Sativa - Black Henbane – Seeds

• Historical ‘witch’s plant’: In the Middle Ages, henbane was notorious as an ingredient in so-called ‘witch’s ointments’ and was used for ritual purposes due to its powerful psychoactive effects.
• Important safety note: The entire plant is highly toxic. It contains alkaloids that can cause severe poisoning even in small quantities. It should only be grown with the utmost caution and kept out of reach of children and pets.
• Distinctive appearance: With its sticky, hairy growth habit and veined flowers, it is a fascinating sight for lovers of botanical rarities.

Cultivation & Location

Black henbane is a pioneer plant often found on roadsides or in rubbish dumps:

• Location: Prefers full sun with nutrient-rich, fairly loose soil.
• Growth: The plant grows upright and reaches a height of about 60 cm.
• Flowering period: The decorative flowers usually appear between June and September.
• Life cycle: Usually annual (occasionally biennial), but readily self-seeds under suitable conditions.

Key planting details

• Botanical name: Hyoscyamus niger
• Lifespan: Annual
• Sowing depth: 0.3–0.5 cm
• Spacing within rows: 40 cm
• Spacing between rows: 60 cm
• Special feature: Highly toxic in all parts of the plant.

Uses & significance

• Botanical collection: A valuable addition to monastery gardens, apothecary gardens or collections of historical useful plants.
• Ecology: The flowers provide a food source for specialised insects that can tolerate the plant’s constituents.
• Warning: Under no circumstances use for self-medication or experimentation! Due to fluctuating active ingredient levels, the dosage is unpredictable and life-threatening.