🌿 Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) — Organic Seeds

Common Names: Mother’s Heart, Pepper-and-Salt, Witch’s Pouch

🌱 Seed Quality Promise

All seeds sold by Yahuah’s Farm are 100% organic, non-GMO, and never chemically treated or coated.
We do not sell pelleted, dyed, chemically enhanced, or synthetic-treated seeds.
What you plant should be as pure as the medicine it becomes.

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About Shepherd’s Purse

Shepherd’s Purse is a humble yet powerful medicinal herb that has been used for centuries across Europe, Asia, and North America. Easily recognized by its tiny heart-shaped seed pods, this delicate-looking plant is incredibly resilient and often grows where other plants struggle.

It thrives in gardens, fields, cracks in sidewalks, and disturbed soils—making it one of the most adaptable herbs in the world. Though often overlooked as a “weed,” Shepherd’s Purse is truly a survival plant, offering food, medicine, and self-seeding abundance.

This is a plant of quiet strength.

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Traditional & Herbal Uses

Shepherd’s Purse has been traditionally used as:

• A classic women’s herb
• A traditional circulatory-supporting plant
• A grounding botanical
• A traditional first-aid herb
• A nourishing spring green
• A tonic plant
• A foundational wild medicine
• A traditional household remedy

The aerial parts (leaves, stems, flowers, seed pods) are traditionally used.

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Plant Characteristics

Botanical Name: Capsella bursa-pastoris
Life Cycle: Annual or biennial (self-seeding)
Growth Habit: Upright, delicate, branching
Mature Height: 6–18 inches
Mature Width: 6–10 inches
Flower Color: White
Bloom Time: Early spring through fall
Seed Pods: Distinct heart-shaped capsules
Foliage: Soft green, lobed
Attracts: Bees, beneficial insects

Shepherd’s Purse grows fast and reseeds easily.

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Growing Shepherd’s Purse from Seed

Shepherd’s Purse is extremely easy to grow and prefers cool weather.

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How to Germinate Shepherd’s Purse Seeds

Surface Sowing Recommended

Seeds need light to germinate.

1. Scatter seeds on soil surface.

2. Press gently into soil.

3. Do NOT bury deeply.

4. Keep soil lightly moist.

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Germination Time

• 5–10 days
• Very fast

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Ideal Growing Conditions

USDA Zones

Zones 3–10

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Sun

• Full sun to partial shade

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Soil

• Well-draining
• Loamy, sandy, or poor soils
• Very adaptable

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Water

• Low to moderate
• Drought tolerant once established

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Spacing

• Space plants 6–10 inches apart
• Forms light colonies

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Growth Timeline

Weeks 1–2:
• Germination

Weeks 3–5:
• Leaf growth

Weeks 6–8:
• Flowering begins

Ongoing:
• Continuous flowering
• Heavy seed production

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Harvesting

Aerial Parts

Harvest when plant is young and tender.

• Use fresh or dry

Seed Pods

Harvest when mature for seed saving.

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Seed Saving

Shepherd’s Purse self-seeds abundantly.

1. Allow pods to dry.

2. Shake seeds free.

3. Store cool, dark, and dry.

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Why Grow Shepherd’s Purse?

• Extremely easy to grow
• Heavy self-seeder
• Thrives in poor soil
• Cold tolerant
• Early spring food
• Traditional medicinal plant
• Survival herb
• Low maintenance
• Pollinator friendly