Thanks to the enormous kindness of a friend, I yesterday received from Germany no fewer than 5000 Neem seeds.
What's Neem? It's a legendary plant from Asia. Its leaves especially are a fabled 'cure all' for every manner of human ailment and garden affliction. Dandruff, mouth odour, veruccas, pest control, insect repellant, weed killer... you name it. (And the fruit is delicious too.) It's so valuable that a US firm tried to patent the seed! (Didn't work.)
It grows in the tropics as a 30-foot shade tree, and in temperate climes grows indoors as a bushy indoor plant. It will also grow outdoors in a - well-insulated - polytunnel.
In the UK, there's one at the HDRA, plus three at Kew Gardens, and one - wot I gave him - in Bob Flowerdew's banana polytunnel. But otherwise, this incredible plant is totally unheard of in the UK or Europe!
You can read more about Neem at www.neemfoundation.org
The seed doesn't store. It should stay viable for another two months, but - given postal delays already - it needs to be germinated quickly.
So if you would like some free Neem seed, please e-mail me - quickly! Simply give me your snail mail address. I won't be mailing the seed much after October, because its viability will decline, I suspect.
No, there's no catch - you can check me out (John Yeoman) at Daves Garden. (When you receive the seed, a postage stamp or two, or a Euro note, to defray my postage is all I request.) Fact is, I just can't bear to see that rare seed wasted. There's no way I can propagate 5000 Neem seeds by myself - in ten days!
Big caveat: I can't legally mail these seeds into the US or Australia, because of phytosanitation laws. But US folk can get Neem in the US from: www.neemtreefarms.com
Ask for Vicki and say John Yeoman sent you! (These are lovely people.)
Anyone like some free Neem seed?
Thanks for posting this and the links.
I am new the this forum and had never heard of it.
I've been looking for plants to grow in my appartment that are particularly good at helping to control polution.
I'll be ordering a seedling early next month.
Thanks again.
Edited in an attempt to correct grammar! lol
This message was edited Oct 21, 2003 1:40 PM
John, you have mail.
Hi
I tried to reach vicky through their email link and I am getting a relay error message on her email address. I will mail you and maybe you can send me a better mail address for her.
Thanks
Alice
John,
You ALWAYS have the most interesting variety of seeds! Please add me to the list of curious gardeners. I'll send you a link to my trading page.
Cheers,
Shirley
And the wood of the tree is excellent for using in construction, strong and resistant to termites.