On Wed, 28 May 2003 14:02:22 +0100, Druss wrote:

Anyone out there an experienced Mandrake grower ?

Yes. Surprise! I've been growing mandrake as a garden plant for
about twenty years, having started with Mandragora officinarum
ssp. haussknechtii seed from the RHS -- a form I wish I could get
once again.

I have had on in a pot for several years now, every year, nice flowers, and
plenty of leaves, until the slugs get in there at least, however this year,
I recently noticed a very large green tomato like structure on the plant,
it's attached tot he very centre via a very fine green stem. I was wondering
whether anyone might know if this is a genuine mandrake seed pod, and if
anyone knows anything about the lifecycle. I need to know whether to wait
for it to dry and burst, or should I harvest and store it etc etc, basically
whatever will end up with me being able to grow a whole oad more mandrakes
would be great.

That is the fruit. In form like a smallish Italian tomato (a
"Roma" tomato) -- slightly elongated, with a shallow furrow down
one side. Seeds inside similar to tomato seeds, but much larger
and fatter.

The fruit will turn orange-ish when ripe, and have a pronounced
cheesey-fruity scent to its flesh. Wear rubber gloves when
removing the seeds: the scent of the flesh does not wash off
completely, and is rather offensive in its ripe redolence.

Sow the seeds when fresh if possible.

Voila!


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada