Comandra richardsiana
Fernald.
Bastard Toad Flax
GBIF
University of South Florida Herbarium (USF)
University of Vermont
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit
Fruit - raw. Sweet and oily, it is delicious but only a few are produced. The fruit is about 6mm in diameter.
Where to Find It
Eastern N. America - Newfoundland to Quebec and south to Kansas.
Coming Soon
How to Identify
Comandra richardsiana is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft). It is in flower from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid soils and can grow in very acid soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
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 should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. It is quite possibly no more than a form of C. umbellata. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Requires a well-drained moisture retentive lime-free soil. A parasitic plant obtaining at least some of its nutrients from the roots of other plants, we do not know the host species.
Propagation: Seed - stratify for 3 months at 5°c and then sow in the greenhouse in a pot with a suitable host. Plant out when it is well established close to a mature host plant.
