CROSNES

Stachys affinis

We will probably not have these available in 2024, but leave this listing here to help gardeners identify and grow the real thing. If you find these available in a market, they may be worth planting!

This very peculiar species from China produces sweet aromatic tuberous roots with the crisp texture of water chestnuts. The tubers are edible and delicious both raw and cooked and they make fantastic pickles. The plants are hardy and easy to grow, requiring very little aside from loose soil and ample water.

Though photos abound of these plants blooming in spectacular fashion, they have never done so for us. The plants are actually inconspicuous, growing to just over 1'. Foliage is a lovely shade of green, and easily recognized as a member of the Lamiaceae family, but otherwise these plants draw no attention, nor do they shade or crowd out other species. Ours have been companions to a patch of White Delight Strawberries for years.

Rather than seeds, you will receive a small packet of actual crosnes. Each one of these little crosnes will produce a plant that produces at least a dozen more crosnes in the first autumn, which can be dug as soon as the plants begin to die back in late autumn or winter. Leave a few crosnes in the ground to sprout again in the spring.

Crosnes can be planted into the garden anytime before the soil freezes. Just tuck them a few inches below the surface of the soil, at least 1' apart. Done. If your soil is frozen they can be potted up and kept in a cold barn or basement. They can also be kept in the refrigerator until spring, but take care to keep them from drying out, and check frequently for mold. We highly recommend planting them or potting them immediately. Or, if you feel like it, you can just wash and eat them.

Hardy to at least zone 5, and probably much of zone 4. The plants are not frost tender in the least. Waiting to harvest after several hard freezes, but before the ground is impenetrable, is ideal.

Each packet contains at least 10 one inch crosnes, and a few more tiny crosnes. Spaced generously in the garden, each of these crosnes will produce a plant that produces a dozen more, even in the first year. Fertile soil and irrigation will see them produce even more.

These crosnes were dug from our garden on November 22nd, 2022. They have been rinsed with water but are otherwise untreated. The plants have never even been fertilized. We don't use any herbicides or pesticides on our property. Not even organic ones. We love bugs and eat the weeds.

We can only ship crosnes to addresses in the USA.

Packet contains at least 15 “seeds".