Bupleurum rotundifolium Green Gold seeds

The Bupleurum rotundifolium Green Gold, also known as round-leaved bupleurum or hare's ear, is a hardy annual that produces clusters of small acid-yellow flowers surrounded by green bracts, producing a shade reminiscent of euphorbiae, and round green-blue leaves like certain eucalypti. Both beautiful and unique, magnificent in floral compositions and borders, it wonderfully enhances blue or orange blooms. This easy-to-grow plant appreciates sun or partial shade, well-drained soils, even chalky and dry ones.

The 'Green Gold' bupleurum is a horticultural improvement of a wild annual plant found in France growing in cereal fields, rubble, and roadside edges. It is native to Turkey, Central Asia, and Iran and belongs to the Apiaceae family, just like carrots and celery. 'Green Gold' is a taproot plant with upright, round, and upward-branching stems forming tufts 15 to 75 cm (6 in to 2 ft 6") tall. The full and rounded leaves surrounded by a transparent border are perfoliate, meaning that they are pierced by the main radiating veins. They often bear pink patches when young, then turn green-blue and measure 2 to 2.5 cm (0.7-1 in) in length. Flowering occurs in summer, in the form of small umbels of 4 to 8 rays formed of tiny yellow flowers. The umbels are surrounded by green bracts that protrude beyond them. This plant easily self-seeds in light and well-drained garden soil.

The round-leaved bupleurum Green Gold is used in bouquets and floral arrangements, where it surprises and works wonders. It is also a very useful plant in borders. It goes well with tall ageratums like the Timeless variety, or the orange blooms of daylilies. It is an easy plant to combine with many colours, like alchemillas.

The round-leaved bupleurum is a medicinal plant with vulnerary and astringent properties. It has become a rare species in cultivation.