The legendary mandrake has been associated with magic for centuries as a poisonous and medicinal plant. You can also grow the plant yourself from its seeds. Here you can find out what kind of seeds the mandrake carries and how to raise them.
How do you grow mandrakes from seeds?
Mandrake seeds are kidney-shaped, up to 7mm large and grow in berries. To grow, they need to be stratified in the refrigerator for 4-6 weeks before planting in humus-rich, loose soil. The germination time can be over a month.
What kind of seeds grow on the mandrake?
The mandrake haskidney-shapedseeds that ripen in their fruits and are a maximum ofseven millimeters in size. The size of the seeds varies depending on the variety. There are also mandrakes (Mandragora), whose seeds are only 2.2 x 2.5 millimeters in size. The mandrake's berries grow in place of the plant's calyx. When they are ripe, they emit a distinctive scent. The best known variety of mandrake is the common mandrake (Mandragora officinarum).
How do I plant mandrake seeds?
The mandrake seeds must first bestratifiedand thenraised as cold germinators. To stratify, proceed as follows:
- Pour seeds into freezer bags with some moist sand.
- Put the bag of seeds in the refrigerator.
- Leave for 4-6 weeks.
You will then have germinable mandrake seeds. Place these approximately one centimeter deep in the ground in a frost-free environment. You have to expect a slightly longer germination time. It can take more than a month until a stately plant appears.
In which soil should I plant mandrake seeds?
Usehumus-rich substrate for growing mandrakes from seeds. You should make sure that it fits loosely and that excess moisture can drain away easily downwards. You should definitely avoid the formation of waterlogging. However, if you have a little patience, growing the mandrake from seeds and planting this legendary plant is not particularly difficult.
Where can I get mandrake seeds?
You can purchase mandrake seeds atgarden stores. Since this is an old medicinal plant that was previously associated with witches, the seeds of the mandrake are also sold in esoteric trade. You may also recognize the plant from one of the Harry Potter films. However, the animated plants and not their seeds were shown here.
Tip
Caution poisonous plant
The mandrake is highly poisonous in all its plant parts. The plant contains, among other things, alkaloids. You should also keep this in mind when handling the seeds of this plant.
