Capsella bursa-pastoris seed | Shepherd’s Purse

Categories：Herb

Capsella bursa-pastoris seed

LATIN NAME: Capsella bursa-pastoris COMMON NAME: Shepherd’s Purse

Botanical Profile

Shepherd’s purse is native to Europe and Asia and has become one of the most widely distributed flowering plants on Earth, naturalised on every inhabited continent, growing as a fast, low annual with a basal rosette of variably lobed leaves and small white flowers followed by distinctive flattened, heart-shaped seed pods that resemble a small purse or pouch, giving the plant both its common and scientific names.

Science & Conservation

Shepherd’s purse has a long history of traditional herbal use for its haemostatic, or blood-clotting, properties, particularly associated with postpartum care in various traditional medicine systems, and modern phytochemical research has examined compounds in the plant relevant to these traditional applications. Its extraordinary global success as a weed, thriving on every continent except Antarctica, has also made it a frequently studied model species in plant ecology research examining the traits that allow certain weedy annuals to achieve such remarkably widespread distribution.

Landscape & Practical Uses

Shepherd’s purse has a traditional history of use in herbal medicine, particularly associated with postpartum support in several traditional practices, and as with any herb used medicinally, appropriate use is best discussed with a qualified herbalist or healthcare provider, especially given specific considerations around use during pregnancy. Its young leaves are also edible and have been foraged as a wild green in various culinary traditions, offering a mild, slightly peppery flavour similar to other members of the mustard family.

Growing From Seed

Sow the seed directly into a loose, well-drained mix at a shallow depth, keeping it lightly moist until germination. Full sun to light shade suits this exceptionally adaptable annual well, and it typically self-seeds prolifically once established, true to its reputation as one of the most successfully naturalised plants in the world.

Our Take

We would grow this one mainly out of botanical curiosity given its remarkable global success as a species – it is genuinely one of the most widely distributed flowering plants on the planet, which is a fascinating fact even before considering its traditional herbal uses.

Herb Seeds / Herb