Patchouli, True (Pogostemon cablin), packet of 100 seeds

Family:  Mint (Lamiaceae) Hardy to Zones 10 to 12, normally grown as a potted plant and brought indoors for the winter (Pogostemon patchouli) Tropical perennial native to Asia.  Iconic essence of the Hippie Culture that arose during the 1960’s and dissipated thereafter, leaving little archaeological evidence in its varicolored wake.  The patchouli plant (and the reddish essential oil obtained from it) evoke images of sweaty sun and green lawns in Berkeley, the strains of Mr Tambourine man drifting across a lucid landscape, smiles and avocados, lace stockings, violet-paned sunglasses, brown breasts with dancing nipples and matchboxes containing (not matches).  Plant prefers full to part shade, moist, rich soils, humidity. The plant thrives under good care but fades fast with neglect–it needs watering almost daily, has zero tolerance for frost and will sunburn if not protected by shade.  The seeds are small, and are best sown in warm soil, in the light. My favorite method for planting seeds of this sort is to prepare a pot or flat with nice humusy potting soil, filling to the lip and leaving the surface rough, not smooth and patted down.  Then, sprinkle the seed over the surface of the soil and tamp firmly.  This allows the seed to fall down between the roughened particles of soil, and then when you tamp it down with the palm of your hand, the seed is nestled into place on the surface or barely sub-surface.  Then, mist with water very carefully so as not to dislodge the seeds, and keep in the light, ever-moist,  and nice and warm until germination, which takes between two and three weeks.  Allow the seedlings to grow closely together at first, and when they attain their second set of true leaves, then individuate them carefully and pot up individually to 4 inch pots.  Grow them out that way for awhile, until they fill the pot with roots, and at that point transplant up to gallons. Soon after that, you can make a harvest of the leaves to produce a patchouli sachet, or you can extract your own essential oil if you have a distiller.  The leaves emit fleeting whiffs of the patchouli esters, and the flowers are strongly aromatic. 100 seeds/pkt, Open Pollinated, Untreated, NO GMO’s