Granted that careful planting of a small packet of seeds sometimes gives more results than a haphazard planting of a much greater number of the same seeds, yet still, it is nice to have access to larger quantities of seeds. Often labor and materials may be minimized and plant happiness maximized by planting directly in the garden or field, and this requires more seeds than when one uses a more controlled greenhouse technique. Also, those of you planning commercial grows in larger greenhouses need more seed.
When I started making larger lots of seeds available for general distribution, I wanted to provide the kind of service that I needed 30 years ago when I started wholesale planting of medicinal herbs. It was hard to find, for instance, marshmallow seeds, no less top quality certified organic marshmallow seeds in bulk. I am excited to now be able to provide this service! As a seed planter, I find it to be very useful to know both the weight of the seed I’m using as well as the seed count, so have provided this information, which should make it easier to plan your purchase.
In order to assist our seed planting friends, here is a handy reference. These are average seed counts per gram weight that have been compiled over the last 30 years by herbalist Richard A (Richo) Cech.
Click here to download/print the list for your reference.
Latin Name | Common Name | Av. Seeds Per Gram |
Abelmoschus esculentus | Okra | 19 seeds per gram |
Achillea millefolium | Yarrow | 1,700 seeds per gram |
Acmella oleracea | Spilanthes | 700 seeds per gram |
Agastache foeniculum | Licorice Mint | 2,800 seeds per gram |
Agrimonia eupatoria | Agrimony | 60 seeds per gram |
Ajuga reptans | Bugle | 700 seeds per gram |
Alcea rosea | Hollyhock | 95 seeds per gram |
Alchemilla vulgaris | Lady’s Mantle | 2,700 seeds per gram |
Aletris farinosa | Unicorn, True | 24,000 seeds per gram |
Alkanna orientalis | Alkanet, Oriental | 220 seeds per gram |
Allium cepa | Onion | 325 seeds per gram |
Allium fistulosum | Onion, Welsh | 430 seeds per gram |
Allium schoenoprasum | Chives | 700 seeds per gram |
Allium ursinum | Bear’s Garlic | 130 seeds per gram |
Aloe ferox | Aloe, Cape | 360 seeds per gram |
Althaea officinalis | Marshmallow | 510 seeds per gram |
Amaranthus cruentus | Amaranth | 1,200 seeds per gram |
Ammi visnaga | Khella | 1400 seeds per gram |
Andrographis paniculata | Andrographis | 600 seeds per gram |
Anemone pulsatilla | Pulsatilla | 400 seeds per gram |
Anethum graveolens | Dill | 700 seeds per gram |
Angelica archangelica | Angelica, Official | 200 seeds per gram |
Angelica keiskei koidzumi | Ashitaba | 140 seeds per gram |
Anthriscus cerefolium | Chervil | 600 seeds per gram |
Anthyllis vulneraria | Vetch, Kidney | 310 seeds per gram |
Apium graveolens | Celery | 2,000 seeds per gram |
Apocynum cannibinum | Indian Hemp | 760 seeds per gram |
Arctium lappa | Burdock, gobo | 105 seeds per gram |
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | Uva-ursi , Bearberry | 120 seeds per gram |
Aristolochia serpentaria | Virginia Snakeroot | 120 seeds per gram |
Arnica chamissonis | Arnica, Meadow | 2,000 seeds per gram |
Arnica montana | Arnica, Mountain | 700 seeds per gram |
Artemisia absinthium | Wormwood, Absinthe | 14,000 seeds per gram |
Artemisia annua | Sweet Annie | 17,000 seeds per gram |
Artemisia scoparia | Wormwood, Redstem | 26,000 seeds per gram |
Artemisia vulgaris | Mugwort, common | 14,000 seeds per gram |
Asclepias spp. | Milkweed | 200 seeds per gram |
Asparagus officinalis | Asparagus | 50 seeds per gram |
Asparagus racemosus | Shatavari | 31 seeds per gram |
Astragalus membranaceus | Astragalus, Huang-qi | 250 seeds per gram |
Atropa belladonna | Belladonna | 950 seeds per gram |
Avena sativa | Oats | 36 seeds per gram |
Beta vulgaris | Beet | 70 seeds per gram |
Borago officinalis | Borage | 60 seeds per gram |
Brassica oleracea | Cabbage | 245 seeds per gram |
Brassica oleracea | Collard | 270 seeds per gram |
Brassica oleracea | Kale | 300 seeds per gram |
Calendula officinalis | Calendula | 120 seeds per gram |
Camelina sativa | Camelina | 600 seeds per gram |
Campanula rapunculus | Rapunzel | 48,000 seeds per gram |
Capsella bursa-pastoris | Shepherd’s Purse | 10,000 seeds per gram |
Capsicum spp. | Peppers | 240 seeds per gram |
Carnegia gigantea | Cactus, Giant Saguaro | 700 seeds per gram |
Carthamus tinctorius | Safflower | 24 seeds per gram |
Carum carvi | Caraway | 370 seeds per gram |
Caulophyllum thalictroides | Blue Cohosh | 3 seeds per gram |
Centauria cyanus | Cornflower | 250 seeds per gram |
Centaurium erythraea | Centaury | 80,000 seeds per gram |
Ceratonia siliqua | Carob | 7 seeds per gram |
Chamaelirium luteum | Unicorn, False | 1,800 seeds per gram |
Chamaemelum nobile | Chamomile, Roman | 7,200 seeds per gram |
Chelidonium majus | Celandine, Greater | 1,600 seeds per gram |
Chenopodium album | Lamb’s Quarters | 1,350 seeds per gram |
Chenopodium quinoa | Quinoa | 350 seeds per gram |
Cichorium spp. | Chicory | 900 seeds per gram |
Cimicifuga (Acteae) racemosa | Black Cohosh | 450 seeds per gram |
Cistus incanus tauricus | Tauric Rock Rose | 1,000 seeds per gram |
Citrullus lanatus | Watermelon | 12 seeds per gram |
Clinopodium grandiflorum | Catmint | 3,300 seeds per gram |
Cnicus benedictus | Thistle, Blessed | 36 seeds per gram |
Cnidium monnieri | Snow Parsley, She-chuang-zi | 1,500 seeds per gram |
Codonopsis pilosula | Codonopsis, Dang-shen | 2,500 seeds per gram |
Colchicum autumnale | Colchicum | 170 seeds per gram |
Coriandrum sativum | Cilantro, Corriander | 100 seeds per gram |
Cucumis sativus | Cucumber | 40 seeds per gram |
Cucurbita maxima | Squash, Winter | 7 seeds per gram |
Cucurbita pepo | Pumpkin | 4 seeds per gram |
Cucurbita pepo | Squash, Summer | 10 seeds per gram |
Cuminum cyminum | Cumin | 300 seeds per gram |
Cynara scolymus | Artichoke | 20 seeds per gram |
Daucus carota | Carrot, Garden | 630 seeds per gram |
Daucus carota | Queen Anne’s Lace | 1,000 seeds per gram |
Dianthus superbus | Dianthus, Qu-mai | 2,000 seeds per gram |
Dictamnus purpureus | Burning Bush | 100 seeds per gram |
Digitalis purpurea | Foxglove, Purple | 12,500 seeds per gram |
Dionaea muscipula | Venus Flytrap | 7,000 seeds per gram |
Dioscorea villosa | Yam, Wild American | 80 seeds per gram |
Diplotaxis tenuifolia | Arugula, Wild | 3,395 seeds per gram |
Dracocephalum moldavicum | Balm, Moldavian | 450 seeds per gram |
Drosera spp. | Sundew | 19,500 seeds per gram |
Echinacea angustifolia | Narrow-leaved Coneflower | 300 seeds per gram |
Echinacea pallida | Pale-purple Coneflower | 200 seeds per gram |
Echinacea paradoxa | Yellow Coneflower | 160 seeds per gram |
Echinacea purpurea | Purple Coneflower | 265 seeds per gram |
Echium vulgare | Viper’s Bugloss | 400 seeds per gram |
Emblica officinalis | Amla | 44 seeds per gram |
Epilobium angustifolium | Fireweed | 1,200 seeds per gram |
Eruca sativa | Arugula | 1,500 seeds per gram |
Eschscholzia californica | Poppy, California | 900 seeds per gram |
Euphorbia lathyris | Gopher Spurge | 23 seeds per gram |
Fagopyron esculentum | Buckwheat | 42 seeds per gram |
Feoniculum vulgare | Fennel | 300 seeds per gram |
Galium odoratum | Woodruff, Sweet | 180 seeds per gram |
Galium verum | My Ladie’s Bedstraw | 3,500 seeds per gram |
Gentiana lutea | Gentian, Yellow | 900 seeds per gram |
Glycyrrhiza uralensis | Licorice, Chinese | 130 seeds per gram |
Glycyrrhiza glabra | Licorice | 117 seeds per gram |
Grindelia sp. | Gumweed | 300 seeds per gram |
Heirochloe odorata | Sweetgrass | 1,700 seeds per gram |
Helianthus annuus | Sunflower | 13 seeds per gram |
Helichrysum italicum | Helichrusum | 14,000 seeds per gram |
Hippophaea rhamnoides | Sea Buckthorn | 90 seeds per gram |
Humulus lupulus | Hops | 270 seeds per gram |
Hydrastis canadensis | Goldenseal | 50 seeds per gram |
Hyoscyamus niger | Henbane | 1,200 seeds per gram |
Hypericum perforatum | Saint John’s Wort | 8,000 seeds per gram |
Hyssopus officinalis | Hyssop | 1,100 seeds per gram |
Inula helenium | Elecampane | 600 seeds per gram |
Iris versicolor | Iris, Blue Flag | 80 seeds per gram |
Jacaranda mimosifolia | Jacaranda | 120 seeds per gram |
Juniperus virginiana | Eastern Red Cedar | 91 seeds per gram |
Lactuca virosa | Lettuce, Wild | 1,200 seeds per gram |
Lagenaria siceraria | Gourd | 8 seeds per gram |
Lavandula angustifolia | Lavender, English | 1,200 seeds per gram |
Levisticum officinale | Lovage | 350 seeds per gram |
Ligusticum porteri | Osha | 300 seeds per gram |
Linum usitatissimum | Flax | 260 seeds per gram |
Lobelia inflata | Lobelia, Official | 18,000 seeds per gram |
Lomatium | Lomatium dissectum | 60 seeds per gram |
Lophophora williamsii | Peyote | 2,000 seeds per gram |
Lycium barbarum | Goji | 1,000 seeds per gram |
Lycopersicon esculentum | Tomato | 315 seeds per gram |
Lycopus europaeus | Gypsywort, Bugleweed | 3,500 seeds per gram |
Maclura pomifera | Osage Orange | 25 seeds per gram |
Malva sylvestris | Mallow, High | 120 seeds per gram |
Mandragora autumnalis | Mandrake, Autumn | 150 seeds per gram |
Mandragora officinalis | Mandrake, Official | 36 seeds per gram |
Marrubium vulgare | Horehound, White | 1,100 seeds per gram |
Matricaria recutita | Chamomile, German | 7,500 seeds per gram |
Medicago sativa | Alfalfa | 1,700 seeds per gram |
Melissa officinalis | Lemon Balm | 2,000 seeds per gram |
Mentha piperita | Mint, Peppermint | 12,500 seeds per gram |
Mentha pulegium | Pennyroyal | 12,000 seeds per gram |
Mentha requienii | Mint, Corsican | 27,000 seeds per gram |
Mentha spicata | Mint, Spearmint | 12,500 seeds per gram |
Monarda spp. | Bergamot | 2,300 seeds per gram |
Myrrhis odorata | Sweet Cicily, Garden Myrrh | 23 seeds per gram |
Nasturtium officinale | Watercress | 2,000 seeds per gram |
Nepeta cataria | Catnip | 2,000 seeds per gram |
Nicotiana tabacum | Tobacco | 10,000 seeds per gram |
Nigella sativa | Black Seed | 400 seeds per gram |
Ocimum africanum | Tulsi, Temperate | 1,580 seeds per gram |
Ocimum bailicum | Basil, Thai | 1,100 seeds per gram |
Ocimum basilicum | Basil, Genovese | 660 seeds per gram |
Ocimum minimum | Basil, Greek | 750 seeds per gram |
Ocimum tenuiflorum | Tulsi, Tropical | 2,200 seeds per gram |
Oenothera biennis | Evening primrose | 400 seeds per gram |
Origanum majorana | Marjoram | 5,000 seeds per gram |
Origanum vulgare | Oregano, Common | 9,500 seeds per gram |
Paeonia sp. | Peony, Garden | 9 seeds per gram |
Panax quinquefolius | Ginseng, American | 14 seeds per gram |
Papaver rhoeas | Poppy, Flanders | 10,000 seeds per gram |
Papaver somniferum | Poppy, somniferum | 2,000 seeds per gram |
Parthenium integrifolium | Wild Quinine | 340 seeds per gram |
Passiflora incarnata | Passionflower | 30 seeds per gram |
Perilla frutscens | Shiso | 900 seeds per gram |
Petasites palmatus | Butterbur | 3,000 seeds per gram |
Petroselinum crispum | Parsley | 500 seeds per gram |
Phaseolus vulgaris | Bean | 6 seeds per gram |
Phytolacca americana | Poke | 90 seeds per gram |
Pimpinella anisum | Anise | 400 seeds per gram |
Pisum sativum | Peas | 6 seeds per gram |
Plantago lanceolata | Plantain, Narrow-leaved | 500 seeds per gram |
Plantago coronopus | Herba stella | 5,000 seeds per gram |
Plantago major | Plantain, Broadleaf | 4,000 seeds per gram |
Plantago psyllium | Psyllium | 1,000 seeds per gram |
Platycodon grandiflorus | Balloonflower | 1,000 seeds per gram |
Portulacca oleracea | Purslane | 2,600 seeds per gram |
Potentilla tormentilla | Cinquefoil | 800 seeds per gram |
Primula veris | Cowslip | 1,200 seeds per gram |
Prunella vulgaris | Self Heal | 1,400 seeds per gram |
Pycnanthemum virginianun | Mint, Mountain | 7,000 seeds per gram |
Raphanus sativus | Radish | 115 seeds per gram |
Rheum palmatum | Rhubarb, Turkey | 60 seeds per gram |
Rheum rhabarbarum | Rhubarb, Garden | 80 seeds per gram |
Rhodiola rosea | Rhodiola, Rose Root | 7,500 seeds per gram |
Rhubarb, Official | Rheum officinarum | 135 seeds per gram |
Ricinus communis | Castor | 2 seeds per gram |
Rosmarinus officinalis | Rosemary | 900 seeds per gram |
Rubia tinctorum | Madder | 60 seeds per gram |
Rumex acetosella | Sorrel, Sheep | 900 seeds per gram |
Rumex crispus | Dock, Yellow | 340 seeds per gram |
Ruta graveolens | Rue | 500 seeds per gram |
Salvia apiana | Sage, White | 600 seeds per gram |
Salvia columbariae | Chia, Golden, Desert | 1,200 seeds per gram |
Salvia hispanica | Chia, Mexican | 1,000 seeds per gram |
Salvia miltiorrhiza | Sage, Dan-shen | 540 seeds per gram |
Salvia officinalis | Sage, Garden | 95 seeds per gram |
Salvia przewalskii | Sage, Dan-shen Gansu | 160 seeds per gram |
Salvia sclarea | Sage, Clary | 200 seeds per gram |
Salvia spathacea | Pitcher Sage | 40 seeds per gram |
Sanguinaria canadensis | Bloodroot | 70 seeds per gram |
Saponaria officinalis | Soapwort | 600 seeds per gram |
Saposhnikovia divaricata | Fang-feng | 250 seeds per gram |
Satureja hortensis | Savory, Summer | 2,000 seeds per gram |
Satureja montana | Savory, Winter | 2,100 seeds per gram |
Scutellaria baicalensis | Skullcap, Baical | 560 seeds per gram |
Scutellaria lateriflora | Skullcap, official | 2,500 seeds per gram |
Secale cereal | Rye, Winter | 46 seeds per gram |
Sideritis syriaca | Greek Mountain tea | 600 seeds per gram |
Silybum marianum | Thistle, Milk | 36 seeds per gram |
Simmondsia chinensis | Jojoba | 1.6 seeds per gram |
Sinapis alba | Mustard, White | 170 seeds per gram |
Solidago virgaurea | Goldenrod, European | 2.000 seeds per gram |
Spinacea oleracea | Spinach | 80 seeds per gram |
Spireae (Filipendula) ulmaria | Meadowsweet | 1,500 seeds per gram |
Stachys officinalis | Wood Betony | 1,000 seeds per gram |
Stellaria media | Chickweed | 1,100 seeds per gram |
Stevia rebaudiana | Stevia | 2,500 seeds per gram |
Stillingia sylvatica | Stillingia | 40 seeds per gram |
Symphytum officinale | Comfrey, True | 90 seeds per gram |
Tagates erecta | Marigold, African | 460 seeds per gram |
Tagates lucida | Tarragon, Mexican | 1,200 seeds per gram |
Talinum paniculatum | Fame Flower, Tu-ren-shen | 3,000 seeds per gram |
Tanacetum balsamita | Costmary | 3,500 seeds per gram |
Tanacetum parthenium | Feverfew | 7,000 seeds per gram |
Tanacetum vulgare | Tansy | 8,000 seeds per gram |
Taraxacum officinale | Dandelion | 2,000 seeds per gram |
Thymus vulgaris | Thyme | 3,800 seeds per gram |
Trichosanthes kirilowii | Gourd, Snake | 5 seeds per gram |
Triconella foenum-graecum | Fenugreek | 72 seeds per gram |
Trifolium incarnatum | Clover, Crimson | 265 seeds per gram |
Trifolium pratense | Clover, Red | 1,400 seeds per gram |
Trillium spp | Trillium | 180 seeds per gram |
Tropaeolum majus | Nasturium | 7 seeds per gram |
Ulmus rubra | Elm, Slippery | 105 seeds per gram |
Urtica dioica | Nettles, Stinging | 7,000 seeds per gram |
Valerianella locusta | Mache | 450 seeds per gram |
Verbascum thapsus | Mullein, Common | 1.300 seeds per gram |
Verbascum olympicum | Mullein, Greek | 8,000 seeds per gram |
Verbena hastata | Vervain, Blue | 3,500 seeds per gram |
Verbena officinalis | Vervain, European | 2,800 seeds per gram |
Vicia faba | Bean, Fava | 1 seed per gram |
Viola tricolor | Violet, Heartsease | 1,200 seeds per gram |
Withania somnifera | Ashwagandha | 700 seeds per gram |
Xerophyllum tenax | Bear Grass | 500 seeds per gram |
Zea mays | Corn | 5 seeds per gram |
Thank you for your valuable information and work:)