Alexanders seeds
€2.95
Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) — (approx. 25 seeds per packet) is a robust biennial or short-lived perennial native to the Mediterranean and long naturalised along Ireland’s coasts and hedgerows. Once cultivated by the Romans as a spring vegetable, it produces glossy, aromatic leaves, greenish-yellow umbels of flowers, and clusters of black seeds. Growing 80–150 cm tall, Alexanders bridges the hungry gap beautifully — its young shoots, leaves, stems, and flower buds are all edible, offering a flavour somewhere between celery and parsley.
Alexanders thrives in full sun or partial shade and prefers rich, moist, well-drained soil, though it is remarkably adaptable and tolerant of salt-laden coastal air. It self-seeds freely and can naturalise gently in wilder gardens, providing early forage for pollinators and edible greens for the kitchen.
Quantity
Sowing instructions
Seeds are large and best sown fresh if possible, as they benefit from a period of cold to break dormancy. Sow outdoors from autumn to early spring, 1–2 cm deep in their final position, or sow in pots and leave outside over winter to stratify naturally. Germination may be slow and irregular, taking several weeks to months. Thin or transplant seedlings to 40–50 cm spacing. Store seeds cool and dry until sowing.
