The crown layer - Seeds

SEEDS (5pcs/bag)

Common names: Asimina, Paw Paw
Scientific name: Asimina triloba
Family: Annonaceae

Plant history & use:

Asimina is one of the most tropical-like fruits that can grow in temperate climate - USDA Zone is 5-8. The taste is best described as a mixture of banana and mango with a tint of strawberry and the texture is similar to that of papaya or a perfectly ripe avocado. The fruit looks like a small green mango with golden yellow flesh.

The fruits are usually eaten as they are but can also be used to enrich refreshing drinks, pastries and cocktails with their mild tropical taste. The fruits are rich in vitamins such as riboflavins and B-6. You can also use the fruits to make ice cream.

Cultivation:

Asimina originates from and grows naturally in North America, often as undergrowth under larger trees.

They thrive in humus-rich, nutrient-rich and slightly moist well-drained soils.

Asimina trees thrives in sheltered locations and therefore likes to grow under larger trees and also like to stand close together with other Asimina trees, approx. 1 m apart in full grown size. This protects against wind and direct sunlight and facilitates pollination. East facing spots is a suitable place to plant Asimina. Plants that grow in exposed locations do significantly worse than plants that grow in protected locations.

Water abundantly or plant in a place with good water supply.

The Asimina plant puts a lot of energy into developing a strong root system in the beginning - the root can often be thicker than the trunk in the first months. When growing in pots, a tip is to plant in deep pots directly, this gives the opportunity for more efficient root development and you avoid disturbing the plant before it has grown.

In open grounds, Asimina naturally grows into a dense thicket by spreading via root shoots.

It takes about 4-8 years from seed sowing to fruiting tree.

Sowing:

NOTE: These seeds have already been treated with a cold period (stratification). The stratification below is therefore not necessary if the seeds are sown soon after purchase.

The seeds need a cold period of 2-3 months to germinate. This can be done by placing the seeds in a bag of sand/peat in the fridge for the suggested time. After the cold period, the seeds are sown in soil, keep the seed warm and moist, preferably around 25 degrees.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Partial hhade
Height: 1-10 m
Germination Time: 1-12 months
USDA Zone: 5-8

SEEDS (30pcs/bag)

Common name: White mulberry, White mulberry tree
Scientific name: Morus alba
Family: Moraceae

Plant history & use:

The Mulberry tree is one of the world's oldest cultivated plants - probably best known for hosting silkworms whose threads are used to produce silk fabric, since Mulberry leaves practically are the silkworm's only source of food. And the leaves from the White Mulberry variety are especially popular among the silkworms. The white mulberry originates from West Asia.

The berries on the White Mulberry tree can vary in color - from white to pink to red, to nearly black. The White Mulberries have a sweeter taste than their black-fruited relative Morus nigra . The berries are rich in antioxidants and, like mulberry leaf tea, are thought to help balance blood sugar levels. Thanks to its unusually high nutritional content, mulberries are considered a so-called "superfood", like the goji berry .

Dried white mulberries berries have a caramel-like taste.

In addition, the berries contain the substance MFE, which stabilizes the blood sugar level and thus naturally calms the body's craving for sugar. Therefore, mulberries are a common snack-substitute for those who want to get rid of their sweet tooth.

You can also make juice and jam from the berries.

Culture:

The White Mulberry tree is somewhat hardier than its relative Morus nigra and can withstand temperatures down to -30 ° C. It can grow in most soils but thrives best in loose, nutrient-rich soils. Hardy in windy coastal climates but optimal growth is given in warm, wind-sheltered locations.

Suitable as a trellis tree as the branches are easily bendable.

Mulberry trees also suit well in forest orchards as they are a popular host plant for many organisms and provide recurring harvests without major maintenance and protect plants in lower layers.

Mulberries are self-fertile, which means that only one tree is needed to bear fruit.

Prune in winter when the tree/shrub is dormant to avoid excessive "bleeding" of the tree, which is otherwise a common characteristic of mulberry plants.

The berries ripen continuously from mid-summer to early autumn.

When it's time to harvest, a tip is to pick the berries with a needle to avoid crushing them between your fingers.

Sowing:

Mulberry seeds germinate best if given a cold period of 2-3 months. To induce this, mix the seeds with a small amount of sand/peat/sowing soil and place in a plastic bag in the fridge for the above period. Check periodically if any seeds have germinated in the bag. When the cold period is over, carefully spread the contents of the bag into a pot of soil.

Alternatively, sow outdoors in February in a glass-covered seed bed or greenhouse.

It usually takes 2-4 weeks for the seeds to germinate. However, some seeds may need another 12 months to germinate.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun
Height: 1-3 m
Germination Time: 1-12 months
USDA Zone: 4-10

SEEDS (30pcs/bag)

Common names: Black mulberry, Black mulberry tree
Scientific name: Morus nigra
Family: Moraceae

Plant history & use:

Mulberry trees are one of our oldest cultivated plants. The black mulberry tree, like the white variety, Morus alba , originates from Western Asia - on the other hand, the black mulberry tree came to Europe a couple of hundred years before the white one. The first findings of knowledge of the black mulberry tree were already around 300 BC. It could possibly be that Morus nigra originates slightly further to the south-west (closer to Europe) in West Asia than its relative Morus alba, and that this is why Morus nigra also has a slightly poorer hardiness in cold climates than its relative.

Traditionally, the black mulberry was used to make wine and make-up - thanks to its high concentration of anthocyanins which give the berry its deep dark colour. But the berries were also grown for fresh consumption.

Unlike the fruits of the white mulberry tree which can vary in color, the fruits of the black mulberry tree are always black when ripe. The black mulberry is also more acidic.

The berries are rich in antioxidants and, like mulberry leaf tea, are thought to help balance blood sugar levels. This is thanks to the content of the substance MFE, which stabilizes the blood sugar level and thus suppresses the body's sweet tooth. Therefore, mulberries are a common substitute for those who want to get rid of their sweet tooth.

Due to the berry's unusually high nutritional content, mulberry, like the goji berry , is considered a so-called "superfood".

In addition to mulberry wine, you can also make juice and jam from the berries.

Cultivation:

Withstands temperatures down to -25 ° C. The tree can grow in most soils but thrives best in loose, nutrient-rich soils. Hardy in windy coastal climates but optimal growth is given in warm, wind-sheltered locations.

Fits well as a trellis tree as the branches are easily bendable.

Mulberry trees also suit well in forest orchards as they are a popular host plant for many organisms and provide recurring harvests without major maintenance and protect plants in lower layers.

Mulberries are self-fertile, which means that only one tree is needed to bear fruit.

Prune in winter when the tree/shrub is dormant to avoid excessive "bleeding" of the tree, which is otherwise a common characteristic of mulberry plants.

The berries ripen continuously from mid-summer to early autumn.

The berries are harvested when the color has changed from red to jet black. A tip is to pick the berries with a needle to avoid them being crushed between your fingers.

Sowing:

Mulberry seeds germinate best if given a cold period of 2-3 months. To induce this, mix the seeds with a small amount of sand/peat/sowing soil and place in a plastic bag in the fridge for the above period. Check periodically if any seeds have germinated in the bag. When the cold period is over, carefully spread the contents of the bag into a pot of soil.

Alternatively, sow outdoors in February in a glass-covered seed bed or greenhouse.

It usually takes 2-4 weeks for the seeds to germinate. However, some seeds may need another 12 months to germinate.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun
Height: 1-4 m
Germination Time: 1-12 months
USDA Zone: 5-10

SEEDS (15pcs/bag)

Trivial name: Carob, St. John's Bread, Locust Bean, Keration
Scientific name: Ceratonia siliqua
Family: Fabaceae

Plant history & use:

Carob is an evergreen culturally significant plant with a long history of various uses. Already thousands of years ago, Carob - as the dried bean pods are called - were used as a counterweight when weighing gold and precious stones. The kernels (seeds) inside the pod always weighed 0.2 grams and that is where the measurement carat comes from.

Carob has also been used as a cough medicine and sold as candy in pharmacies in the past. The pods have a natural sugar content of 30-50% and this is believed to be one of the reasons why they were eaten as a snack in Ancient Rome.

A known area of ​​use today is as a substitute for cocoa, in roasted and ground form. Unlike cocoa, carob is free from i.a. caffeine and theobromine.

Another common use today is the so called Locust Bean gum extracted from the seeds. Locust Bean gum is a thickener used in different foods, among others: ice cream and crème fraîche.

Carob contains many different vitamins, e.g. vitamins A and B2 and has a taste reminiscent of caramel.

Cultivation:

In its natural environment around the Mediterranean, the Carob tree grows to 10–15 meters and produces pods up to 25cm long.

In the most favored areas of Northern Europe, such as Cornwall, England, the Carob tree is reported being able to grow and overwinter outdoors. In the rest of Europe, it is best grown in pots that are outdoors during the summer and overwintered indoors. 

However, the microclimate may vary in one and the same region. The main point to consider should be that the Carob tree can withstand subzero temperatures down to about -8 ºC before the tree takes damage - if you can provide such conditions above that limit it is theoretically possible for the Carob tree to grow outdoors all year round. But it should be considered an experiment in itself and it's recommended to perform it when the tree has gained somewhat growth.

Other than that, the Carob tree is drought tolerant and thrives in well-drained/rocky soil in sunny locations. Avoid damp environments and heavy clay soils. Let the soil dry up between waterings and add nutrients during the summer months if desired.

Transplanting to a larger pot is preferably done before the taproot (the thickest main root) has grown down to the bottom. As with all plants, restricted space for taproot growth is significantly decreasing growth rate of the entire plant. 

Carob trees growing in their natural environment, the Mediterranean Basin, are high-producing trees capable of yielding 400 kilos of bean pods each year.

Sowing:

Soak the seeds in lukewarm water for 3 days before sowing. Sow in sowing soil. Cover with 2 cm of soil. Keep the soil moist. Germination time is about 2-5 weeks and optimal germination temperature is 22-26 ºC.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun
Height: up to 15 m
Germination Time: 2-5 weeks

USDA Zone: 9-11

SEEDS (20pcs/bag)

Common names: Japanese Raisin Tree, Oriental Raisin Tree, Raisin Tree, Chi-Chao Li
Scientific name: Hovenia dulcis
Family: Rhamnaceae

Plant history & use:

The Japanese Raisin Tree is a hardy tree found in Asia, from eastern China and Korea to the Himalayas where it grows at altitudes up to 2,000 m above sea level.

The fleshy, sweet and fragrant fruits are eaten raw or cooked. When dried, they take on a taste and appearance reminiscent of raisins.

An extract made from seeds, branches and young leaves can be eaten like honey and is also used to make wine and candy (Facciola, S.).

The seeds contain about 15% protein and 7.8% fat (Duke. JA & Ayensu. ES).

The raisin tree has long been used in traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese medicines to treat a variety of ailments, including hangovers (Hyun TK et al.). The fruits of the raisin tree are already mentioned in materia medica from the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century.

Modern research confirms that the flavanonol ampelopsin/dihydromyricetin (DHM), found in plants in the genera Ampelopsis and Cercidiphyllum , can reduce symptoms of alcohol intoxication and withdrawal (Reich L.).

Extracts of Hovenia dulcis are commercially available and marketed as a remedy for the after-effects of excessive alcohol consumption.

The tree is traditionally known for its health benefits when consumed in tea form.

The wood from the Raisin Tree is hard and well suited for making furniture.

Culture:

Thrives well in well-drained, sandy clay soils in a sunny and warm location. It is best protected from frost in the first few years, after which the tree can withstand temperatures down to -15°C. However, if the tree is allowed to harden off slowly to the cold, the tissue can be allowed to mature (harden) and then the tree can be hardy down to -25°C (Huxley. A.).

Avoid compact and wet soils.

The tree is considered fast-growing and usually does not grow more than 5-6 meters tall in our climate. In other parts of the world it reaches heights of up to 30 meters.

Can be topped to keep as a bush or allowed to grow to become more naturally tree-shaped.

The raisin tree is drought tolerant, but the quality of the fruit can be significantly affected if the water supply is not good. Watering 2-3 times a week is recommended during spring and summer.

The fruits usually ripen late in the season, around October. The fruits are harvested when they have dried on the tree, so there is no need for manual drying of the fruits.

The raisin tree is self-fertile and produces abundant fruit at maturity.

Sowing:

NOTE: These seeds have been stratified (cold period) and can therefore be sown immediately after receipt.

Sow the seeds in moist soil. Cover with a thin layer (about 1 cm) of soil. Keep the seeds moist.

For some seeds, germination can occur as late as a year later, i.e. another cold period later.

Features:

Year: Perennial
Growing position: sun / light shade
Height: 4-30 m
Germination time: 1-12 months
Growing zone: 1-4

SEEDS (5pcs/bag)

Common names: Cannonball tree, Ayahuma, Naga Linga
Scientific name: Couroupita guianensis
Family: Lecythidaceae

Plant history & use:

The Cannonball Tree is a peculiar tree of tropical origin. It's often grown in both Buddhist and Hindu temples and is seen as a holy tree. The Hindu name Naga (= snake-like) comes from the fact that the flower seems to resemble a gaping snake. The common English name Cannonball refers to the tree's fruits, which actually become so large and heavy that they resemble cannonballs.

The tree is colorful and bears an unimaginable number of flowers - up to 1000 in one and the same day - in its natural environment. The flowers have a strong, pleasant fragrance that is best described as a mixture of lilac and peony. The fruits have an even more distinct, many times less popular scent. Despite this, the fruit is used for edible purposes.

Traditionally, the outer shells are used to make utensils and bowls. In traditional medicine, both leaves, flowers, pulp and bark are used to cure various ailments. The tree has been well used by many cultures on different locations on earth, ranging from the Amazon rainforest tribes to ancient China.

Cultivation:

In nature, C. guianensis grows along rivers and swamps. But it also does well in drier soils. The tree thrives in sunny locations and young plants grow quickly in favorable conditions. The Cannonball tree can grow tens of meters high in its native environment.

In Southern Europe, around the coastal regions of Spain, Italy, Albania, Greece and Turkey, C. guianensis can be grown outdoors all year round.

In Northern & Central Europe, you can easily grow this tree in a pot, which is placed outdoors in summertime. During the winter months, it can be good to place a humidifier nearby to create the best environmental conditions possible.

The tree can be propagated via cuttings.

Sowing:

Seeds from C. guianensis have a short shelf life and should be sown as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the seeds should be kept moderately moist. (For this reason, the seeds are delivered in slightly moist coconut fiber).

Sow about 1 cm deep in moist soil and keep the soil moist.

Characteristics:

Lifespan: Perennial
Location: Sun/Part shade
Height: 2-30 m
Germination Time: 8-60 days
USDA Zone: 10-12