Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Mandragora officinarum

mandrake · Mediterranean mandrake

Family SolanaceaeGenus Mandragora

Also published as Mandragora officinalis. You are in the right place.

Two flat rosettes of large, wrinkled dark green leaves lying on grass, each with a cluster of violet flowers at its centre
The whole plantSam ThomasCC BY 4.0

Worth knowing

  • Its roots often resemble human figures. In one superstition, the root screamed as it was pulled from the ground and killed anyone who heard it. Wikipedia: Mandragora officinarum

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around June 19, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on June 18, 2026.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    1/6 germinated in this phase.

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    1/6 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 3 run on after germination.

about 9 months from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

33% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Mandragora p. 57Public domain
Show the original text
Mandragora (Solanaceae). M. officinalis germ. 40(1/6)-70-40(2/6)-70(1/6) and none in 70D, 70L, or 70 GA-3.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Mandragora p. 57. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing.

0% germination.

Nothing germinated at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Mandragora p. 57Public domain
Show the original text
Mandragora (Solanaceae). M. officinalis germ. 40(1/6)-70-40(2/6)-70(1/6) and none in 70D, 70L, or 70 GA-3.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Mandragora p. 57. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Add to My Garden

View species page