Note: We recommend CAPE seed germination primer be used for these seeds. More info on this primer is at the bottom of this page

2121 Oregon GrapeMahonia aquifolium
This is a very beautiful and useful evergreen shrub. Its upright stems and coarse leaves form an irregular mound up to 8' tall. As the bush matures, it sends out additional stems to form a clump up to 6' wide. The bluish green leaves are coarse and spiny and resemble holly. The compound leaves are radially arranged at the end of each stem. Bright yellow flowers appear atop the stem in spring.
Location: Oregon grape holly is native from the northwestern United States on into Canada. It is widely grown as an ornamental.
Culture: Light: Needs shady conditions, hot direct sun will burn leaves. Moisture: Likes moist soil high in organic material, but adaptable. Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-9. Propagation: Clumps can be divided.
Usage: This plant thrives in shady areas where selection of plants is limited. Can be used in entry ways and under roof eaves if adequate moisture is maintained. I like to use mahonias under a canopy of pine along with azaleas and camellias. Can also be used as an outdoor container plant.
Features: The bright yellow flowers are beautiful against the lustrous blue green leaves. The bright blue berries on dark red stems are even more striking.
50+ seeds per pack. Price per pack: $2.95

HR175 Oregano Origanum vulgare
Best suited for zones 4-8. This is an herb that is grown almost exclusively for culinary use. A rhizomatous, sprawling plant which typically grows to 18" tall with a similar spread. Features pungently aromatic, flavorful, oval, dark green leaves (to 1" long) which are commonly used in cooking as a seasoning. Leaves may be clipped fresh as needed or dried for year-round use. Best leaf flavor usually occurs just prior to flowering, but the quality of flavor can vary considerably from plant to plant. Tiny, white to rosy pink flowers appear in loose, terminal or axillary spikes throughout the summer.
Package of 50 seeds $1.75

3127 Black Chokeberry Aronia Melanocarpa
Black chokeberry is a deciduous shrub that grows to about 6 feet tall in bogs, swamps, wet woods and occasionally in dry sandy soil of oak woods and pine barrens. It can tolerate partial shade, but produces the most flowers and fruit, and the brightest red fall color, in full sun. Best suited for zones 4-9.
The leaves are up to 8 cm long, with finely serrated edges. The flowers bloom in May and are white, rounded and with a short claw. The flowers are in loose clusters of 8 to 10 up to 5 cm across.
The fruit, which matures by late August, is round, up to 12 mm across, dark purple to black, and in drooping clusters on long red stalks. The fruit is technically a “pome”, like an apple or pear, where the seeds are in a stiff core surrounded by fleshy tissue. The fruit is sour, even when ripe, so that it persists until midwinter as a “last resort” food source for songbirds, upland game birds and small mammals.
In northern Europe Aronia is commercially grown for bottled fruit juice. The fruit is valued for its juice which is very high in anthocyanins, blends well with other fruit juices and is reputed as a source of "phenols, leucoanthocyanins, catachines, flavonoles, and flavones" that are considered to be bioactive in humans. In the US it’s growing in popularity as a landscape shrub since it tolerates both wet and dry soil, is attractive from spring through fall and resists most diseases and pests.

Package of 20 seeds $2.50

3102 Juneberry, Saskatoon Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia
Low water requirements, grows as high as 10,000 feet. A deciduous shrub that seldom exceeds 15 feet in height and occasionally suckering to form a slowly spreading clump. An easily grown plant, it prefers a rich loamy soil and thrives in any soil that is not too dry or water-logged. The largest yields, and best quality fruits, are produced when the plant is grown in a sunny position, though it should also do reasonably well in semi-shade. The plants are fairly lime tolerant and they will also grow well in heavy clay soils. They are very cold-hardy and will tolerate temperatures down to at least -20°c and probably much lower. Flowers in Early Spring, these white flowers are produced before the plants come into leaf, and are usually produced so abundantly that the whole plant turns white. They look particularly beautiful at this time. By late June, or more commonly early to mid July, the plants will usually be carrying large crops of fruits. These fruits are about 15mm in diameter, they are soft, sweet and juicy with a taste that reminds us of apples. Small enough to be eaten without problems, though they can add a slightly bitter almond-like flavour to the fruit if they are crushed whilst eating. The fruit can also be cooked in pies etc., when dried it is quite sweet and can be used in the same ways as raisins.
Package of 10 seeds $1.95

3115 Succulent Hawthorn Crataegus succulenta
An attractive shrub growing about 20 ft with some of the largest fruits in the crataegus genus with specimens up to 1 3/4 inches in diameter. This fruit has a sweet, juicy and pulpy flesh that is excellent raw or for making jellies.
Attractive flowers in Spring and a nice lawn specimen. Hardy to zone 4. Seeds are slow to germinate, but well worth the wait!
Package of 10 seeds $2.50

D2209 Chinese HackberryCeltis Sinensis
A hardy and easy to grow plant. Tolerates drought; any soil; gusty winds; smog; sun or shade, but does not like heavy fog. Makes an attractive, low-maintenance street tree. Deep, non-invasive roots rarely cause sidewalk problems. Disease and pest resistant. Berries attract birds. Tree grows to10m in cultivation. Small green flowers are borne in Spring followed by small, sweet, edible fruit which are a dark-orange ripening to red-brown.
Package of 10 seeds $2.00

3105 Sea Buckthorn Hippophae RhamnoidesSold Out..
Excellent hedge and barrier plant, produces edible fruit ( female ). Can be grown at elevations of 7,000 feet. The sea buckthorn is a medium deciduous shrub six to 13 feet (2 to 4 m) in height. The trees are dioecious meaning there are male and female plants. Only female plants produce fruit. Unfortunately, plant type cannot be determined until flowers are produced. Their should be a good mix of male/female seeds in this pack. Flowers are small, yellow and appear before the leaves being produced on three-year-old wood. Sea buckthorn plants are very hardy and can withstand temperatures of -45 to 103 °F (-43 to 40 °C). Most parts of the tree can be used including the bark, leaves, fruits, and seeds. A wide range of products can be made from the tree including: pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, teas, animal feed, sport and health drinks, food (jams and jellies), beverages, dyes, candy, liqueurs, and in brewing.
Package of 20 seeds $1.95

D2212 Tree TomatoCyphomandra Betacea
The tree tomato is an unusual large shrub native to Peru. It is a tropical plant that only does well outside in zone 10 or higher, but is an excellent container plant as it has a very shallow root system and is easy to container grow for landscape purposes.
The trees grow ten to twelve feet in height and may be single-or multiple-stemmed depending on how they are trained. The large, somewhat oval leaves may be six to twelve inches long, and are softly pubescent. The small pinkish fragrant flowers are produced in the spring and early summer and the fruits mature during the fall and following winter.
Mature fruits are about the size of a normal chicken egg and also about the same shape. Fruits, at maturity, can be orange, red or purple, depending on the variety. Internally, they somewhat resemble a tomato. Like tomatoes, they can be be eaten as a vegetable and used in sauces, soups or other ways. The most popular way of consuming the tree tomato is as a conserve. It can be made into jams and jellies also, but unlike regular tomatoes, when being cooked the seeds and skin of the tree tomato should be removed.
The fruits, although they somewhat resemble tomatoes, do not have a tomato taste, but are pleasant for most people.
Package of 10 seeds $1.95

D2219 Russian Olive Elaegnus Angustifolia
Zone 6-9. Russian-olives are non-native, deciduous shrubs or small trees that grow to 20 feet tall. It has yellow flowers and dry yellow mealy fruits. Silver scales occur on the underside of the leaves. The twigs of Russian-olive are typically covered with thorns. These shrubs begin to flower and fruit annually after 3 years. An individual plant can produce 8 pounds of fruit each year. The leaves are covered with small scales which give the foliage a distinctive silvery appearance. The fruit is berry-like, and is silvery when first formed but turns brown at maturity.
Although its fruits are used in drinks and to make preserves, it is more sought after for its white shoots and silverundersides of leaves which give them an ornamental appeal.
Package of 5 seeds $1.95

D2220 Honey Locusts Gleditsia
This tree is cultivated for its golden fern-like foliage. The small, greenish-yellow flowers bloom in May and June and are fragrant. The fruit are actually 7" to 18" long, twisted, flattened pods, approximately 1" wide and strap-like, color changes from green to dark brown. The pulp is sweet and thus the name. The pods are often fermented to make beer or to feed to livestock. Beware, lots of thorns! Hardy to zone 4.
Package of 10 seeds $2.50

D2265 Carissa Tree Carissa Grandiflora
Makes a great border shrub and is sometimes used as a hedge. It is a vigorous grower. Has red fruit. The source of Carissa jelly, sauce and pudding. Also known as Natal Plum, it is a South African shrub used as a hedge or free standing shrub because of its interestingly formed branches and shiny deep-green leaves, offset by white and pink flowers. The plant bears a 2" egg-shaped red fruit that can be eaten out-of-hand but does make good cranberry-like preserves. It is a salt tolerant plant. Cold hardy to about 28 degrees.
Package of 10 seeds $1.95

D2267 Pomegranate Punica
This plant is known for its glossy foliage that turns from bronze to green to golden by fall. Tolerant of heat, wind, drought, and alkaline soil, and resistant to many diseases, it is a good choice for a variety of landscaping needs. The plant can be used as a hedge, screen, windbreak or feature plant. Smaller varieties make good container and bonsai plants. Its fruit can be chewed or used in jelly. For zones 8-11.
Package of 20 seeds $1.95

D2285 Strawberry Tree Arbutus
For zone 7-10. The strawberry tree is a beautiful small evergreen tree or shrub usually growing 20-35 feet tall, and can be container grown in large tubs. Considered cold hardy down to 10 degrees, it is a very easy plant to grow.
The strawberry tree produces masses of beautiful white flowers in November and December. Since the fruit takes 12 months to ripen, the tree carries both mature fruit and flowers at the same time and is then incredibly beautiful. This is a superb plant to grow as a specimen in a lawn, and it also grows very well on the sunny edges of a woodland garden.
The fruit varies considerably in size, though it averages about ½-¾ inch in diameter. It is a lovely red colour and, from a distance, does look a little like strawberries - hence the common name of the plant. The resemblance to strawberries, however, does not apply to the taste. While it does have a somewhat gritty skin, when fully ripe the fruit itself has the texture of a lush tropical fruit and has a delicate pleasant flavour. For those people with sensitive taste buds, this is a fruit that can be enjoyed when eaten in moderate quantities. The fruit can also be cooked and is used to make delicious and nourishing jams and preserves.
Ripening over a period of several weeks in late autumn and early winter, the fruit will fall from the tree when it is fully ripe.
Package of 10 seeds $1.95

D2297 Pepino Tree Solanum Muricatum
The pepino plant is a fairly hardy plant that grows at altitudes ranging from near sea level to 10,000 ft. in its native regions. However it does best in a warm, relatively frost-free climate. The plant will survive a low temperature of 27 to 28° F if the freeze is not prolonged, but may loose many of its leaves. The plant is small enough to be grown satisfactorily in a container in cooler zones.
The fruit of Pepino is often eaten ripe as a refreshing, quenching fruit after physical effort.
Its yellowish white colour, with speckles and longitudinal lines, and its purple colour in the ripe state make the fruit attractive. Its smell and taste are pleasant because of their typical mild aroma and slightly sweet flavour. Its nutritional value is low but it is recognized for its diuretic properties, probably because of its high water content (90 percent) and good iodine content, for which it is recommended for treating goitre. It also contains 7 percent of carbohydrates and 29 mg per 100 g of vitamin C.
Package of 5 seeds $1.95

CAPE "Super Smoke Plus" SEED PRIMERSold Out..

For treating seeds of many types of trees, cacti, palms, grasses, strelitzias, and many, many other varieties.

Cape Super Smoke Plus is an absorbent paper that is impregnated with fynbos-smoke-saturated water. The paper is then dried and sealed in a polythene packet. When dormant seeds require "smoking", a predetermined volume of water is added to the paper in a suitable container and the seeds are "smoke-primed" by soaking in the smoke-water solution for 24 hours. In order to have the maximum effect in breaking seed dormancy, a range of natural germination stimulators has been added to the smoke solution to overcome other forms of seed dormancy found in many species.

Each standard packet contains five papers, and 50ml water should be added to each paper. Each packet is thus sufficient to make up 250ml solution ( approx. 8½ oz. ) and enough to treat approximately 500 large seeds.

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