Herbs, Spices & Perennial Vegetables
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Yacon - Apple of the Earth
$17.75 ($1.95-$17.75 choose a size)
Also known as the 'Earth Apple' this is one of the ancient crops of the Inca's. This relative of the sunflower is popular to the people of Columbia, Ecuador and Argentina. The plant produces large tubers similar in appearance to sweet potatoes, but they have a much sweeter taste and crunchy flesh. The tubers can be eaten raw as a refreshing treat on their own, finely sliced and mixed into salads,boiled or baked, fried as chips or prepared as a pickle. There is also commercial interest as a flavouring for yoghurt. They are sweet, juicy and almost calorie free. The main stem can also be used like celery. The texture and flavour have been described as a cross between a fresh apple and watermelon. The plants are vigorous, herbaceous, perennial and extremely hardy tolerating hot summers, drought and poor soils. The foliage of the plant dies back in the winter after flowering at which time the tubers are harvested carefully to avoid damage to the tubers. They tend to continue sweetening if left in a cool dry and dark place for a week or two before consumption. The offsets are then replanted for the next season.
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Parsley Curly leaf
$3.95 ($2.45-$3.95 choose a size)
One of the essential kitchen herbs, parsley is easy to grow in pots, containers and window boxes where it can be kept close to the kitchen door. It also attracts many beneficial insects to the garden. As a biennial plants it will flower in it second years and should then be replaced.
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Green Globe Artichoke
$12.90 ($9.75-$12.90 choose a size)
A perenial thistle from the Mediterranean region, the flowers are picked when immature and only the heart of the bud and the fleshy base of the leaves are edible. Green globes have large flowering heads, suitable for warm climates. They require a sunny position that is generously fertilized.Most common variety grown in Australia.
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Thyme
$3.90 ($2.45-$3.90 choose a size)
Holds its strong savoury flavour well - add at beginning of cooking. Thyme is the perfect plant for garden edges when it can be walked on to scent pathways and simply harvested. Sore throats benefit from a thyme gargle which is strongly antiseptic.
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Garlic Chives
$3.95 ($2.95-$3.95 choose a size)
The flat strappy leaves of this perennial herbs add a delicate garlic flavour to stir fries, salads and other savoury dishes. They can be used in place of garlic where a less spicy and more delicate flavour is desired. The attractive white flowers are also edible and if left to mature to seed, the seeds can be sprouted for a peppery and healthy addition to the salad bowl. Garlic chives are the perfect border plant for the kitchen garden, they will thrive will very little attention, in a sunny well drained position.
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Brahmi
$4.90 ($2.90-$4.90 choose a size)
Also called memory herb and water hyssop. Eat fresh or dry and brew into a herbal tea. Brahmi is native to India and prefers warm, wet soils in a protected, partially shaded position. Drought and frost tender. Perennial ground cover growing to 20-40cm
Rosemary
$12.90 ($9.90-$12.90 choose a size)
A woody perennial herb with aromatic fragrant needle like leaves, native to the Mediterranean region. Rosemary is a member of the mint family, the name rosemary comes from the Latin rosmarinus, meaning dew of the sea, apparently because they are often found growing by the sea.
Curry Plant
$14.75 ($14.75-$14.75 choose a size)
The young shoots and leaves are stewed in Mediterranean meat, fish or vegetable dishes until they have imparted their flavour, and removed before serving. It grows on dry, rocky or sandy ground around the Mediterranean region. The stems are woody at the base and can reach 60cm or more in height. The clusters of yellow flowers are produced in Summer, they retain their colour after picking and are used in dried flower arrangements.
Chilli - Ghost Pepper
$4.90 ($4.90-$16.90 choose a size)
Native to Assam in India, the Ghost Pepper held the Guinness world record for the hottest chilli in 2007. Also known as Bhut Jolokia, the word Bhut, means ghost, because of the way the heat sneaks up on those who eat it, is the name given to this chilli from the Bhutias people. The heat is extreme, rated as 14/10 so take care when handing the fruit. This chilli is a must have for those who love chilli and hot, spicy food.
Sage
$12.75 ($4.90-$12.75 choose a size)
A small, perennial, evergreen with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers. Native to the Mediterranean region. It has a long history of medicinal and culinary use, and in modern times as an ornamental garden plant. As a kitchen herb, sage has a slight peppery flavor.
Gotu Kola
$15.90
Native to the wetlands of Asia, it is used as a culinary vegetable. Gotu Kola is an aquatic plant so will require regular water when growing away from a wetland environment.
Water Celery
$17.90
Water Celery is a perennial bog plant with a strong celery flavour that becomes milder with cooking. It grows to 60 cm when in flower in most areas of Australia. The leaves and tender stems are eaten raw in salads, used in soups, or to flavour rice; the white roots are also edible. It spreads rapidly to form a dense mat and prefers full sun to a partially shaded position.Weed Warning: Care should be taken to keep it out of natural watercourses
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Kangkong ( Water Spinach )
$3.95 ($2.95-$3.95 choose a size)
The leaves and stem are soft and edible. The stem is hollow, green and purple in colour while the flowers are white and purple in the centre. The leaves are heart shaped and the seeds are dark brown.
Malabar Spinach - Green
$4.90
Grows well under full sunlight in hot, humid climates. Growth is slow in low temperatures resulting in low yields. It grows best in sandy loam soils rich in organic matter with pH ranging from 5.5 to 8.0. Leaves are high in vitamin A, vitamin c, iron and calcium. Malabar spinach may be used to thicken soups or as a leafy green in stir fries.A green stemmed selection that does not seed as readily as the red.
Mushroom - Tan Oyster Grow Kit
$39.95
The oyster mushroom is frequently used in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cookery as a delicacy: it is frequently served on its own, in soups, stuffed, or in stir-fry recipes with soy sauce. Oyster mushrooms are sometimes made into a sauce, used in Asian cooking, which is similar to oyster sauce. The mushroom's taste has been described as a mild with a slight odor similar to anise. The oyster mushroom is best when picked young Best Temperature Range : Low: 10-21 C fruiting temperature
Achiote - Bixa
$14.90 ($4.95-$14.90 choose a size)
Also known as annatto or the Lipstick tree, originates from South America and has spread in popularity to many parts of Asia. It is very popular in Philippine cooking. Grows and a dense small tree or shrub. The heart shaped fruits are brown or reddish brown at maturity, and are covered with short stiff hairs. When fully mature the fruits split open exposing the numerous dark red seeds. While the fruit itself is not edible, the orange-red pulp that covers the seed is used as a commercial food colouring and dye (similar to turmeric). The achiote dye is prepared by stirring the seeds in water, and is popular in South America and Asia to colour rice, desserts, butter, cheese, and many other foods. In the Philippine Islands the seeds are ground and used as a condiment. Tree is extremely beautiful in full flowering and fruiting. Can be grown in a container, prefers a frost-free climate.
Aibika
$14.90
This plant is a short-lived perennial shrub in the subtropics and the tropics but an annual in cooler climates. It grows 2 - 3 m high with large, nearly round, soft green leaves. Young leaves and shoots may be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, stir-fried or added to soups. The large soft leaves can be used to wrap food, similar to vine or cabbage leaves. As the leaves cook quickly, add them last to steamed veges or stir-fry. The leaves contain mucilage, which can give a slightly slimy feel in the mouth. It is a hardy plant that thrives when it is warm and wet. It prefers full sun but will grow in partial shade. Aibika needs ample water and rich, fertile soil that is kept mulched. It is a very nutritious vegetable; the leaves are high in vitamins A and C, and iron, and have 2% protein by dry weight. Weed Warning: Annual types flower and self-sow readily and have the potential to become quite weedy; their seedpods are also very prickly so are best avoided.
Aloe Vera
$14.75 ($12.90-$14.75 choose a size)
The healing powers of the Aloe Vera plant have been known throughout the civilised world for centuries. While considered by many to be a member of the cactus family it is actually a member of a family related to asparagus along with onion and garlic.It is a perennial herb with thick, succulent, pointed, basal leaves. The leaves are a grey-green to reddish colour and are sometimes spotted. The margins are slightly pink with pale teeth; flowers orange in terminal, elongated clusters.Currently known as Aloe barbadensis it is now agreed that Aloe vera can take precedence. That's much easier for us to remember and the vera distinguishes the more popular garden aloe from that of the A. maculata which is a much larger and more vigorous plant that has become naturalised in the eastern and southern parts of the continent.
Arrowroot
$17.90 ($4.95-$17.90 choose a size)
An edible Canna similar in appearance to its close relative the ornamental Cannas. Another of the Ancient Inca food crops, it was one of the first plants to have been domesticated in the Andean region. A popular crop in the market place in Peru and Ecuador. The large round red rhizomes can be eaten raw, cooked as you would a potato or used as a flour and thickening agent. Excellent carbohydrate, the starch is easily digested and is a promising food source. The young shoots can also be eaten as a green vegetable. The plant is easy to plant, to grow and to harvest. While the tubers multiply prolifically in deep rich friable soil, they are the most hardy of all the tuber crops and grow well in soils where most other tubers will not grow. Has few problems with pests and diseases. Can be harvested after 6 months. Will tolerate heat and light frosts.
Basil - Cinnamon
$2.95
Has a spicy, fragrant aroma and flavor. Cinnamon basil is an easy-to-grow herb. It requires six to eight hours of bright sunlight per day. Cinnamon basil has somewhat narrow, slightly serrated, dark green, shiny leaves with reddish-purple veins, which can resemble certain types of mint, and produces small, pink flowers. Cinnamon basil is used in teas and baked goods such as cookies and pies. It is also used in pastas, salads, jellies, and vinegar.
Basil - Holy
$3.95
Slender green leaves, hairy purplish stem, musky and slightly mint scent, often grown in houses, gardens and near temples in India, said to be a tonic aiding digestion, use in salads.
Basil - Sweet
$2.95
Regularly, the more you harvest the more it will produce. If kept warm and harvested often you may even get 10 months worth of Basil leaves. Choose a sunny site with well-drained soil, amend with well-rotted manure or compost. Basil Sweet, originally from India, is best known as a culinary herb prominently featured in Italian cuisine, and also plays a major role in the Northeast Asian cuisine of Taiwan and the Southeast Asian cuisines of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Depending on the species and cultivar, the leaves may taste somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, often sweet smell.
Basil - Thai
$3.95
A type of sweet basil native to Southeast Asia that has been cultivated to provide distinctive traits. Its flavor is more stable under high or extended cooking temperatures than that of sweet basil. Thai basil exhibits small, narrow leaves and purple stems, with a mauve flower.
Basil- Perennial
$14.90 ($4.90-$14.90 choose a size)
Perennial Basil is a vigorous and bushy plant growing all year round in frost free areas. It is a fast growing bee attracting herb with a spicy flavour. The leaves have a stronger taste then regular basil.
Bay Tree
$79.00 ($14.90-$79.00 choose a size)
This handsome pyramid shaped tree makes a superb tub specimen, hedging plant or topiary sculpture due to its positive response to pruning. The leaves of the bay are used as a popular culinary seasoning used in all types of cooking.
Betel Leaf
$17.75
The spicy leaves can be eaten raw and cooked.The attractive leaves can be used to wrap tasty foods such as spiced rice and ginger. Soaking the leaves in cold water with a little sugar for 2 hours before use subtly alters the flavour. The white flower spikes develop into a small fruit that can be eaten. Betel leaf has many traditional medicinal uses.Betel leaf is an evergreen, perennial creeper to 90 cm. It has shiny heart-shaped leaves with small white flower spikes. It prefers a rich, well-drained soil with partial shade. It likes to be kept moist but does not tolerate water-logging. Frost will damage the leaves but not kill the plant once it is well established. It makes a good ground cover under trees in subtropical and tropical areas. It grows vigorously in the right position and because of its habit of suckering can be difficult to remove. It can be grown successfully in colder areas in a hanging basket or large pot and moved to a warm, sheltered position in winter. Betel leaf is a different plant to Betel pepper Piper betle, which is chewed with betel nut.
Bitter Leaf
$14.90
A small shrub from tropical Africa that grows 2-5m. The bitter leaves are used in soups and stews.
Brazilian Sissoo Spinach
$15.90
A low growing perennial leaf vegetable, which forms a neat mound to 30 cm high, rather than spreading in a mat. This growth habit makes it a handy plant for edging paths, especially in partial shade as it is quite shade-tolerant. It is suitable for subtropical and tropical areas only; it is unlikely to do well further south than Sydney. It will tolerate most soils although it prefers a moderate to rich loam, it dislikes water logging. Plant in full sun to medium shade. Use it steamed or stir-fried rather than in salads.
Cacao
$40.95 ($19.75-$40.95 choose a size)
The cacao is a tropical tree native to the Amazon region of South America. It grows well in tropical Australia. Cacao is the source of chocolate, cocoa and cocoa butter, the fermented seeds are roasted, cracked and ground into a powder. Benefits from hand pollination.
Cardamom
$34.00 ($19.75-$34.00 choose a size)
A pungent, aromatic, herbaceous perennial. The green three sides seed pods are popular in Indian and Asian cooking and can be used whole or ground into a spice.The flowers are white to lilac or pale violet, produced in a loose spike 30 to 60 cm long.
Cardamon Ginger
$14.90
Cardamon ginger is a leafy ginger-like plant that grows in clumps and makes an excellent low screen, it adds a tropical feel to any garden. While the seeds don't resemble true cardamon the leaves can be used in desserts, to add flavour when steaming rice or used to wrap fish. Leaves are also delicious when infused to make spiced tea's, infuse one cardamon leaf, two sticks of lemon grass and one chopped chilli for a winter warmer.
Carob
$32.95 ($17.90-$32.95 choose a size)
This elegant tree is often referred to as fake chocolate due to its similarities to cocoa in taste and texture. A Mediterranean tree, favouring arid conditions. Seedlings can be Male, Female, or bisexual. Prefers well drained soil.
Carob - Clifford
$119.00 ($49.00-$119.00 choose a size)
This one of the two available HERMAPHRODITES (self pollinating) which makes it a must for all orchards. The medium size beans are of good quality with 50%+ sugar content. An early fruit bearer on young trees. Yields are excellent with irrigation. This is the best variety we have.
Cassava
$14.90 ($14.75-$14.90 choose a size)
Cassava is a shrubby plant growing to about 1-3m, with thin stems and attractive large palm-shaped leaves. A perennial shrub cassava produces a high yield of tuberous roots in 6 months to 3 years after planting. The tubers are the main part that is eaten, but the leaves can be enjoyed as a vegetable dish.Cassava is an important daily source of starch for 300-600 million of the poorest people around the world. It is among the most productive uses of subsistence land, producing 40% more starch than rice, and 25% more than maize..Note that all cassava is poisonous!! In some bitter varieties, all parts of the plant are laced with a highly toxic poison (hydrocyanic or prussic acid). Sweet varieties have lower or marginal concentrations of the toxin. But the more toxic varieties produce bigger tubers! Plants from the tropics have evolved toxins as a defense against predators more so than those from temperate climates which is why they require cooking in order to eat them. Thorough cooking dispels or denatures the harmful toxins, and makes the remaining portion safe to eat.Powdered cassava is treated like a flour and made into cakes, unleavened bread, pasta, crackers. Sliced cassava is also made into crisps. Flat bread made from cassava meal can keep for a year without spoiling. Dried chips or pellets are used as animal feed.Young tender leaves are rich in Vitamin B and protein, but also has more of the toxins. They are eaten as a vegetable. Like the tubers, they have to be properly cooked to remove their toxins.
Cassava - Variegated
$14.90
Colourful cassava that boasts bright green and creamy white to bright, sunny yellow leaves highlighted with red petioles. Its palmate leaves add both colour and a tropical feel to the garden. It can be grown year round in the tropics and subtropics and as an annual in cooler regions as the roots will send up shoots in the spring. Both the leaves and roots are edible but are also poisonous so must be cooked correctly.Toxicity warning - Cassava must be prepared before it is eaten as it contains cyanide. Boil leaves for 10 minutes and roots for 20 minutes. Discard the water.
Chaya - Spinach Tree
$14.90
Young leaves and the thick, tender stem tips are cut and boiled as a spinach. It is a tasty vegetable, and is exceptionally high in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin A. However, raw chaya leaves are toxic as they contain a glucoside that can release toxic cyanide. Cooking is essential prior to consumption to inactivate the toxic components and must be cooked before being eaten. Traditionally leaves are immersed and simmered for 20 minutes and then served with oil or butter. Cooking for 20 minutes or more will render the leaves safe to eat. Chaya leaves can be harvested continuously as long as no more than 50% of the leaves are removed from the plant, which guarantees healthy new plant growth.Caution: Toxic unless simmered for at least 20 minutes.
Chilli - Bali Cabe
$7.90
A very decorative chilli often holding fruit of many colours at one time. It is a bush plant with fruits that start of green and white before turning orange/red when fully ripe. The chillis are mid heat 7/10 with a great flavour. Essential for Indonesian cuisine, in Bali the tern cabe means chilli and is pronounced chabey.
Chilli - Bell
$12.90 ($11.90-$12.90 choose a size)
A very attractive bell shaped chilli which is medium to hot flavoured and excellent for pickling. Perennial in warmer climates.
Chilli - Birds Eye
$14.75 ($3.95-$14.75 choose a size)
The fruits are red, yellow, purple or black. Pungent, hot and spicy. The flowers are greenish white or yellowish white. Can be called the Thai Chilli as well. The plant can grow up to 2m tall however very easily stays small especially in pots. It's origins are from Mexico however it is most famous for being used in Vietnamese cooking in soups, stir fries and salads. Thai cuisine commonly uses this chilli and it is because it has a fruity taste and an extreme spiciness. Many of the Thai curries are centred around the flavour of the Birds Eye chilli and it has become so common in Thai cooking that it is often just called the Thai chilli. Because they go well in pots many people who couldn't grow these fruits outside in colder climates can keep them protected and enjoy them fresh rather than store bought.
Chilli - Jalapeno
$12.90
A high yielding, very popular chilli with medium heat levels. Prominent chilli in Mexican cuisine. It can be picked green or left to mature to a rich red colour. It can be cooked, dried, pickled or eaten fresh
Chilli - Rocoto Tree
$17.90 ($17.90-$17.90 choose a size)
The Rocoto Tree Chilli also has another common name of Hotlips there is no question of the heat in these perennial chillies. The fruit matures from green to red and ranges in heat from medium hot to very hot depending on the weather. The shrub will fruit abundantly for many years. The deep rich chilli flavour is accentuated when dry roasted in a pan or directly over a flame.
Chilli - Serrano
$15.90 ($2.95-$15.90 choose a size)
Green in colour at first, and ripens to red, brown, orange, or yellow. 5 times hotter than the jalapeno, they don't need to be steamed or peeled before using, making it the easiest chilli to use for salsas.
Chilli - Yellow Cayenne
$7.90
A mild chili which has a sweet taste. Yellow Cayenne chillies are ideal in Asian dishes and can be used for pickling. Chillies are long capsicum like up to 100mm changing from green to yellow then red on full maturity.
Chilli - Yellow Habanero
$14.90 ($4.90-$14.90 choose a size)
A mild chilli which has a sweet taste. Yellow Cayenne chillies are ideal in Asian dishes and can be used for pickling. Chillies are long capsicum like up to 100mm changing from green to yellow then red on full maturity.
Chinese Artichoke (10)
$14.90 ($0.50-$14.90 choose a size)
This is a groundcover plant that produces small, white, knobbly tubers in winter after the foliage dies down. The tubers have a delicate flavour, being slightly sweet and nutty, they add crunch to salads and stir-fries and are popular as a novelty vegetable. Can be eaten raw or cooked. Water well in summer. Can spread if given good conditions but are easily controlled by fencing them off and letting the chooks in for a day or two. Even tiny bits grow into full sized plants.
Chinese Keys
$12.90 ($12.90-$12.90 choose a size)
A tropical perennial growing to 50 - 70cm high. Leaves die back in frost. It is the fat swollen roots that are sought after in this species and not the rhizome. The succulent roots are used to flavour many kinds of food either added raw or cooked. They are also sold in a pickled form in Indonesia & Thailand. Young leaves & shoots are also eaten. Formerly listed as Boesenbergia panduratum.
Chinese Yam
$14.90
A perennial climbing vine native to China. The edible tubers can be eaten raw after briefly soaking in vinegar, it is starchy and bland in flavour. It is cold hardy and its weedy habit needs to be considered when planting to prevent it spreading into bushland. The cinnamon scented flowers give it its alternative name, cinnamon vine.
Choko - Green
$17.90 ($4.90-$17.90 choose a size)
A vigorous vine with large green fruit cooked as a popular vegetable. Very versatile and often used as a pear and apple substitute or supplement in cooking. Very hardy.
Cinnamon Tree
$49.00 ($29.00-$49.00 choose a size)
Highly ornamental tree and the source of cinnamon spice. The spice itself is the bark that is peeled from the branches after 2 years. Scrape the bark leave for a day so that the inner bark curls into cinnamon sticks as it dries. The base of the leaf can be chewed for a cinnamon flavour. Cinnamon is a very elegant and useful aromatic, much kinder to the palate than the other spice trees.
Comfrey
$15.90
This well-known showy plant is a member of the Borage and Forget-me-not tribe, Boraginaceae. A hardy perennial, its large leaves are rough and hairy all over. Comfrey thrives in almost any soil or situation, but does best in moist conditions. A useful plant it can be used with great success as a liquid manure, activator for compost heaps, a weed barrier or attractive understory plant.
Popular in Category: Herbs, Spices & Perennial Vegetables
Special
Yacon - Apple of the Earth
$17.75 ($1.95-$17.75 choose a size)
Also known as the 'Earth Apple' this is one of the ancient crops of the Inca's. This relative of the sunflower is popular to the people of Columbia, Ecuador and Argentina. The plant produces large tubers similar in appearance to sweet potatoes, but they have a much sweeter taste and crunchy flesh. The tubers can be eaten raw as a refreshing treat on their own, finely sliced and mixed into salads,boiled or baked, fried as chips or prepared as a pickle. There is also commercial interest as a flavouring for yoghurt. They are sweet, juicy and almost calorie free. The main stem can also be used like celery. The texture and flavour have been described as a cross between a fresh apple and watermelon. The plants are vigorous, herbaceous, perennial and extremely hardy tolerating hot summers, drought and poor soils. The foliage of the plant dies back in the winter after flowering at which time the tubers are harvested carefully to avoid damage to the tubers. They tend to continue sweetening if left in a cool dry and dark place for a week or two before consumption. The offsets are then replanted for the next season.
Special
Green Globe Artichoke
$12.90 ($9.75-$12.90 choose a size)
A perenial thistle from the Mediterranean region, the flowers are picked when immature and only the heart of the bud and the fleshy base of the leaves are edible. Green globes have large flowering heads, suitable for warm climates. They require a sunny position that is generously fertilized.Most common variety grown in Australia.
Rosemary
$12.90 ($9.90-$12.90 choose a size)
A woody perennial herb with aromatic fragrant needle like leaves, native to the Mediterranean region. Rosemary is a member of the mint family, the name rosemary comes from the Latin rosmarinus, meaning dew of the sea, apparently because they are often found growing by the sea.
Mint - Chocolate
$9.90 ($2.95-$9.90 choose a size)
Chocolate Mint is a medium growing mint reaching up to 60cm tall, with a spreading nature up to 60cm. The large ovate leaves are a dark bronze-green, with deep reddish-purple stems. The lilac-purple flowers appear in summer and open from the bottom of the false whorl, progressing to the top of the inflorescence. The aroma and flavour are open to interpretation. Some people describe the taste as like peppermint with chocolate undertones, while others cannot detect the chocolate flavour at all. The parent plant is Peppermint, so this is the main flavour with the chocolate being a novelty. Nibbling the leaves is a sure way to find out whether your palate can detect the subtle difference.
Curry Plant
$14.75 ($14.75-$14.75 choose a size)
The young shoots and leaves are stewed in Mediterranean meat, fish or vegetable dishes until they have imparted their flavour, and removed before serving. It grows on dry, rocky or sandy ground around the Mediterranean region. The stems are woody at the base and can reach 60cm or more in height. The clusters of yellow flowers are produced in Summer, they retain their colour after picking and are used in dried flower arrangements.
