Mandrake, Official (Mandragora officinalis)
(White Mandrake)
Family: Solanaceae
Perennial. Native to southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean. Rare. The ancients used Mandrake root as a fertility herb, an aphrodisiac, a magical totem, and as a medicinal to relieve pain or promote sleep. It was also known to cause strange delirium and madness. The leaves are harmless and cooling when used as a poultice, and I also consider the fruits to be harmless and tasty, but the root is a low-dose botanical that should be approached with caution. 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. Sow as soon as possible upon receipt. Seeds usually require one full year to sprout.* Seedlings rot back in summer and resprout 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. Flowers green-white to 16 inches, giving way to yellow, apple-like fruits.
13 seeds/pkt $9.95, Undried seed available in season (midsummer), otherwise delivered as dried seeds from the recent harvest.
*This is the germination period required for seeds that have been dry-stored. Like many problemmatic germinators, Mandragora officinalis takes on dormancy in dry storage. This means that if you plant the fresh (undried) or newly dried seed from the new harvest, then quicker germination and a higher rate of germination can be expected. We ran four concurrent germ tests with the fresh and newly-dried seed from our 2005 harvest. The best germination occurred in seed that was left absolutely fresh and undried, merely washed and cleaned, then planted immediately in fast-draining soil in outdoor conditions in our shadehouse. The germination period was eight months (from 7/10/2005 to appx 3/3/2006). 108 seeds were planted, and 76 sprouts were observed. This is a germ rate of 70.37%. RAC
No replacements on mandrake seed.
