American Bittersweet Seed
American bittersweet is a native woody and shrubby climber, growing over trees or fences. It has smooth thin leaves 2 to 4 inches long and about half as wide. The small greenish-white flowers are produced in June in short clusters. The fruit is a round, orange-yellow capsule which opens in autumn, disclosing the scarlet-colored seed pod. The seed capsules remain on the plant well into the cold season and provide food for birds in the winter. Fruits are eaten by songbirds, ruffed grouse, pheasants, bobwhite and squirrel. Old fruits are eaten as survival foods by many birds and animals in late winter. Fruits should NOT be eaten by humans. While not extremely toxic, they will “clean you out at both ends”. Bunches of twisted branchlets, loaded with fruit, are very decorative and the plant is disappearing in many places because of the ruthless methods of market pickers. Our stock is not from the wild!! We have selected ‘stock’ plants which grow on site here and have chosen the best over the years for the most desirable characteristics.
Way back in the dark and mysterious past, many shepherds hung bittersweet around the necks of those sheep which were suspected to be under the evil eye. I don’t think it is really necessary myself. Save this bit of lore for your next trivia game.
Often planted as an ornamental vine for the showy fruits. A good climber on trellises, arbors, porches. Fast growing. Decorative berries and twisted vines make interesting projects.
You will need both male and female plants to produce berries! 1 male can pollinate 4-5 female vines. MUST be planted within 30 feet of each other.
Light: Partial to full sun. Best fruit in full sun.
Soil Moisture: Dry to moist.
Soil pH: Acid to neutral.
Hardy to zone 4a and some say zone 3.
Angulatus Bittersweet Seed
Celastrus angulatus is a deciduous Climber growing to 7.3 m (24ft) by 10 m (32ft) at a fast rate.
It is hardy to zone (UK) 5. It is in flower from Jul to August, and the seeds ripen from Nov to February. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required) and are pollinated by Bees.Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Often planted as an ornamental vine for the showy fruits. A good climber on trellises, arbors, porches. Fast growing. Decorative berries and twisted vines make interesting projects.
You will need both male and female plants to produce berries! 1 male can pollinate 4-5 female vines. MUST be planted within 30 feet of each other.
Light: Partial to full sun. Best fruit in full sun.
Soil Moisture: Dry to moist.
Soil pH: Acid to neutral.
Hardy to zone 4a and some say zone 3.
Bayberry, Northern Seed
As a landscape plant, Bayberry is excellent for massing, borders or combining with broadleaf evergreens. It responds well to a periodic pruning to keep it’s form. An added advantage is that Bayberry has no serious insect or disease problems! Suited for Zones 2-9a.
Chokecherry Seed
Prunus virginiana
A shrub or small tree; height usually not over 20 to 25 feet, diameter 4 to 8 inches; with a rounded crown. The inner bark has bitter cherry
flavor and aroma. Covered in blooms during Spring.
Fruit is borne in dense clusters; first reddish, then turning nearly black when fully ripe. The skin of fruit thick; flesh thin and dark; very astringent to the taste, but edible. Used in the making of jams, jellies, and some very good tasting wine.
Popular tree for birds. Most widely distributed tree in North America, extending from the Arctic Circle to Mexico and from the Atlantic to the Rockies.
Very hardy. Zones 2-9
Packet of 15-20 seeds
Chokecherry, Schubert Seed
Prunus virginiana var. Schubert
A shrub or small tree; Usually grown as a tree. Height usually not over 20 to 25 feet. Trunk diameter 4 to 8 inches. The inner bark has bitter cherry flavor and aroma. Covered in blooms during Spring.
This strain has a purplish foliage for most of the summer and fall. Leaves emerge as bright green in the spring, changing to a deep, deep reddish purple. Dense, pyramidal to oval shape, and grayish bark.
Fruit is borne in dense clusters; first reddish, then turning nearly black when fully ripe. The skin of fruit thick; flesh thin and dark; very astringent to the taste, but edible. Used in the making of jams, jellies, and some very good tasting wine.
Popular tree for birds. Chokecherry is the most widely distributed tree in North America, extending from the Arctic Circle to Mexico and from the Atlantic to the Rockies.
Very hardy. Zones 2-9
Very adaptable. Tolerates poor dry soils. Full sun to partial shade
Packet of 15-20 seeds
Dogwood, Pink (Tree) Seed
The flowering dogwood is unquestionably one of the most popular of our native flowering trees.
Height to 30 feet, with a rounded, open, horizontal branching habit. Moderate growth. The branches are covered with spectacular pink to red bracts of flowers in Spring before leaves appear.
Fall fruits are glossy, red, and persist well into late fall. Foliage turns a bright scarlet in fall.
Excellent used as specimens, masses or naturalized under large trees. Prefers deep, moist but well-drained soil. Avoid deep planting and a hot, dry exposure. Not reliably hardy Zone 4a.
Zones 4b-8
Dogwood, White (Tree) Seed
The flowering dogwood is unquestionably one of the most popular of our native flowering trees.
Height to 30 feet, with a rounded, open, horizontal branching habit. Moderate growth. The branches are covered with spectacular white bracts of flowers in Spring before leaves appear.
Fall fruits are glossy, red, and persist well into late fall. Foliage turns a bright scarlet in fall.
Excellent used as specimens, masses or naturalized under large trees. Prefers deep, moist but well-drained soil. Avoid deep planting and a hot, dry exposure. Not reliably hardy Zone 4a.
Zones 4b-8
Manchurian Apricot Seed
A small spreading tree 15 to 20 feet tall. It has a beautiful pinkish flower that blooms in the spring before the leaves emerge. The fruit provides food for wildlife during the fall. It features a striking appearance with a round-headed shape and lush green foliage. Fruits make excellent preserves or sauce. Autumn foliage is golden yellow. Very cold hardy!
Self pollinating, but two or more will result in a heavier yield.
Packet of 10 seeds
Paper White Birch Seed
Betula Papyrifera
The Birch family is noted for its fall leaf color, and white peeling bark. They also grow fairly quickly! These are the trees that were used by the Indians for making canoes
Zones 2 – 7. Will do poorly south of zone 7.
Naturally grows in clumps, so plant three or four together.
Grows 40 – 80+ feet, depending on location, and prefers cool, damp areas, that are well drained.
Best adapted to cooler climates as it does poorly in high summer heat, especially root zone heat!
Prefers well-drained, slightly acid sandy loam soils
Full sun.
Avoid spring pruning to prevent bleeding.
When planting to the landscape, do NOT set the tree deeper than it was growing in the container or the upper roots will grow around the trunk at the base and kill it.
Packet of 200 seeds
River Birch Seed
Betula nigra
Best adapted to cooler climates as it does poorly in high summer heat, especially root zone heat!
Prefers well-drained, slightly acid sandy loam soils
Full sun.
Avoid spring pruning to prevent bleeding.
When planting to the landscape, do NOT set the tree deeper than it was growing in the container or the upper roots will grow around the trunk at the base and kill it.
Packet of 200 seeds
Rugosa Rose, Seed
Ah, yes……….. the perfection of a rose in mid-summer. The sweet fragrance emitted from perfectly formed petals is why this is the flower of choice for many.
But, to obtain the perfect rose one needs to have the perfect soil, a perfect watering regimen, and a lot of time. For those of you who don’t fall into this category, consider the species Rosa rugosa. It is not as neat and upright the hybrid teas, and the flower petals tend to go helter-skelter. It sometimes has a kind of shaggy, unkempt look about it. That’s what gives this plant its character. Named for the wrinkled (rugose) surface of its glossy green leaves, this rose is a charmer that can soften and naturalize any area.
Weeping Birch Tree Seed
betula pendula
European weeping Birch, which has a silver bark
Packet of 200 seeds