A sample of what we are growing for our Plant Sale Availablility and selection will change "Since posting, the details of this item may have changed due to fluctuating markets, currency rates, drought, pestilence, bandits, rush hour traffic, filibusters, clowns, zombie apocalypse, punctilious product developers... Contact our Crew for current price and availability." Quoted by Trader Joe's

Our seed growers are hard at work in their own home greenhouses preparing plants for our sale. We appreciate these Master Gardeners who grow from seed and share what they know with the public.

Tomatoes We will have many tomatoes including heirloom varieties.

There was a fantastic article in Ozark Living magazine about Dwarf Tomatoes Polish Dwarf Lycopersicon lycopersicum Pot Mini tree type with rugose foliage Grows about 2-2 1/2 feet tall early tomato (55-68) semi-determinate medium fruit size (under one pound) red fruit 1/4 of the seeds saved from these will grow as dwarf plants. salads, slicing and canning

Dwarf Orange Cream Lycopersicon lycopersicum 75 days, tree-type — The vigorous, rugose, potato leaf dwarf plants produce heavy yields of uniquely colored pale orange smooth oblate fruit that have a nearly matte, dull finish, ranging from eight to twelve ounces. This "Dwarf Tomato Project" variety originated as a cross between 'Golden Dwarf Champion' and 'Elbe' made by Patrina Nuske Small in 2006 and named "Tipsy." 'Dwarf Orange Cream' was selected and named by Craig LeHoullier. As with most in the "Tipsy family," the flavor is superb - intense, rich, and with a lively tang. Involved in its development were Patrina, Craig, Susan Oliverson, Lisa Moore, Dee Sackett and Bill Minkey. New in 2016

dwarftomatoproject.net

Arkansas Traveler Solanum lycopersicum pink heirloom solid dependability balanced sweet/tart flavor tolerates high heat and humidity resistent to cracking vines need to be staked indeterminate grows 5-6 feet tall 5-7 oz fruits full sun Black Cherry Tomato Solanum lycopersicum vines need to be staked indeterminate Black Tomatoes are native to the Southern Ukraine and their seeds were later distributed throughout Russia after the Crimean War by soldiers returning home from the front during the early 19th century. Today there are at least fifty varieties of black tomato found in the territories of the former Soviet Union, as well as nearly a dozen other types of new black tomatoes which have cropped up elsewhere, most notably in Germany, the former Yugoslavia and the United States. “Black Cherry” is a lovely jewel of a tomato, still fairly rare, they are the only truly black cherry tomato available. Perfectly round with the classic black tomato flavour, sweet yet rich and complex. Black Cherry produces fruits that are irresistibly delicious with sweet, rich, complex, full tomato flavours that burst in your mouth, characteristic of the best black tomatoes. They are a unique addition to the colour spectrum of cherry tomatoes

Kale Tuscan Kale (Dinosaur Kale) Brassica oleracea Nero Di Toscana

Dates back to the 18th century in Italy and was grown in Thomas Jefferson's garden at Monticello. Grows 2-3 foot likes a little frost 1 cup provides 100% of K and A In Tuscan , lacinato kale is often used in ribollita ("twice cooked"), a thick, hearty soup made up of ingredients cooked for a meal the day before.

Blue Curled Scotch Kale Brassica oleracea

Compact plants yield tender, blue-green, crinkled leaves that are quite delicious, very cold hardy, and rich in . Heavily crinkled leaves make fine kale chips and hold up well after harvest. 12-14″ high plants with a wide spread of plumage. Slow to bolt, cold hardy & overwinters well. It seems a garden without kale is incomplete. With so many varieties, colors, textures and flavors there is surely one to suit any taste. Some of them are so colorful and beautiful that they can even be used as an ornamental. Extremely nutritious, kale can be eaten fresh in salads or cooked in any number of ways, limited only by one’s imagination. Nutrients: , A, C (very high) and E, calcium, potassium, iron, folate, beta-carotene and the phytochemical quercitinbeta- carotene.

Asparagus Martha Washington Asparagus Asparagus officinalis Perennial plant

Doesn't compete well with weeds so keep bed weeded and well mulched 1st year only pick a few spears for two weeks then allow the plants to grow and go to seed. 2nd year on pick for three weeks harvest when they are 5-7 inches high the diameter of the spear has no effect on quality Utah Tall Celery Apium graveolens Dulce Celery is a heavy feeder. It also requires lots of water. Make sure to provide plenty of water during the entire growing season, especially during hot, dry weather.

Add plenty of compost and mulch around the plants to retain moisture.

Tie growing celery stalks together to keep them from sprawling.

Leeks Giant Musselburgh Leek Allium ampeloprasum Milder flavored than most other onion-family crops, you can mulch long-season varieties in fall for winter and spring harvest.

An old Scottish heirloom that’s stood the test of time! Giant Musselburgh Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum ) grow up to 15- inches long and have deep blue-green leaves with stout, 2- to 3-inch, snow-white stalks. Use as a flavorful and aromatic addition to soups and sautés. (80-150 days from transplant)

Hot Peppers Red chinense

Although it’s not the hottest variety, the red version of the classic habanero can reach an eye-popping 200,000-300,000 Scoville Units, and the dried form has been measured at 445,000. These chiles have a slight lantern shape and grow to about 1 ½” long. They have a fruity flavor similar to other and are delicious in just about any dish, especially salsas and hot sauces.

Chocolate Habanero The chocolate-brown, lantern shaped fruit are about 2 inches long, and so ornamental! But don't let the color fool you; these are not candy, but rather flaming-hot fruit that carry a massive 300,000 Scoville units of heat! Thai Red Light: Full sun

Matures: 80 days

Plant Size: 12 to 15 inches tall, 18 inches wide This plant produces large numbers of 1-inch green fruits that mature to blazing red color with heat and flavor to match! These are extremely hot. This variety grows well in hot, humid regions. Plants are compact, about a foot tall, and perfect for containers. Great ornamental value. The colorful peppers last a long time on the plant.

Leutschauer Capsicum annuum

A Hungarian pepper A lovely drying pepper that comes from Matrafured, Hungary. It has been grown there since the 1800s when it was brought from Leutschau (Slovakia). The medium-hot have great flavor, are terrific for drying, and make a delicious spicy powder. Very rare!

Cayenne Long Thin Capsicum annuum Hot: 30,000 to 50,000 SHU.

Long Slim Red Cayenne is one of the best known hot chili peppers, it is a good long hot chilli that always performs well and dries nicely.

Producing an abundance of very wrinkled fruits that grow 12 to 15cm (5 to 6in) long, the fruits have thin flesh and are used fresh in hot sauces or dried and ground for . At a heat level of around 30,000 to 50,000 SHU, they are one of the best peppers for pickles and . Good for deep freezing and perfect for adding a kick to a Bloody Mary or to vodka.

Long Slim Red Cayenne is a very productive plant, it is upright-growing and reaches about 60cm in height. The plants are covered with long, thin peppers which mature from emerald green to a scarlet red in approximately 70 days.

According to one anonymous writer, this variety was first documented in 1493 by Christopher Columbus and that one of his passengers, a man named de Cuneo, described how Native Americans ate peppers like one would eat an apple. Cayenne peppers are used threaded onto a string as attractive 'Ristra' craft decorations.

Craig's Grande Jalapeno Capsicum annuum 2,000-4,500 Scoville Units Commonly picked and consumed while still green, it is occasionally allowed to fully ripen and turn red, orange or yellow, and is wider and milder than the .

The same classic Jalapeno flavor that we all know and love packed into a larger pepper. These short, stubby plants are adorned with masses of peppers that produce from mid-summer through the first hard frost in the fall. Their larger size makes these peppers an ideal candidate for stuffing with your favorite filling and roasting or grilling. Serrano Tampequino Capsicum annuum SERRANO TAMPIQUENO (Capsicum annuum) is a classic heirloom chili pepper originating in the mountainous regions of and in , although this strain comes from Tampico on the gulf and is widely regarded as having superior flavor. Green when unripe, then ripens to a brilliant red. The 2.5'-3' plants produce meaty fruits that are 2-4" long and grow pendant-style. Makes a good "ristra" but probably best eaten fresh (great in salsa) and best roasted before adding to sauces. Also a good pickler. As most peppers are perennials, this is a great candidate for bringing indoors when weather cools so you can enjoy its fruits through the winter (with sufficient bottom warmth and a grow light). You may recall that the very serious salmonella outbreak of 2008 may have been caused by Serrano peppers from Mexico, due to unsanitary growing conditions. Another good reason to grow your own!

MILD Ananheim Capsicum annuum

A type of chile pepper that is about a 6" in length, is green in color, and has a mild to medium-hot flavor. It is sold fresh and is also available roasted, dried, or canned. When the chile is dried, it turns a dark burgundy color. It is sometimes referred to as the chile, but the actual New Mexico chiles are a bit hotter. When canned, this chile is typically labeled simply as "green chiles". Anaheim chiles are a good complement to egg dishes, stews, and vegetable dishes.

Anaheim's are very popular in Southwestern US Cuisine.Also called "New Mexican Chile". These were developed by Dr. Fabian Garcia in New Mexico about 100 yrs ago who was seeking a chile pepper that was bigger, fleshier, and milder. They got the name "Anaheim" when a farmer named Emilio Ortega brought these seeds to the Anaheim area in the early 1900's. This chile can be roasted and peeled and used in recipes or stuffed to make chile rellenos just as the Chile.

The New Mexico green chile pepper flavor has been described as lightly pungent similar to an onion, or like with a subtly sweet, spicy, crisp, and smoky taste. The ripened red retains the flavor, but adds an earthiness and bite while aging mellows the front-heat and delivers more of a back-heat.The spiciness depends on the variety of peppers.

MILD Poblano Capsicum annuum The poblano (Capsicum annuum ) is a mild chili pepper originating in the state of Puebla, Mexico. Dried, it is called ancho or chile ancho, from the Mexican Spanish name ancho ("wide") or chile ancho ("wide chile"). Stuffed fresh and roasted it is popular in chile rellenos .

Preparation methods include: dried, coated in whipped egg (capeado ) and fried, stuffed, or in sauces. It is particularly popular during the Mexican independence festivities as part of a dish called chiles en nogada , which incorporates green, white, and red ingredients corresponding to the colors of the Mexican flag. This may be considered one of Mexico's most symbolic dishes by its nationals. It is also usually used in the widely found dish . Poblanos are popular in the United States and can be found in grocery stores in the states bordering Mexico and in urban areas. "Poblano" is also the word for an inhabitant of Puebla, and mole poblano refers to the spicy chocolate chili sauce originating in Puebla. MILD Bajio Capsicum annuum The popular "chile negro" pepper. While classified as a hot pepper, Pasilla ("little raisin") has almost no heat. Fruits have a berry, almost herbal, flavor, and strong, upright plants produce heavy yields of uniform, 8 to 10" peppers, thin walled,

Ghost Pepper Capsicum chinense Bhut jolokia In 2007, Guinness World Records certified that the was the world's , 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce. The ghost chili is rated at more than 1 million Scoville heat units (SHUs). However, the ghost chili was shortly superseded by the Infinity chili in 2011, followed by the Naga Viper, the in 2012, and the on August 7, 2013 Bhut jolokia is used as a food and a , as well as a remedy to summer heat. It is used in both fresh and dried forms, to not only "heat up" curries, pickles and chutneys, but also to impart two distinct flavors to them. It is popularly used in combination with pork or dried or fermented fish. In northeastern India, the peppers are smeared on fences or incorporated in smoke bombs as a safety precaution to keep wild elephants at a distance. The pepper's intense heat makes it a fixture in competitive chili pepper eating.

In 2009, scientists at India's Defence Research and Development Organisation announced plans to use the peppers in hand grenades, as a nonlethal way to flush out terrorists from their hideouts and to control rioters. Capsicum annuum one in ten of the peppers are hot

Japanese peppers can be mildly spicy and most often cooked. Saute peppers in olive oil, over high heat, until they just begin to blister- serve hot, sprinkled with sea . Excellent for tempura, yakitori, and sautéed.

An exotic delicacy iconic to izakaya (Japanese tapas/appetizers/bar food), the Shishito Pepper has become a ubiquitous and fashionable finger-food of late. Here’s why: Shishito Peppers are enormously delicious and a bit daring, couldn’t be simpler to prepare, are famously finger-friendly, and make perfect appetizers.

Minimal prep is the key to highlighting their bright flavor. Simply heat oil (olive or ) in a heavy skillet over medium- high heat, and cook the peppers, turning occasionally, until they begin to blister on all sides. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt—they are ready to enjoy! They are also wonderful grilled or deep fried, and partnered with a Soyaki-style sauce or Sriracha cream for dipping. They are ideal appetizers. They can also be tossed on top of pizzas or served alongside steaks. We’ve even seen them served as a cocktail garnish.

The pepper is small and finger-long, slender, and thin-walled. Although it turns from green to red upon ripening, it is usually harvested while green. The name refers to the fact that the tip of the chili pepperlooks like the head of a lion, and in Japanese it is often abbreviated as shishitō.

About one out of every ten peppers is spicy. The occurrence of pungent fruit is induced by such factors as illumination, and other stress may predispose the peppers to turn spicy. For cooking, a hole is poked in the pepper beforehand to keep expanding hot air from bursting the pepper. It may be skewered then broiled (grilled), or pan-fried in oil, or stewed in a soy sauce- and dashi-based liquid. It is thin-skinned and will blister and char easily compared with thicker-skinned varieties. Sweet Peppers Capsicum annuum

Arroz Con Pollo This is a traditional seasoning pepper from Eastern Cuba. It has virtually no heat once seeds are scraped out. The Arroz Con Pollo pepper is so flavorful that it does not take many peppers to enhance a dish. They taste the best before they ripen completely red. The Arroz Con Pollo peppers are about the size of an average habanero and by appearance look like they are a hot pepper! A traditional Cuban dish is to sautee them with onion, garlic, annato, and add with fresh chopped cilantro to a pot of beans. The Arroz Con Pollo Chile plants grow 3-4 feet tall.

Used in creole cooking too

Melrose Pepper Capsicum annuum

This is a superb heirloom frying pepper brought from Italy years ago. The 4-inch fruit turn brilliant red and start producing very early with flavor that is rich, flavorful, and very sweet. Great fried or fresh, a true Italian variety that seems to have been widely grown in the Chicago area. We have had many requests for this pepper.

If your grandmother is Italian and grew up in Chicago you know about these peppers. On how they originated here the story goes like this, an Italian family immigrated to Melrose Park, Illinois which is a western suburb of Chicago, they brought with them the seeds of these tender and sweet thin skinned peppers. After that the peppers found their way into the local produce stands and the rest is history. People who know of them wait patiently for them to come in season. A very sweet pepper cooked green or red. Some people fry them in olive oil with a touch of tomato and onions and eat them as a meal with bread and provolone cheese on the side. Others use them slightly roasted on sandwiches or fry them with sausage. They ripen from green to crimson red. The Melrose pepper chile plants grow up to three feet tall and are very productive.

Criolla De Cocina Pepper Capsicum annuum

used in creole cooking This small pepper was collected in 1988 in Nicaragua from a farmer. It produces small 4" peppers that are fragrant and richly flavored; these have strong pepper flavor making them perfect for a variety of dishes. Fruit is green turning to red as they ripen. Ozark Giant Capsicum annuum What a pepper! This variety produces huge, long bell peppers that have delicious, thick flesh. They start out green and turn bright red. Very productive plants and great flavor will make this old Ozark variety a favorite.

Ozark Giant is a heirloom sweet with sturdy plants, with good leaf coverage to protect the fruit. Ozark Giant Pepper is a heavy producer of large peppers. Ozark Giant Pepper start off a green then turn bright red if left to mature long enough. The plants of Ozark Giant Pepper are relatively short usually not reaching over 18". Ozark Giant Pepper has very thick walled fruit that are crisp and juicy. 68 Days until harvest.

Red Marconi Capsicum annuum

A late Italian pepper that yields big 7-inch long tapering fruit; very sweet and great for frying or fresh!

Golden Marconi Capsicum annuum This variety matures a little later than regular bell peppers but produces much sweeter and tastier fruits. Vigorous plants produce high yields of high quality fruits that ripen to a deep yellow, orange color. Fruits vary in size from 6-10 inches long, have 2 lobes, and are tapered to a blunt end. Fruits have a wonderful taste a feature a very thin sweet skin. This variety is often used for roasting and frying but also tastes wonderful when eaten fresh. This traditional Italian pepper is particularly superb roasted. The 6" long by 3" wide peppers start out green and ripen to yellow. Extremely flavorful raw, considered by some to be superior to bell peppers. Genovese Basil Ocimum basilicum

This sweet basil is popular with cooks around the world. Makes excellent pesto and can tolerate numerous harvests. Large leaves are aromatic and tender.

In Italy, it is considered a sign of love. When a woman puts out a pot of basil, it means she is ready to receive her suitor. In France, it is calledherbe royale. In India, it is sacred, dedicated to Vishnu and Krishna. In Victorian times, it was sent for best wishes in nosegays called tussie-mussies. it will do best in an area protected from the wind and scorching midday sun. It likes rich, well-drained soil and will grow best in soil enhanced with well-composted manure. It hates cold and should be planted out only when night temperatures reach 50 to 55 degrees. If you practice companion planting, plant basil near tomatoes and peppers to enhance their growth.

Pinch it back early and often to encourage bushiness. Do not let it flower unless you want to let it set seed as this destroys the flavor and shortens the lifespan of the plant. Many save this "end of the season" basil, the one that is always trying to go to seed, for pesto.

Thai Sweet Ocimum basilicum

Thai basil (Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora ) is a member of the mint family and as such has a particular sweet flavor reminiscent of , licorice and . Popular among the of Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, growing has a pleasing aroma similar to sweet basil and is generally used fresh in recipes. Also referred to as ‘Sweet Thai,’ Thai basil plants grow to a height of between 12 to 18 inches with leaves 1 to 2 inches long on purple stems with purple flowers.

Growing Thai basil tends to be more compact than othertypes of basil, so harvest at the top of a group of leaves; otherwise, the stem will rot. If you make a mistake,cut the stem all the way back to the next set of leaves. Unless, you are growing Thai basil as an ornamental, cut the flower off several days before harvest so the plant can focus all its energy on the leaves. When you harvest your growing Thai basil plant, take it down to about 6 inches.

Borage Borago officinalis is a native plant of Southern , having become naturalized all over Europe and the United States. It is a prolific grower, having a tendency to sprout up in abandoned lawns and junkyards. At one time borage was an essential for beekeepers, grown to help bees produce more honey. Traditionally, it was also grown as an ornamental, or boiled as a pot herb.

Borage is noted for having a cucumber like flavor and is easily recognized by its white prickly hairs and bright blue, star- shaped flowers. Its dark green leaves are gently curved and its fruits consist of dark brown nutlets (seeds) in groups of four. Both Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides claimed that borage was used to "exhilarate the mind", comfort the heart, drive sorrow away, and increase one's general happiness.

Borage makes an excellent companion plant alongside tomatoes, cabbages, and other crops, helping to ward away harmful insects and worms. It is also said to improve the yield and disease resistance of the accompanied plants. Reseeds Catnip Nepeta cataria

Catnip is a gray-green perennial with the square stems and terminal flower spikes typical of the Mint or Lamiaceae family. It has fuzzy, heart-shaped, toothed leaves and grows 2-3 feet tall. It is native to the dry and temperate Mediterranean area in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and was introduced to the many parts of the world, particularly North America, by European settlers, and is now widely naturalized and cultivated extensively in gardens and for commerce. Catnip is not just for cats. It's been grown in medicinal gardens for centuries for its sedative effect on humans. Made into a tea, catnip has calming properties similar to chamomile. Concentrated nepetalactone is also an excellent mosquito repellent, 10 times more powerful than DEET, the most widely used chemical repellent. The only hitch is that it only lasts a few hours. Catnip is a member of the mint family, which has about 250 species. The essential oil in catnip, nepetalactone, has a powerful effect on cats who are sensitive to it, turning even the most sedentary couch potato into a flipped-out ball of ecstasy.

Researchers aren't sure what the neurological explanation is, but it's thought that catnip mimics feline "happy" pheromones and stimulates the receptors in the brain that respond to those pheromones. When eaten, however, catnip seems to have the opposite effect: the cat may become very mellow.

German Chamomile Matricaria recutita

Chamomile is one of the most popular herbs in the Western world. There are two plants known as chamomile: the more popular German chamomile (Matricaria recutita ) and Roman, or English, chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile ).

Chamomile is one of the most widely used flowers for . Chamomile Tea is so popular, it is found in most grocery stores in the tea aisle. It is used as a mild sedative, and is good for insomnia as well as many other nervous conditions. It is nervine and sedative especially suited to teething children and those who have been in a highly emotional state over a long period of time. Except for the small risk of allergy, Chamomile is also one of the safest herbs to use.

Common Allium schoenoprasum

Chives are a perennial member of the onion family that sport beautiful purple flowers. Chives are cool-season, cold-tolerant perennials that are planted in early spring. Mulch well grows 12-24 inches tall easy to maintain So-Bolt Cilantro sativum Known as slow bolt cilantro (bolting means that the plant starts to produce seed, rather than growing more leaves), this pungent member of the carrot family is a favored ingredient for Asian and Latin , including salsa and other Mexican dishes. The spice, coriander, is the plant's mature, dried seeds are a staple of Indian cooking. Plant 6 inches apart, 12 inches between rows

Bouquet Anethum graveolens It isn't entirely clear where dill originated, but it was most likely in the Mediterranean region. It was used thousands of years ago in Egypt and Greece as a medicinal and culinary herb. By the 17th century it was very commonly grown in European gardens and from there it was brought to the United States. The fresh leaves and dried leaves of dill are used to flavor many fish dishes, pickles, and borscht. The fresh leaves are much more flavorful than the dried leaves. In Eastern Europe and Russia dill is one of the most popular herbs. Dill is mixed with soft cheeses and spread on sandwiches or tossed with salads. Try mixing dill with sour cream as a base for dressing freshly cut cucumbers. You can also take the thin pieces of the fresh dill stems and chop them finely before tossing them with boiled new potatoes and butter.

Lemongrass citratus Winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-11 where it is evergreen (roots may be hardy to Zone 8b). In Missouri, it is grown as an annual in gardens or in containers. It is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade, but prefers full sun. Tolerates a wide range of soils, but is best in organically rich loams with good drainage. Seed is difficult to obtain. Nurseries and seed companies generally sell starts in small pots. Fresh stalks of lemongrass (leaves and roots absent) can also be purchased from grocery stores specializing in Southeast Asian cuisine for rooting in a glass of water. Plant outside in spring after last frost date. In fall just before first frost, stalks can be harvested (cut off top leaves and save 6-" sections of the bulbous shoot bases) and frozen for culinary use during the winter. Several leaf sections with attached roots can also be divided and potted with top leaves removed for overwintering in a bright window. These saved sections can be then used as starts for the following year. Smaller container plants can be overwintered indoors in bright light locations.

Lemongrass is a frost-tender clumping perennial grass that is popularly used as a lemony flavoring in Thai, Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian cooking and is widely cultivated in Southeast Asia for that purpose. It is also an outstanding ornamental grass that lends great beauty to garden areas regardless of whether its culinary uses are to be tapped. In the St. Louis area, it typically forms a dense rounded clump of foliage to 2-3’ (less frequently to 4’) tall and as wide in one growing season. Gracefully-arching, strap-shaped linear leaves (to 3’ long and to 1” wide) are light green. Leaves emit a lemony fragrance when bruised. It rarely produces flowers. Extracted plant oils have been used for many years in herbal medicines and perfumes. Melissa officinalis easy to grow and bees love it

Used since ancient times to calm the heart and the body, lemon balm with its delicate lemony flavor uplifts the spirit and any culinary dish it is added to. It has been used to sweeten jam, jellies, as an addition to salad, and as a flavoring for various fish and poultry dishes and liqueurs. Further, lemon balm is used for making perfumes, in cosmetics, and in furniture polish manufacturing. It is often found as a tea in combination with other sedative herbs such as valerian, as an essential oil, and also in ointments for topical applications.

Marjoram Origanum majorana Considered an annual in our area hardy to zone 8 Sweet is a rich, sweet tasting herb, that is used interchangeably with . It has tender leaves and stems, grows well just about anywhere, and is a great kitchen windowsill garden choice. A necessary ingredient in any lamb dish, marjoram is also welcome in Italian foods. Try a sprig of marjoram in your next batch of spaghetti sauce.

Cut back juicy stems and leaves as they grow. Sweet marjoram will provide you with multiple cuttings in one season. Cut the soft stems and leaves and add at the end of the cooking time. Use a small amount to begin with. Marjoram boasts a more powerful flavor than the same amount of oregano.

Use like oregano

Marshmallow Althaea officinalis

It is an herbaceous perennial and grows to a height of 2-5 feet with soft, velvety, and irregularly serrated leaves. As the story goes, marshmallows are one of the oldest desserts known to man, with accounts of ancient Egyptians making candies of marshmallow root and honey. These delicacies were naturally reserved for the gods and royalty. However, the first confection which resembled our modern day treat was made in France around 1850. Made by hand until 1900, marshmallow root was added to corn syrup, egg whites, and water and was heated, and poured into molds. By 1955 there were 35 manufacturers in the US creating what we know today as the puffy, white, indispensable addition to s'mores. Leaves, Roots, & Flowers are all edible. The dried leaf or root made into a tea. The root is best as a cold infusion or a decoction. This enables the extraction of mucilage. Leaf or root as a poultice. Mallow was boiled and fried with onions and butter in the Arabic speaking countries of the middle east and Asia in times of famine or crop failure.

Marshmallow originally grew in salty soils. But now it thrives in moist, uncultivated ground. It is found in southern and western Europe, western Asia, and the northeastern region of North America. Its fleshy, upright stems reach heights of 3 to 4 feet. The pale yellow roots are tapered, long, and thick, with a tough, yet flexible exterior. The short stemmed leaves are round, with irregularly toothed margins and 3 to 5 lobes. A soft and velvety down covers the leaves and stem. The flowers have five reddish white petals. The whole plant, especially the root, is filled with mild mucilage. spicata

A hardy perennial mint with bright green serrated leaves, spearmint has served as an important medicinal herb for millennia. Originally native to the Mediterranean countries, it is now common in many parts of the world. The Bible records that the ancient Pharisees paid tithes to their Temple in anise, and spearmint. The sixteenth century English herbalist Gerard quotes the Roman historian Pliny, "The smell of Mint does stir up the minde and the taste to a greedy desire of meate." Beginning in about the fourteenth century, spearmint was used for whitening teeth, and its distilled oil is still used to flavor toothpaste and chewing gum, although it is not as commonly used as .

Taken as a tea and added to other herbal mixtures for flavor. Also used in some culinary creations.

The essential oil and hydrosol have also been used for both culinary and flavoring purposes. Grow in pots it can get unruly

Oregano Origanum vulgare

member of the mint family Oregano is a perennial with rose-purple or white flowers and a taste reminiscent of . Its taste is zesty and strong and is commonly used in Italian dishes. Oregano is a hardy plant and makes a good ground cover.

Allow oregano to grow to about 4 inches and then pinch or trim lightly to encourage a denser and bushier plant. Oregano doesn't need quite as much water as most herbs. As the amount of watering depends on many variables, just water when the soil feels dry to the touch. Remember that it's better to water thoroughly and less often. To ensure the best-quality plants, thin out plants that are 3 or 4 years old in the early spring. Oregano is self-seeding, so the plants will easily grow back.

Regular trimming will not only cause the plant to branch again, but also avoid legginess.

Wild Thyme Thymus pulegioides

Wild Thyme will grow on any soil, but prefers light, sandy or gravel ground exposed to the sun. Propagate by seeds, cuttings, or division of roots. Care must be taken to weed. Manure with farmyard manure in autumn or winter and nitrates in spring.

Cut when in full flower, in July and August

Giant of Italy Petroselinum crispum

Grown as an annual or biennial

Flattened leaves

Plants grow to 9-12 inches tall

mature in 85-90 days. Comfrey Symphytum officinale

Dried leaf as a salve. Dried leaf and root infused in carrier oil for topical use Dried root as a salve, fresh or dried as root a poultice. A member of the Borage or Boraginaceae family

The common name 'comfrey' is derived from the Latin 'con firma' alluding to this plants purported use of knitting bones back together, and the Greek word 'symphyo' which is the root of the generic name, Symphytum also meaning 'to unite.' Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Appreciates some afternoon shade in hot summer climates. Best in moist, organically rich soils, but has respectable drought tolerance and will perform reasonably well in somewhat dry locations. Once planted, comfrey can be very difficult to dig out because any small section of root left behind can sprout a new plant. Planting in large containers may help restrain its spread.

Comfrey is a large, coarse, tuberous-rooted, clumping perennial (to 3’ tall and 2.5’ wide) that is primarily grown today as an ornamental for its attractive foliage and spring flowers. Large, pointed, hairy, ovate-lanceolate, dark green basal leaves grow to 8” long. Upper leaves are decurrent and much smaller than the basal ones. Mature stems are winged. Tubular, bluebell-like, white to pink to purple flowers appear in drooping clusters (scorpiod cymes) in mid-spring to early summer. Comfrey (also commonly called knitbone or boneset) has been cultivated since 400 B. C. as a healing herb. Immigrants first brought the plant to America in the 1600s for medicinal use. Over time, comfrey has naturalized along roadsides and in waste areas throughout much of the U. S. The word comfrey reportedly comes from con firma (Latin meaning with strength) in reference to its reputation for healing wounds and broken bones (leaves and roots contain allantoin). In this regard, leaves and roots have been used for many years in poultices for treating a variety of external inflammations, rashes, swellings, cuts, bruises, sprains or broken bones. Internally, comfrey has been used to treat a number of other medical problems including ulcers and colitis. Young leaves and stems were once cooked as a vegetable (like spinach). Leaves were also once used for herbal teas. Although some controversy still exists regarding internal use, plants are now generally considered by most experts to be unsafe and dangerous for ingestion.

Herb gardens. Naturalize in woodland gardens, open shade gardens, cottage gardens or wildflower gardens/meadows where plants can form attractive colonies over time. Also may be grown in large containers. Leaves are good for compost. Many consider this plant too coarse for use in borders.

Anise Hyssop Agastache foeniculum

The leaves and tiny lavender-blue flowers of anise hyssop smell and taste of anise.

member of the mint family

a hardy perennial

easy to grow Blue Hyssop

a beautiful, well-behaved, easy-to-grow member of the mint family Older plants form neat, rounded bushes 1 to 3 feet high; younger plants are looser in form. The stiff, erect, typically square stems bear opposite, linear, medium green leaves 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. Tufts of smaller leaves are borne in the leaf axils. Plants are evergreen where winters are mild. Clusters of six to fifteen violet-blue, pink, or white flowers in the upper leaf axils form dense spikes. The two-lipped, tubular corolla is 1/2 inch long and has four protruding stamens that match it in color. The calyx is tubular with five teeth. Plants bloom from summer to fall. People perceive the odor of hyssop differently. It has been described variously as sweet, not sweet, skunky but not unpleasant, clean and aromatic with a hint of turpentine, medicinal, and minty/camphorous. Some European women are said to sniff hyssop flowers pressed in their psalm books to help them stay awake during church services. Prune it hard in spring to encourage new growth. Pinching out the tips of the stems will promote bushier plants; however, heavy shearing of hedges will prevent flowering.

Bronze

A highly aromatic perennial herb, Fennel is widely cultivated for its edible, licorice-flavored leaves and seeds. The variety 'Purpureum,' also known as Bronze Fennel, has dark, smoky foliage that's very attractive in perennial borders or annual containers, where it adds a soft, airy, somewhat mysterious look. You may want to keep plants from blooming so they won't reseed. However, the yellow flower heads are pretty. Certain swallowtail butterflies like Fennel as a food source for their caterpillars, who won't eat much and are fun to watch as they grow. Flowers Bright yellow medium-sized daisies, with an occasional orange bloom just to keep things lively! This variety has the highest concentration of Calendula Resina resins of any known type, which makes it the most potent for any of Calendula’s many herbal uses! The yellow flowers also make a renowned yellow traditional dye. also called POT MARIGOLD

Mostly yellow and a few orange blossoms with light-colored centers. Also known as pot marigold, common marigold, and Scotch marigold. •Edible Flowers: Petals of the flowers can be used fresh or dried in "flower confetti," soups, soufflés, rice dishes, baked goods, and to garnish desserts. Calendula is a popular choice for brightening up salad mix. Flavor is tangy and slightly bitter. Remove the petals from the flower base before consuming as the base can be quite bitter. sun to partial shade

Clark's Heavenly Blue Vine

Lovely, 4-inch pale-blue flowers; this heirloom dates to the 1920s. Produces long 12-foot vines and flowers the full season.

Cardinal Vine (Ipomoea x multifida) Beautiful small bright red flowers, the vines have lovely foliage, long vines are excellent for ornamental covering. Hummingbirds love them!

type of morning glory

climber and easy to grow

Nasturtium King Theodore Fashionable, dark green plants have mahogany-red blooms with chocolate overtones. So stunning and flashy. You will love this heirloom from the 1890's with its compact, beautiful plants.

Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade. Best with consistent watering Cleome Spider Flower during the growing season, but once established, plants will tolerate some drought. Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost date or plant seed directly in the garden after last frost date. Collect seed pods from favorite plants in fall for planting the following spring. If seed pods are not promptly removed, plants will self-seed, often aggressively. Hybrids may not come true from seed. Readily self seeds Attracts birds, hummingbirds and butterflies Easy to grow Grows 3-6 feet tall has spikes Sunflowers--Mammoth Grey The standard giant variety that produces delicious seeds. The 10-foot plants produce heads that average 12 inches across. A stately garden plant.

Sunflowers Mexican (Tithonia)--Red Torch Brilliant red-orange 2- 3-inch flowers; an excellent butterfly plant. These bloom over a very long season, and the plants produce masses of blooms. The large 5-foot plants are very beautiful.

flowers Stemless evening primrose Oenothera triloba Missouri Native 50 3" pots Valuable to bees Annual that reseeds blue green foliage yellow flower grows under 6 inches blooms after 4pm and has a strange looking seed pods they shoot seeds out each time we get a good rain in the fall and spring seeds germinate quickly loves rocky and bad soil prefer nice sunny spot look sort of like dandelions with small purple spots Natives Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata

Easily grown in medium to wet soils in full sun. Surprisingly tolerant of average well-drained soils in cultivation even though the species is native to swamps and wet meadows. Plants have deep taproots and are best left undisturbed once established. Foliage is slow to emerge in spring.

Asclepias incarnata, commonly called swamp milkweed, is an erect, clump-forming, Missouri native plant which is commonly found in swamps, river bottomlands and wet meadows throughout the State. It typically grows 3-4' tall (less frequently to 5') on branching stems. Small, fragrant, pink to mauve flowers (1/4" wide), each with five reflexed petals and an elevated central crown, appear in tight clusters (umbels) at the stem ends in summer. Flowers are uncommonly white. Narrow, lance-shaped, taper-pointed leaves are 3-6" long. Stems exude a toxic milky sap when cut. Flowers are followed by attractive seed pods (to 4" long) which split open when ripe releasing silky-haired seeds easily carried by the wind. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies as a nectar source. In addition, swamp milkweed is an important food source (albeit somewhat less important than upland species of Asclepias ) for the larval stage of Monarch butterflies.

Genus name honours the Greek god Asklepios, god of medicine.

Butterfly Weed

Butterfly weed is a tuberous rooted, Missouri native perennial which occurs in dry/rocky open woods, glades, prairies, fields and roadsides throughout the State (Steyermark). It typically grows in a clump to 1-3' tall and features clusters (umbels) of bright orange to yellow-orange flowers atop upright to reclining, hairy stems with narrow, lance-shaped leaves. Unlike many of the other milkweeds, this species does not have milky-sapped stems. Flowers give way to prominent, spindle-shaped seed pods (3-6" long) which split open when ripe releasing numerous silky-tailed seeds for dispersal by the wind. Seed pods are valued in dried flower arrangements. Long bloom period from late spring throughout the summer. Flowers are a nectar source for many butterflies and leaves are a food source for monarch butterfly larvae (caterpillars). Also commonly called pleurisy root in reference to a prior medicinal use of the plant roots to treat lung inflammations.

Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Drought tolerant. Does well in poor, dry soils. New growth tends to emerge late in the spring. Plants are easily grown from seed, but are somewhat slow to establish and may take 2-3 years to produce flowers. Mature plants may freely self-seed in the landscape if seed pods are not removed prior to splitting open. Butterfly weed does not transplant well due to its deep taproot, and is probably best left undisturbed once established.