HERBS
All prices are in canadian dollars.
Anise
mint (Agastache
foeniculum)
Perennial. A close relative to the spearmint, this one has a
distinctive anise aroma. The leaves are great to make tea. The
blue flower spikes are also attractive. Height: 3 feet.
Full sun to part shade.
Packet of around 100 seeds: $2,49
Arugula - Roquette
(Eruca sativa)
Small leaves with pleasant spicy, peppery flavor. Nice in salads. Can also be cooked or used to make pesto. 30-50 days. Full sun (spring-fall), shade (summer).
Packet of 2 g: $1,99
Basil Cinnamon
Basil with subtle scent of cinnamon. Purple flowers. 60-70 cm
high.
Packet of 50 seeds: $2,49
Basil Sweet
(Ocimum basilicum)
Most common type used in pasta, sauces, pesto, etc. Slightly
ruffled leaves. Sweet-spicy smell. Less strong than Genovese, so
can be used fresh and more profusely. Full sun.
Packet of 50 seeds: $2,49
Basil Lemon
Basil with nice lemony flavor. Excellent with fish, seafood and
in salad dressings or vinegar. 50 cm. Full sun.
Packet of 50 seeds: $2,49
Basil
Lime
Limited availability.
Packet of 20 seeds: $3,49
Basil Lettuce Leaf
(Feuilles de laitue, foglia di lattuga)
Very large leaves, with sweet taste and good aroma.
Packet of 50 seeds: $2,49
Basil Fine Verde
(Fine Verde)
Small leaf type well-adapted to pots and containers. 20 cm
high. Narrow, bright green leaves with intense aroma.
Packet of 50 seeds: $2,49
Basil Genovese
Great basil with sweet smell and strong aroma. Used in italian cooking to flavor sauces, pastas or any tomato dish. The main ingredient used to make pesto. Take less leaves than Sweet Basil for recipes.
Packet of 50 seeds: $2,99
Basil Purple
Nice ornamental basil with purple leaves that can be used fresh
or dried. Nice flavor. Purple-white flowers.
Packet of 50 seeds: $2,49
Basil Thai (Siam Queen)
A tarragon or anis-like flavor makes this one special. Great in oriental cuisine, with fish or for a substitute for french tarragon.
Packet of 25 seeds: $1,99
Flowering Thai
Basil
Well-branched, bushy plants producing several ornamental blooms. Click thumbnail for details. Leaves are a bit bigger than regular thai basil. The ones on top turn purple. Same taste as standard thai basil. Ornamental end edible. Pad thai, tonkinese soup, etc.
Packet of 20 seeds: $2,99
Borrago (Borago officinalis)
Sky blue, star-shaped flowers nod in clusters of open flowers
and unopened buds at the top of the stout stems. The rough
leaves are covered in stiff white hairs. Sow seeds directly in
the garden after frost in a fertile, well drained soils. Pinch
to keep bushy and, be prepared, it self sows abundantly. Remove
the rough sepals before floating in drinks, adding to salads or
candying in egg white and sugar. 2' tall. Sun to part shade. 12
wks.
Packet of 30 seeds: $2,99
Catnip
(Nepeta cataria)
Perennial. Medicinal and culinary herb used to make a mildly
stimulating tea (like mint). Relieves symptoms of cough and
fever. Antispasmodic. Mostly known for its intoxicating effects
on cats. Used in cat toys. Vigorous plants, looking very much
like mint. 60 cm. Full sun, part shade.
Packet of more than 50 seeds: $1,99
Chives
(Allium
schoenoprasum)
A relative to onions, chives can be used in many ways. Cut
leaves add flavor to salads, soups and stews. Perennial. Very
easy to grow.
Packet of 25 seeds: $1,99
Garlic Chives
This variety really smells and tastes like garlic. Nice flat
leaves. Easier to grow than garlic. Cut leaves add flavor to
salads, soups and stews. Repels insects. Bees love the flowers.
Perennial. Very easy to grow.
Packet of 20 seeds: $2,49
Coriander - Cilantro
(Coriandrum
sativum)
Leaves add a fresh, zesty flavor to salsas, soups and many
other meals. Typical herb of mexican and oriental cuisine.
Annual that will self sow. Grows better in spring and fall. Leaf
variety. 30-50 days.
Packet of 100 seeds: $2,49
Epazote
Mexican Tea (Chenopodium ambrosioides)
Epazote is frequently used in mexican cuisine, often in refried
beans (frijoles) for its anti flatulence action. But it is also
appreciated for its flavor in many different meals: quesadillas,
eggs, fish, mole verde, soups, etc. The leaves have a strong
aroma reminiscent of eucalyptus or camphor (even solvents). When
dried, flavor seems to soften and becomes more like mint.
Annual. Reseeds. Full sun, part shade. 50 cm -1 m.
Packet of 100 seeds: $2,49
Epazote Purple (Aztec Red, Oaxacan Red, Epazote Morado)
Nice strain of epazote featuring purple leaves and stems.
Epazote is frequently used in mexican cuisine, often with
refried beans (frijoles) for its antiflatulence action. But it
is also appreciated for its flavor in many different meals:
quesadillas, eggs, fish, mole verde, soups, etc. The leaves have
a strong aroma reminiscent of eucalyptus or camphor (or even
solvents). But once dried, the leaves becomes less pungent and
develop an aroma that is somewhat closer to mint. Can reach 1,5
m tall if not cut. Exposure to direct sunlight gives the plant
its nice shade of purple. Easy to grow.
Packet of about 50 seeds: $3,49
Lemon Balm
(Melissa
officinalis)
This relative of the mint has the most wonderful lemon scent
and flavor. Lemon balm tea is very tasty and has soothing,
relaxing effects. Fresh chopped leaves are also used in salads
and soups. Height: 1 foot (30 cm). Perennial.
Packet of more than 50 seeds: $1,99
Small aromatic leaves with unique and distinctive taste. Used
like parsley to flavor soups, salads, stir fries. Used in
japanese cuisine. 60 cm plant looking somewhat like parsley.
Perennial in zones 4 to 9. Commercially grown in Japan.
Already back. Packet of 30 seeds: $2,49
Nigella sativa
A plant with many uses: ornamental, culinary and medecinal. One can simply grow it for its decorative flowers, or for its seeds. The latter are used whole or ground in mediterranean and indian cuisines to flavor rice, curry, bread, pickles, etc. Their unique taste is reminiscent of savory and black pepper. Seeds contain a molecule called thymoquinone and can be used whole or to make different preparations (black seed honey, black seed oil, etc.). To find more about thymoquinone, please do your own research. Fine foliage, simlar to fennel. Narrow plants, can be grown together (10 cm apart). About 20 to 60 cm high. Full sun. Well-drained soil. Early bloomer. Flowers can take diffferent shades: from blue to white, and sometimes pink. Aka "Black Seed","Black Cumin", "Kalonji".
Packet of around 100 seeds: $2,49
-To grow flowers: remove dead blooms to promote flowering. One can make successive sowings, every 3 weeks, to extend blooming period.
-To grow seeds: do not remove flowers and wait unitl seed capsules form. Cut stem when capsule start to dry. :
Start inside 4 to 6 weeks before last frost. Or can be sown directly outside 1 to 2 weeks before last frost date. Seeds are harvested 2 to 3 months afther sowing date.
Seeds prefer cooler temperatures for optimal germination. 15 to 20 C. Germination can take up to 2 weeks. Light is said to partially inhibit or delay germination.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Perennial. Popular seasoning for many dishes and commonly used
in italian and mexican cuisine. Easy to grow. Small, sprawling
plant, about 2-3 feet high. Small round leaves. Can be used
fresh or dried. Full sun to part shade. Tolerates poor soils and
drought.
Packet of more than 100 seeds: $1,99
Papalo (Porophyllum ruofrale, ssp. macrocephalum)
Mexican herb with pungeant scent reminiscent of rue, nasturtium and vietnamese coriander. Think super cilantro on steroids! Leaves are commonly used in Mexico to flavor tacos, salsas, cemitas, quesadillas, guacamoles, etc. Found in many taco stands and comidas all around Mexico City (right thumbnail). Tall plant that can reach more than 1,5 m high, bearing oval leaves with giant oil glands (middle thumbnail). Flavor can be a little overwhelming at first, so start with small amounts. May not be for everyone. Pick young leaves for better taste. "Papalo" is "butterfly" in nahutl. Also called Bolivian Coriander, Yerba Porosa and Papaloquelite. Easy to cultivate, grows well in Quebec. Full sun to part shade. Germination rate: +- 60%
Packet of 20 seeds: $3,49
Parsley Italian
Large leafed, dark green
italian parsley. Smooth leaves, no curling, similar to celery.
Vigorous growth. Short-lived perennial. Height: 30 cm. .
Packet of 50 seeds:
$1,99
Parsley
Paramount
Dark green, tripled curled, finely cut leaves. Medium size
plants. Also called Paramount Triple Curled. 85
days.
Packet of more than 100 seeds: $1,99
Salvia
hispanica (Chia) (syn. Salvia columbariae) Purple flowers spaced along tall spikes. Green-grey foliage.
Seeds are nutritious and are used as food in some countries in
Latin America. They contain Omega-3. They are also used in Chia
Pets. Annual. Drought tolerant. Beware: this is a short day
plant, so it won't bloom until fall (and thus no flowers for
northern gardeners). Well drained soil. Full sun. Large plant:
1,5 m high.
Packet of 100 seeds: $1,99
Sage
(Saliva
officinalis)Perennial. Aromatic herb used to flavor meat, vegetables, salad dressings and sauces. Helps digestion. Grayish green foliage and purplish flowers. 40-45 cm high. 70 days.
Packet of more than 30 seeds: $1,99
Shiso
Green Perilla, Japanese
Basil (Perilla frutescens, var. crispa)
Typical green leaf variety
used extensively in Japan and all over Asia to season
vegetables, rice, soups, fish, etc. It is also often finely
sliced with ginger and added to salads, sautéed vegetables,
sashimis, tempuras and sushis. Can be used dried to flavor
rice. Wonderful complex aroma, like parsley, mint and
cinnamon. Also known as Perilla or Japanese Basil. We offer
the crinkled-leaf variety (different from picture). 70 days.
Packet of 50 seeds: $1,99
Needs light to germinate. Only barley cover seeds with soil.
Shiso Korean (Shiso "Beefsteak Leaf", Perilla
Coréen)Korean strain with much larger leaves and taller plants. Pleasantly sweet, floral smell. The large heart shaped leaves have purplish undersides. Click thumbnails for details. Can be used for seasoning and cooking like green shiso. Can also be dried. It is used in Korea like grape leaves to wrap around different garnishes. Nice for sushis and tempuras. About 70 cm tall. 70 days. Rare.
Packet of 100 seeds: $2,99
Germination can sometimes be tricky when seeds go into dormancy. If your seeds don't germinate using normal methods, then break dormancy by placing the packet in the fridge for a month. Then sow as usual. Repeat if necessary.
Needs light to germinate. Only barley cover seeds with soil.
Shiso Purple Perilla, Japanese Basil (Perilla frutescens)
Oriental herb with spicy scent reminiscent of cinnamon and
cloves (the fresh leaves actually taste like cinnamon gum!).
Popular in Japan, where it is used fresh or pickled, along with
fish, rice, vegetables and soups. In Vietnam and Korea, the
leaves flavor noodle soups and spring rolls. Nice purple
ornamental foliage with iridescent shades (click on thumbnail
for details). Was once used as an ornamental. Height: 30-50 cm.
Full sun, part shade. .
Packet of more than 25 seeds: $1,99
Germination can sometimes be tricky when seeds go into dormancy. If your seeds don't germinate using normal methods, then you'll have to break dormancy by placing the packet in the fridge for a month. Then sow as usual. Repeat if necessary.
Needs light to germinate. Only barley cover seeds with soil.
Shungiku
(Laitue
Chrysanthème)
(Chrysanthemum coronarium spatiosum)This is a Chrysanthemum species used in oriental recipes such
as stir fries, soups, salads; also in japanese meals like sushi,
sukiyaki, ohitashi, etc. Peculiar pungent flavor reminiscent of
carrot tops or cabbage. Young shoots are harvested early in the
season and are cooked like spinach or pac choi. Later in the
season the leaves can be picked and used like parsley to flavor
dishes or they can be added to salads. Cooking softens the
flavor. From july on the plants are covered with flowers.
Popular in Japan, China and East Asia. 40-50 days. 1 m to 1,5 m
high.
Packet of more than 30 seeds: $1,99
Shungiku Broad Leaf (Tong Ho, Broad Leaf)
Same as standard shungiku except for its full, uncut leaves. Click pictures for details. Plants are also shorter, about 1 m high. Flowers are more yellow colored. For the rest of the description, see shungiku above.
Packet of more than 30 seeds: $1,99
Sweet Marjoram
(Origanum
majorana)
A variety of oregano with larger leaves and a smaller plant.
Adds spicy taste to sauces, soups, vegetables and also meats.
Also in salad dressings. Height: 20-30 cm. Pinch stems to allow
ramification. Fresh or dry use. Annual.
Packet o 100+ seeds: $1,99
Winter
Thyme This perennial herb that can be used either fresh or dried and can flavor many dishes. Popular in french and italian cuisine. Small bushy plants, 25 to 40 cm high, with small dark green leaves. Thrives in poor soils. Full sun. Perennial to zone 5.
Packet of more than 100 seeds: $1,99
