Franchi Seeds - Seeds from Italy

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Camille's current gardening thread made me think of this company, but I didn't want to derail her thread. Franchi Seeds is an old Italian company (1783!) that sells in the US as Seeds from Italy, growitalian.com . They bring the packets into the US in bulk, then ship from Lawrence, Kansas. WaterWitchin - do they have a retail outlet?

Americans nowadays have a very limited selection of vegetable seed in garden centers. Of course more are available online, but the quantity of seed in each packet has become minuscule. Not so with this company!

I love endive and chicory. They have much more flavor than lettuce, and are also good sauteed. Franchi sells multiple varities of both, and mixed packets, plus many other vegetables and flowers. The packets are larger in dimension than those we normally see, and have a huge number of seeds. I would guess one packet of endive seed could feed an entire apartment complex all season.

In Phoenix, Fall through Spring are the seasons for many vegetables other people grow in the Summer. This season I planted endives, chicories and fennel (finocchio.) I'm very pleased.

And yes, they sell cardoon seed.

They don't sell orchids. (<---- orchid related content in post)