Cardamine nasturtioides
Bert.
H. Zell (via Wikimedia Commons)
Qwert1234 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Qwert1234 (via Wikimedia Commons)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves
The leaves are eaten raw and have a hot, pungent flavour that works well as an addition to salads.
Where to Find It
It is a temperate plant.
Chile, South America,
How to Identify
A perennial reaching 0.3 m (1 ft) tall, Cardamine nasturtioides flowers from April to August with seeds ripening May to September. This hermaphroditic plant is pollinated by bees, flies, and Lepidoptera, and is self-fertile. It tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils across mildly acid to basic pH ranges. The plant grows in semi-shade or full sun and thrives in consistently moist soil conditions.
How to Grow
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it could succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a moist humus rich soil in shade or semi-shade but succeeds in most soils that are not dry.
Propagation: Sow seed outdoors in a shady seedbed in April, then plant out in autumn or spring. Divide clumps in spring — larger clumps can go straight into their permanent positions, but smaller ones do better potted up in a cold frame until well rooted, then planted out in summer or the following spring.
Medicinal Uses
None known
Other Uses
None known
Wikipedia
Source ↗A perennial reaching 0.3 m (1 ft) tall, Cardamine nasturtioides flowers from April to August with seeds ripening May to September. This hermaphroditic plant is pollinated by bees, flies, and Lepidoptera, and is self-fertile. It tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils across mildly acid to basic pH ranges. The plant grows in semi-shade or full sun and thrives in consistently moist soil conditions.
Notes
There are about 160 Cardamine species. They are mostly in damp places in temperate regions. This is probably a synonym of Cardamine flaccida or C. flexuosa.
References (3)
- Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 82
- Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 161
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
