Asparagus Racemosus, Shatavari - 0.5 kg Seeds

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), also called satavar or wild asparagus, is a thorny, scrambling perennial climber rather than a tree, with wiry stems, fine needle-like cladodes in place of true leaves, and a cluster of long, succulent tuberous roots. It bears small, fragrant white flowers in racemes followed by red berries. Native to the Indian subcontinent, it grows wild across the dry scrub forests, hill slopes and plains throughout India, climbing over shrubs and rocks.

It is one of the most important Ayurvedic medicinal plants, with its tuberous roots used as a renowned female reproductive tonic, galactagogue and general rejuvenative (rasayana). It is cultivated commercially as a medicinal crop and is also grown as an ornamental for its delicate, fern-like foliage on fences and in pots.

• Family: Asparagaceae
• Native region: Indian subcontinent
• Mature height: 1-3 m (climbing)
• Growth rate: Moderate

Sowing the seed: the hard-coated black seeds germinate slowly, so soak them in water for 24-48 hours before sowing to soften the coat and improve germination. Sow about 1-2 cm deep in well-drained, sandy nursery soil or polybags kept warm and moist; germination is uneven and typically takes 21-30 days or longer. Transplant the seedlings to the field at the start of the monsoon, giving them light support to climb.