Before purchasing your seed, it is important to understand about strains of Rhodiola rosea.
Varieties and Strains
Rhodiola rosea grows in the wild in many areas of the circum-polar Northern Hemisphere. Although certain varieties or strains from different parts of the world may have slight differences in leaf and/or root shape, there is no way to tell them apart through chemical analysis. They are all the same species – Rhodiola rosea. Grown in the wild or in your backyard, they are all the same in the science of plant chemistry.
That being said, the experienced grower will stand by certain strains and not consider planting others in his soil. Rhodiola rosea has been grown commercially in Alberta for 15 years, and it now appears that some strains of R. rosea grow better in Alberta Canada than others. Even certain areas of Alberta will see better yields from specific strains. The seed you use will be an important consideration for your final yields
Strains are not the same thing as hybrids or varietals. Strains are species differences found in nature. These are changes within the the plant as it develops and responds over years/millennia to cope with its environment. Rhodiola rosea grows in the Northern Hemisphere and prefers a circum-polar environment – in others words, the colder the better. But we now know that certain strains prefer slightly different cold environments. For example, some strains are more tolerant of soils that retain moisture and others like well drained soils. All R. rosea prefer ample moisture, but they will hang in there in drought conditions, too. As we maintain communication among growers, we learn what conditions and what strains are working to produce the best quality. Some of our growers are now refusing to grow certain strains because their yields are poor. For other farmers the strain vs. yield can be reversed. And we’re only beginning to delve into the available strains.
One might say that different strains of Rhodiola rosea have adapted to different environments over the course of time. And it’s up to us to learn more about the different strains and their preferences for living and thriving. Maybe at some point in the future we can isolate and breed for the best yields, but for now we’re just trying to crack the code on what makes R. rosea flourish. Each strain has its preferences and appears to be designed for specific environments. We appreciate the hard work and commitment of our growers as we continue to learn more about this amazing plant and its diversity in nature.
Research to find the Best Strains
Growing Rhodiola commercially is in its infancy and research into strain performance under various conditions has not been attempted. Instead we have the experience of growers to guide us. Although growers around the world desire the best seed for their climate and conditions, this will take time and research.
Rhodiola Growers of Canada is currently starting and testing several different strains and will be sending out seedlings to interested growers who can help with comparisons and observations over a period of many years.
Sources for Rhodiola Seed
Although there are many seed companies which advertise ‘Rhodiola’ seed, not all of this seed will be the correct species. It is vitally important to make sure that they are selling ‘Rhodiola rosea’ seed. And once your seed has germinated, it is important for you to be able to identify the plant as being truly Rhodiola rosea.
Here is a list of seed companies which are selling Rhodiola rosea seed. The seed has been verified as Rhodiola rosea, but the quality of the plants and potential for concentration of the chemical markers for Total Rosavins and Salidroside has not been documented.
Rhodiola Growers of Canada, Olds, Alberta, Canada – several strains are available. All strains will grow in Alberta. Please email us until we get the online store working. Thank you.
Strictly Medicinal Seeds, USA – strain not yet confirmed by Rhodiola Growers with HPLC analysis
Sources for Rhodiola Seedlings
Rhodiola rosea seedlings are not available at this time.