Forgive me for posting this here, as it isn't really Indian food related, but food related nevertheless - maybe this is more of a question for Lapis .

Does anyone know where I can buy seeds for growing 'epazote' in the UK? I think I've found a place where I can buy the dried herb online for delivery in the UK, but I'm really looking for the seeds so I can grow my own and use the fresh leaves.

It seems to be quite difficult getting hold of this herb outside of the US and Mexico.

It's a herb that's used in Mayan and Mexican cooking and that's what I want it for.

Wikipedia

About

Also, if anyone knows of places in the UK where I can buy this herb, fresh or dried then please leave a reply. So far, the only place I think I found where I can buy this in the UK is at Mexgrocer.co.uk

Epazote was apparently being grown in the RHS Kitchen Garden in Harlow Carr so it could be worth contacting them for information!

http://www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/gardens/harlowcarr/index.asp

At first glance I thought it was Chenopodium Album or bathua, a well known leaf vegetable in India and growing abundantly in every country in Europe, including my garden. It is usually pulled out as weed. I wonder if your Chenopodium has same flavour as the one growing here in UK! You will growing wild in wheat fileds and other place. I have even seen it in Russia, growing along a river. I even told the crew of a cruise liner to look out for it, they were complaining of eternal shortages of fresh vegetables, at the time of shortages of food over there.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mamta1/3957389951/?addedcomment=1#comment72157622463044272

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mamta1/3957390037/

Other names are; Fat Hen, Lamb's-quarters, Pigweed, Bathua बथुआ (Hindi), Paruppukkirai In fact, I have several recipe for this Album Bathua here on site!

The one in my garden comes up every year. I have left a couple of plants to seed, but not sure they will dry before it becomes frosty.

Mamta

Epazote is also known as pigweed.

Bathua is also known as pigweed Andrew! It grows wild in UK. Find and try some and see if that is what you are looking for.

It not only grows in cultivated fields, it also grows in wild areas, even around footpaths in UK.

I have some in my freezer and also in my garden. Look for pigweed recipe on this site.

Mamta

Botanically, Epazote is Chenopodium Ambrosioides (from memory). It looks quite like Chenopodium album (fat hen) and c. bonus-henricus (good king henry), but doesn't taste anything like the latter, I've not tried fat hen.

Maybe you could get one of our USAian friends to order some for you here

http://www.sandmountainherbs.com/epazote_wormseed.html

and send you the packet. Odette would be poifect.

ATB

Ian

@mamata Can you please tell me where in UK I can buy bathua saag? I was googling and found this thread

Hello Monalisa

I am not sure you can buy Bathua saag here in UK. However, this hardy “weed” grows wild in UK, as everywhere else in the world.

If you wait a few months, you will see it everywhere. I live in London now and see it growing as a weed on pavements/wild places on my walks . You can’t obviously use that, because of dogs wee, but if you can bring a plant home and let it grow until seeding.

Alternatively, pick it in the wild, making sure that you only pick the leaves, not pull out the plant.

without permission.

I tried buying seeds in india once, a long time ago, but they only sell them in large sacs for farmers. You are not allowed to bring loose seeds to UK, only packeted ones from seed companies.

I now look ve in a flat. Last autumn, I picked some wild seeds and put them in a pot on my balcony, let’s see if it grows!

Mamta

People on Etsy sell Epazote seeds.