Elecampane, horse-heal, elf-dock – the glorious tall, broadleaved garden aster, with flowers that look like scaled-down versions of the sun – is a plant of much lore and associations with medicine and magic. Does it beckon the elves and huldufolk? Raise the dead? Clear the lungs through tinctures and teas? Cure the ails of horses? Maybe. We can say that it does most certainly call forth the bees, both various bumble bees and honey bees, and it forms large, beautiful, towering plants very reminiscent of Midwestern Silphium species (such as Compass Plant and Prairie Dock). Elecampane loves and wants full sun but can tolerate partial shade. In our experience it is unfussy about soil types and can tolerate heavy clay, or drouthy sand, and once established can persist through dry summers without supplemental irrigation. Its hefty branching (edible) rhizomes can spread around a bit to form small colonies for continuous harvests. (Both the roots and the flowers are traditionally harvested for various herbal concoctions, infused honey, syrups, liqueurs, and textile dyes). Marvelous elecampane is goodly cold-hearty. (And, yes, “goodly” is a word). A zone 3 plant, but also tolerant of warmer, Mediterranean-type climes (e.g. California). Cold stratification seems to improve seed germination, but in our experience is not strictly necessary. Do note that this can be a tall plant – up to about 7-ish feet when pampered – so garden spacing should be planned accordingly. Include it in a maintained garden alongside other giants like artichoke, cardoon giant butterbur, and cow parsnip for a sort of otherworldly Alice in Wonderland effect. Or, stick it in and around hedgerows, making it part of a biodiversity thicket, entangled among native vegetation, fruit trees, and perennial vegetables. 100+ Seeds (0.2 grams).
