French Scorzonera - Reichardia Picroides Seeds - Rare, Delicious, & Perennial
Quantity: 20 Seeds
Reichardia Picroides, aka French Scorzonera, is a member of the daisy family, Asteraceae. It's a hardy perennial down to zone 7, but can be grown as an annual just about everywhere else. All parts of the plant are edible, but the leaves are what makes this plant so special. Regardless of the time of year, the leaves remain tender and delicious. This is a rare quality in plants used for salad greens, and Reichardias excellent taste and texture earns its place in just about any kind of garden.
The flowers and leaves from this plant are used to make a very useful medicinal tea. As well as being medicinal, the flowers and leaves make a great edible addition to salads and soups. The flowers are also a great source of nectar, and attract bees and other pollinators alike. Planting Reichardia anywhere near the garden will therefore increase pollination of crops and other plants in the area, and come high summer, you’ll be gifted with a beautiful display of showy purple flowers.
All seeds are organic and open pollinated.
Growing Instructions
Reichardia Picroides seeds may be started in pots in the spring, or directly sown into the ground. If sown indoors, it's good to plant them in a sterile growing medium; most available seed starting soils should do the job nicely; we use sunshine mix (peat moss and perlite). The soil should be made moist, but not damp. Sow the seeds 1/8 - 1/4 inch below the soil surface. Store in a warm area until tiny sprouts emerge from the soil. Once germinated, and the first true leaf has formed, it's time to pot up to a larger container that contains a good quality potting soil. Transplant to their final location when the nighttime temperatures are consistently 6°C or higher. Once transplanted and established, These plants will live for many years assuming you live in zone 7 or warmer. The plants don’t require very much attention once established other than yearly mulching, and a bi-weekly watering. Reichardia Picroides is resistant to deer, pests, drought, and flood; It’s a very robust plant. Plants grow best in full sun, but they do very well in partial shade too.