Mandragora turcomanica

Mandrake (YES, THE Mythic Magical Mysterious Mandrake!) are hard to come by on the whole & this species triply so! Mandragora turcomanica is endangered (possibly extinct!) in the wild, & it’s said that there are less than 300 plants of this species in cultivation. We’re adding a few individuals to that population. Each of these stupendous plants will produce a low rosette of huge, dark green leaves, to almost 3’ across, with the cream to purple flowers held low at the very center, followed by highly aromatic tomato-like fruits. If you take one in, make sure you give it well drained soil in light shade where it will thrive. Legend has it that if you harvest the huge, thick roots (which look curiously humanoid) improperly, the screams of the plant will KILL YOU, so please, do be careful when handling & transplanting, & use the proper magical ear protection. Plants go dormant in the Summer, so be especially careful if you’re digging in their vicinity at that time. Growth re-emerges in Autumn & Winter. I highly recommend looking up the folklore relating to Mandrakes, & their use. Fascinating stuff, kids! Native to Iran and Turkmenistan.