Common Silverweed Seeds
Common Silverweed Seeds - Potentilla anserina - Argentina anserina, Silver Cinquefoil
Argentina anserina, Silver Cinquefoil
- Hardy to Zone 5
Full Sun
- Germination Tested Not tested
- Approximately 50 seeds per pack
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Common Silverweed is an edible and medicinal native plant in the rose family. It has attractive fern-like leaves and yellow flowers. The roots can be eaten raw or cooked, or dried for later, and are said to taste like parsnips, chestnuts and sweet potatoes. The roots and leaves have been used medicinally as an astringent for oral lesions and ulcers, to speed healing and alleviate pain. The whole bruised plant can be used topically as an analgesic (painkiller). It's also used as a trailside remedy for diarrhea. This plant is a bio-accumulator, similar to comfrey, and can be used to make a mineral-rich compost tea garden fertilizer or living mulch.
This is an important plant for Indigenous Peoples, and it has been cultivated in Indigenous food forests and estuaries. I believe the plants I harvested seeds from were planted and stewarded by the Indigenous groups of the area (K'ómoks, Kwalikum, and/or Snaw-naw-as Peoples). There are many other Indigenous food plants in the area, such as crabapple, rose, and black hawthorn.
Silverweed prefers moist or wet soils, and will spread via stolons and rhizomes to form an attractive ground cover. It is tolerant of salt.
The author of Urban Food Forest on Substack has been doing some interesting breeding work on this plant family to breed for larger roots. I'd recommend this blog to anyone interested in growing silverweed for food.
50% of sales from this variety go to Indigenous Food Sovereignty projects.
Growing Instructions
Growing Instructions
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
We ship seeds via Canada Post within Canada for $6 to $8 depending on weight, United States for $20, and Internationally for $20*. Live plants, bulbs, and bulbils can only be shipped within Canada. Shipping fees listed here are in Canadian dollars, and may change without notice.
Shipping in Canada
We ship seeds in Canada via regular letter mail, which is an untracked service, and usually takes 1-3 weeks to arrive once we fulfill your order, but occasionally orders take longer, especially to Ontario and East.
Customers can now opt for tracked, express shipping options at checkout if you require faster delivery.
Larger bulbs and plants are sent via tracked flat rate box.
Shipping to the US
We now require all US shoppers to obtain a Small Lot Seed Permit before we can mail your seeds. It's free to apply and you will likely be granted the permit instantly. We appreciate if you can email us your permit as soon as you can after your purchase.
How to apply for your Small Seed Lot Import Permit:
- Go to https://efile.aphis.usda.gov/s/
- Select PPQ-587 in the dropdown menu and click "Get Started".
- Login and follow the instructions to obtain a permit.
- Under the
Commodity Type drop down, make sure you select the "Small Lots of Seed". See screenshot below.
- It's best to list "Eligible Taxa" instead of listing all the species you'd like to import so you don't need to worry about missing any species you ordered.
- Once you receive your permit, promptly email us 2 documents: a copy of your permit and a copy of the yellow/green shipping labels. Tell us if which USDA station you want us to send the seeds to. If not mentioned we will choose one. Our email is grow@cicadaseeds.ca
- We are not able to send any pepper or tomato seeds, or any live plant materials to the US due to restrictions.
What happens next?
After receiving your documentation, we will mail your seeds to an inspection facility in the US. We will ship via tracked parcel, and you will receive the tracking number when your order has shipped. Orders will be mailed first to a plant inspection facility in the US, then they forward the package on to your address after inspection. Tracking is only available to the inspection facility, not to your address.
The mail and inspection process can take several weeks, depending on how long the inspection takes. Unfortunately we are not able to replace packages that are confiscated or destroyed by customs, or for any duties or tariffs placed on your order.
Shipping Internationally
International customers can select tracked or untracked shipping at checkout. The package will list the contents as "Garden Seeds". It is your responsibility to ensure you have the required import permit. We are not able to send any live plant materials internationally. Cicada Seeds will not be responsible for any orders held or confiscated by customs, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order.
International shipping countries include: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.
This list may change without notice. Sometimes Canada Post will not allow us to ship to certain countries due to wars or natural disasters, see this page for delivery service alerts: https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/news-and-media/service-alerts.page
Please reach out if your country is not on this list, email us and we will try to arrange an alternate shipping option.
Return Policy
If you have any issues with your order, please contact us within 60 days and we will do our best to make it right.
Ecologically Grown
Ecologically Grown
Seeds are grown ecologically without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
