Ashitaba seed Angelica keiskei seed
LATIN NAME: Angelica keiskei
COMMON NAME: Ashitaba
In the mountain kitchens of the region, ashitaba has a saying attached to it. The stout, upright, leafy plant carries the big, glossy, deeply divided, three-lobed leaves on strong stems, and the sap that runs from the cut stems is the source of the old saying about tomorrow. The fine, white, umbel-like flower heads rise above the leaves through the warm season, drawing in the bees and the flies. The plant is a fine, easy, generous perennial of the cool, moist, sheltered garden, and the young leaves are gathered for the salads and the greens of the region. It is a plant of the rich, leafy, well-watered ground.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
Ashitaba has carved a quiet but growing place in the plant science, and the plant has been studied for the thick, yellow sap of the cut stems, which carries a fine, resinous character. Plant scientists have looked at the big, glossy, three-lobed leaves and the stout, upright habit, and the plant keeps showing up in the work on the traditional greens and the healthy vegetables of the region. The fine, white, umbel-like flower heads also make it a regular subject of the studies of the leafy vegetables and the pollen plants, and the young leaves have a long record of use in the mountain kitchens of the region.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ashitaba earns its keep in the kitchen and the garden both. The young, tender leaves are a fine, easy green of the region, gathered for the salads, the tempura and the cooked greens, and the thick, yellow sap of the cut stems is the source of its fine, curious reputation. The stout, upright plant is a handsome, dependable addition to the cool, moist border, and the fine, white flower heads feed the bees and the flies through the warm season. It has been written about in the culinary and the botanical papers for the healthy, easy greens, and it is a fine, generous perennial of the cool, sheltered, well-watered garden.
Ashitaba is one of the fine, easy greens of the mountain regions, and the big, glossy, three-lobed leaves are gathered for the salads and the cooked greens of the local kitchens. The thick, yellow sap of the cut stems is the source of its fine, curious reputation.
To grow the ashitaba from seed, sow the fine seeds over the surface of pots of moist, free-draining soil and do not cover them, since they germinate in the light, keep them in a bright, cool, sheltered spot and water gently. The seedlings come through within a few weeks and grow on steadily. In a cool, moist, sheltered spot with the rich, leafy soil, the big, glossy leaves will be there to gather through the season.
Ashitaba plant can be cooked like an Asian green vegetables, eaten raw, juiced, smoothie or made into a tea.
This plant is native to Hachijojima Island in Japan. The nutritional and health benefits of this high chlorophyll plant are extensive and Ashitaba is unique among the Angelicas due to its tasty edibility and the presence of substantial levels of B12, a vitamin normally not found in terrestrial plants. The plant contains flavonoids known as “chalcones” in its yellow sap – it’s nothing short of an Elixir of life .
Ashitaba is one of the only plant that contains Vitamin B12.
Eat the fresh stems of the leaves and dry the leaves and make tea. It is called “tomorrow’s leaf” because when harvesting one leaf from the plant, you can expect to see a new one “tomorrow.”
Ashitaba is a frost tolerant hardy plant USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
The plant does indeed rejuvenate itself very quickly, in much the same way as it rejuvenates the human digestion and skin. The herb is considered effective in treating eczema and psoriasis, also disorders of the gastrointestinal system, hepatitis, cancer, anemia, chronic fatigue, etc. In-vivo tests of chalcones have shown strong antibiotic activity against staphylococcus. It is believed that these health benefits have attributed to the traditional long life expectancy of the people of Hachijo Jima.
Sowing Instructions
Ashitaba – medicinal plant
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Angelica
Species: keiskei
In one year I tried all the germination methods found on the internet and they all led to the loss of seeds. So I tried my method that I want to share with you. All you need is peat, constant heat of 19-21 degrees and light. Place the peat in the box, water well and place the seeds on top. Then cover the seeds with very little peat. You can pass through a sieve a very thin layer of peat. Spray with water when you notice that the peat is drying. The seeds will germinate between 7-9 days. This also depends on the constant heat in the house. Do not cover the box with plastic or lid. This will lead to mold formation and rot. Don’t put the box on the radiator !! Leave them on a table or chair away from the radiator, but close to the window. Good luck with this wonderful plant.
Biennials – Plant is biennial but you keep its premature flower stems removed, the plant can live up to 6 years!