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Mandragora officinarum

Mandrake · Mediterranean Mandrake

Family SolanaceaeGenus Mandragora

Also published as Mandragora officinalis. You are in the right place.

Two flat rosettes of large, wrinkled dark green leaves lying on grass, each with a cluster of violet flowers at its center
The whole plantSam ThomasCC BY 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Flower
Greenish white, pale blue, violetWikipedia

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors.

Worth knowing

  • Its roots often resemble human figures. In one superstition, the root screamed as it was pulled from the ground and killed anyone who heard it. Wikipedia: Mandragora officinarum

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    1/6 germinated in this phase.

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    1/6 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 3 run on after germination.

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

33% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Mandragora p. 57Public domain
Show the original text
Mandragora (Solanaceae). M. officinalis germ. 40(1/6)-70-40(2/6)-70(1/6) and none in 70D, 70L, or 70 GA-3.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Mandragora p. 57. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing.

0% germination.

Nothing germinated at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Mandragora p. 57Public domain
Show the original text
Mandragora (Solanaceae). M. officinalis germ. 40(1/6)-70-40(2/6)-70(1/6) and none in 70D, 70L, or 70 GA-3.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Mandragora p. 57. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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