Cochlearia officinalis
L.
Scurvy grass, Common scurvy-grass, Spoonwort
(c) gamlenar, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) gamlenar, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Bas Kers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves
The leaves are eaten raw and have an acrid, tarry flavour. They can be added in small quantities to salads for their high vitamin C content. The taste is pleasantly sharp to some but rather unpleasant to most, with only occasional individuals finding it agreeable.
Where to Find It
It is a cold temperate plant. It can grow in cold winter conditions. It grows in salty places. It grows in polar regions. It is best in muddy, sandy moist soils. It is resistant to frost but damaged by drought.
Alaska, Arctic, Argentina, Australia, Britain*, Denmark, Europe, Falklands, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, Scandinavia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, USA,
How to Identify
A cabbage family herb. It is a bushy plant about 50 cm tall. It spreads 50 cm wide. It can complete its life-cycle in 2 years or grow for several years. The stem is angular and furrowed. The leaves at the base are thick and fleshy. The leaves are spoon shaped. The flowers are small and white. The fruit are almost round pods. They have small reddish-brown seeds.
How to Grow
Prefers a cool shady position. Grows wild on acid or calcareous soils, but it avoids shady positions. Prefers a sandy or gritty well-drained soil. At one time this plant was commonly eaten, especially by sailors, for its high Vitamin C content which can prevent or cure scurvy. A polymorphic species, it hybridizes with C. danica and C. anglica. A good bee plant.
Propagation: Sow seed in spring or autumn in situ. Germination usually takes place within 2–3 weeks at 15°c.
Medicinal Uses
The herb is antiscorbutic, aperient, disinfectant, diuretic, and stimulant. It was highly valued by sailors and eaten daily as a preventative against scurvy on long sea voyages. Applied externally, bruised leaves are used to heal ulcers. The herb is best used fresh, though it can be harvested in late spring or early summer and dried for later use.
Other Uses
No specific other uses recorded.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Cochlearia officinalis, common scurvygrass, scurvy-grass, or spoonwort, is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. The plant acquired its common name from the observation that it cured scurvy.
Names & Synonyms
Cochleaire, Loffelkresse, Skjorbuksurt, Spoon cress
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