Angelica sinensis Dang Quai
25 seeds per packet.
A short-lived perennial, rare in cultivation, with fern-like foliage and flat umbels of small, white flowers from August to September. The dried roots are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for gynaecological ailments and fatigue (hence its common name of female ginseng). Height 90 cm. Light shade in moist but well-drained soil.
GROWING INSTRUCTIONS:
Sow upon receipt (best in autumn). Cover seed thinly, press in gently and keep top of compost from drying out. Keep pot outdoors or in cold frame over winter. Seeds germinate in spring.
Alternatively, if seeds can’t be sown in autumn use the following method: mix seeds with damp vermiculite and place inside a ziplock bag, keep bag somewhere warm for 3 weeks, then place in fridge (not freezer) for 8 weeks. Next spread mixture on top of a pot, thinly cover with compost or grit and keep warm at 15 to 20°C until germination, then move to somewhere cooler.
Carefully prick out seedlings when they have developed true leaves and are large enough to transplant to individual pots for growing on.