Mertensia maritima ('oysterleaf') seeds available

[gringo]

(Please go easy on me, my first post!)

I've harvested a lot more seeds from my plants that I can possibly use myself, so if anyone wants to try this, let me know.

Wiki link
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mertensia_maritima

Leaves have a very unusual taste, like oysters. It's a cold weather plant but germinated and grew really well for me in sunny Cheltenham.

There are a few - what's the phrase? - protection orders around this plant due to its rarity in the wild (and value for foragers), please be assured that I purchased my initial pack of seeds from a reputable seed seller and the seeds I'm offering were all harvested from my own plants.

I planted mine in January,outside, and got about 80% germination success (about 6 weeks til shoots appear iirc).

I've read the rules about new posters asking for seeds, so I'll just say the seeds are available for free to any enthusiast, and after they arrive safely, if you have any excess interesting seeds you want rid of....

Which reminds me, must see if there's a 'how to grow salsify' thread on here anywhere.

[veggiechicken]

Hi Gringo and welcome to the Forum. Of course we'll be gently with you - most of us don't bite
Your plant is a new one for me - sounds interesting!
Mertensia maritima Oyster Plant PFAF Plant Database
Have you eaten any yet? Just curious about the texture and taste.
I'm sure you'll have some interested "customers" but if not, and you make 50 posts in 3 months, you can swap them into the http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...cel_83432.html

[gringo]

Thanks for the welcome and reassurance, VC.

Yes I've eaten it (nothing grown in my garden - intentionally - is inedible!). The leaves are an attractive blue-y green, quite pulpy (fleshy?). The taste is odd, not unpleasant. You wouldn't eat it on its own but it's nice, and a talking point, in a leafy salad with a mild dressing. I can't describe the taste properly I'm afraid - it doesn't exactly taste like oysters but oysters ARE the only thing that I could make a vague comparison with.

Thanks for your link too - I didn't know the flowers are edible too. They're pretty too - like a delicate light blue bluebell.

Regarding growing (and this was pure experimentation) - I planted seeds in 10x10cm pots in January, in a mix of about 70:30 potting compost: perlite. As previously mentioned, was overjoyed with germination. Potted up to 2ft-long planters, 3 plants to a planter, where they remain to today. Plants grow close to soil, droop over edges of planters. I'd read about the fleshy leaves & thought slugs/snails might be a problem so grew them on an old bench I have in garden. No sign of slugs or snails, but did have a minor caterpillar infestation that I luckily noticed early and dealt with (viciously). Flowered from late June, flowers dried out and seeds started forming in October. Harvested seeds in November. Plants looked dead a few weeks ago but lots of new shoots now forming.

Apologies for my lack of gyo terminolgy!

[Scarlet]

Hi Gringo, kind offer and a warm welcome to the vine.
Why don't you pop along to the introduce yourself thread? Tell us what other interesting stuff you are growing and show us some photos of your garden if you have any...it won't take you long to get to 50 posts and you'll be able to swap some interesting seeds in the VSP ready for Spring.

[planetologist]

Hi gringo, I'd love to have some seeds. I don't have any salsify instructions, but I do have scorzonera seeds (and instructions) if you're interested.

[gringo]

Hi gringo, I'd love to have some seeds. I don't have any salsify instructions, but I do have scorzonera seeds (and instructions) if you're interested.

Hi planetologist. I've just learnt how to access my inbox on here so if you know how to send a pm, let me know your address and I'll post you some seeds.

The last few days perusing the forums have made me think, perhaps, that what I'm interested in might well be scorzonera, so tell you what- I'll send you seeds and an address, and you <barter>, or not.

No obligaton.

[gringo]

Late summer

[gringo]

New shoots

[gringo]

Autumn

[veggiechicken]

Thanks to gringo's generosity, there are now seeds of Mertensia in the VSP - and some other seeds too.
(They'll be in Miscellaneous when I enter them this evening!)
Thank you gringo

[gringo]

No probs VC. As you can see from the photos, with hanging flowers like that the seeds are dead easy to save with a paper bag and an elastic band!

[veggiechicken]

They're lovely! Remind me of Cerinthe major var. purpurescens (Honey wort)

[gringo]

Lovely, yes. But also edible

[Snadger]

You can tell they are a member of the Borage family just by looking at their flowers!

[planetologist]

Hi gringo, Thanks for the seeds. The scorzonera seeds are on their way. Sow in April, rows ~10' apart. Thin to ~10'. Eat from late autumn onwards. They are perennial, and small specimens can be left to grow another year, even after flowering and producing seeds the roots are still edible. The roots are long and thin, and it can be a challenge to dig deep enough to get them out. I replant the tops of the roots, with leaves if any, when I eat them. These sometimes regrow and then make multiple shorter roots which are easier to dig up.