Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) - seeds

All parts of this plant are toxic, seeds included, even in small amounts. It contains hyoscyamine and scopolamine, tropane alkaloids with serious effects.

• Never ingest, in any form or at any dose
• Do not smoke, inhale, or prepare as an infusion or decoction
• Handle with gloves and wash your hands afterwards
• Keep out of reach of children and pets
• Do not plant near a vegetable garden, a sandpit or a play area
• In case of accidental ingestion, immediately call 15 (French emergency services) or a poison control centre

Sale restricted to adults (18 and over).

A 0.5 gram packet of seeds, roughly a thousand. They are tiny, greyish and finely pitted: pour them from a folded sheet of paper.

Sow in spring on the surface, without covering: these seeds need light to germinate. Press them onto a sandy substrate and keep moist by misting, at 18 to 20 °C. Three to four weeks of cold in the refrigerator improves the evenness of germination, which remains staggered over two to five weeks.

Transplant with gloves, in full sun, in well-drained, preferably chalky soil. It is a plant of rubble and disturbed ground: it thrives where the soil is poor and turned over.

Annual or biennial depending on the sowing date, it forms a sturdy clump 30 to 80 cm tall, entirely covered in glandular hairs that make it sticky to the touch and give it a strong, unpleasant smell. The broad funnel-shaped flowers open along stems curled like a crook, and are followed by capsules set in a hardened calyx, lined up like a row of little cups.

This is the most useful point to remember. Black henbane has larger, dull yellow flowers, clearly veined with purple, with a very dark throat. White henbane (Hyoscyamus albus) is uniformly pale yellow to cream, without the network of veins. Both are equally toxic.

The species name niger refers neither to the flower nor to the plant, but to the black throat of the corolla.

These seeds are sold as ornamental and botanical collector's seeds. They are not intended for any consumption or preparation. We provide no dosage, no preparation method and no expected effect.

Why not bury the seeds?
Because their germination is triggered by light. This is the most common cause of failure with both henbanes.

Does it self-seed?
Abundantly, and its seeds remain viable in the soil for a very long time. Cut the fruiting stems if you want to keep it in check.

Is it cold-hardy?
Yes, more so than white henbane, which is Mediterranean. It overwinters as a rosette in our climate.

What soil suits it?
Poor, well-drained, preferably chalky, in full sun. Turned-over ground suits it better than an established bed.

Also worth exploring: white henbane, henbane as a plant, and our plant folklore collection.