically grown 300 seeds/pkt.

(Linseed)
Family: Flax (Linaceae)
Annual. Native to temperate Europe and Asia. Flax is pretty in the garden, with the added advantage of yielding a valuable seed crop. Homegrown organic linseed is very tasty as an addition to breads or cereals, and since rancidity can be a problem, it is very nice to grow your own to assure that it is entirely fresh. If taken alone, supplement with plenty of water. Linseed is a swellable fiber loaded with oil and mucilage which soothe the intestinal tract and stimulate peristalsis. Cultivation: Easy to grow. Cultivate an area of good soil in the spring and strew the seed on the surface, working in with your fingers. Pat down soil surface and water. The plant grows best in a self-supporting patch, not in a carefully defined row. The distinctive sprouts appear quickly and tend to out-distance weeds, as they grow quite rapidly to 2 feet tall. One packet covers approximately 40 square feet.
200 seeds/pkt., Certified Organically Grown [LIFELINE PRICING]

(Perennial Blue Flax)
Family: Flax (Linaceae)
Hardy to -20 degrees F
Herbaceous perennial wildflower native to Europe and the western United States.  The plant makes a perennial clump that is quite drought resistant and competes well with grasses, blooming from new buds each day, the pastel blue flowers bedecking the fine lines of the plant like baubles on a string.  The uses of this plant are many.  The stems make a good string, which was used by native americans in sewing, basketry and net making.  The seeds are TOXIC if ingested raw (contains cyanide) but are harmless and tasty if cooked.  The seeds can be cold pressed to make a lubricant.  The plant itself has been used medicinally.  Tea or tincture of the green plant (without the seeds) is antiinflammatory to arthritis and very kind to the stomach.  The plant prefers full sun and does very well with alkaline soils.  Sow seed in late fall to early spring. We give a generous packet to allow you to scatter the seeds, which is just what the mother plant does, and is therefore a very effective method of extablishing this native beauty in your gardens and grasslands. 
500 seeds/pkt., Open Pollinated