Calandrinia ciliata
| Calandrinia ciliata | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Calandrinia ciliata (common name: redmaids)
Propagation: Seed - best sown in situ in spring since it strongly resents root disturbance. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 weeks at 20°c[1].
Cultivation: Prefers a hot sunny situation on a poor dry sandy soil[2].
This species is not very hardy in Britain, but it should be possible to grow it as a tender annual in this country.
Plants are intolerant of root disturbance, they are best treated as half-hardy annuals and sown in situ in late spring[3]. In frosty climates this species can become a self-sowing annual, the seed germinating in spring[4].
Range: South-western N. America - California. S. America - Peru.
Habitat: Open grassy places and cultivated fields below 1800 metres in California, mainly in grassland[5].
Edibility: Leaves and young shoots - raw, cooked or used as a garnish[6][7]. A tasty salad[8]. The leaves contain oxalic acid and so some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
Seed - raw or ground into a meal[6][7]. The seed can also be cooked as a piñole[9]. The seed is very small and fiddly to harvest, especially since it ripens intermittently over a period of several weeks[K]. However, it is rich in oil and was often collected in large quantities by native North American Indian tribes[9].
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The plant contains oxalic acid, so it should only be used in moderation[10]. Oxalic acid can lock up certain of the nutrients in food and, if eaten in excess, can lead to nutritional deficiencies. It is, however, perfectly safe in small amounts and its a
Also Known As: C. caulescens. H.B.K.
Links
References
- ↑ Bird, R. Growing from Seed Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan, 1989.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ Munz, David. A California Flora. University of California Press, 1959.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Coffey, Timothy. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File, 1993.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Cribb, Alan and Joan Cribb. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana, 1976.