Chrysanthemum coronarium spatiosum

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Chrysanthemum coronarium
Light:Full Sun Part Shade
Moisture:Mesic
Soil pH:5.6-8.4
Self Pollinated
Height:4'
Blooms:Mid Summer-Early Fall
Native to:
Edible Rating:PFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating:PFAF Medicinal RatingPFAF Medicinal RatingPFAF Medicinal Rating
Tea:Yes
Poisonous

Chrysanthemum coronarium spatiosum (common name: chop-suey greens)

Propagation: Seed - surface-sow in spring to early autumn in situ. The seed usually germinates within 10 - 18 days at 15°c[1]. Successional sowings can be made at intervals of a few weeks in order to ensure a constant supply of young plants[1]. Autumn sowings succeed in mild areas[2]. An autumn sowing under cover will often supply leaves all winter[1].

Cultivation: Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[3], but it prefers a well-drained fertile soil in full sun[4][1]. It will tolerate light shade in the summer[1]. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.2 to 7.5.

Plants do not grow well at temperatures above 25°c, tending to become bitter in hot weather[1]. Plants withstand light frosts[1].

Chop suey greens are commonly cultivated as a vegetable in the Orient and are becoming better known in the West[4]. There are many named varieties[5]. It takes 4 - 5 weeks from sowing the seed to the first harvest when plants are grown on the cut and come again principle[1].

Plants often self-sow when they are well-sited and the soil is disturbed by hoeing etc[K].

Range: S. Europe.

Habitat: Cultivated ground and waste places[6].

Edibility: Young shoots and stems - raw or cooked[7][8][9][10][11]. Strongly aromatic[5][4], they are used as a flavouring or as a vegetable[1]. Cooked leaves become bitter if overcooked at a high temperature[1]. Young leaves are excellent in salads[1]. The leaves quickly wilt once they have been picked so it is best to harvest them as required[1]. They contain about 1.85% protein, 0.43% fat, 2.57% carbohydrate, 0.98% ash[12]. They are rich in vitamin B1, contain a moderate content of vitamin C and a little vitamin A[12].

Flowers - raw[11]. Blanched briefly and added to salads[5]. The centre of the flower is bitter so only the petals are normally used[1]. A fragrant pickle known as 'kikumi' is made from the petals in Japan[5].

Medicinal: The leaves are expectorant and stomachic[13]. In conjunction with black pepper it is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[14].

The flowers are aromatic, bitter and stomachic[14]. They are used as a substitute for camomile (Chamaemelum nobile)[14].

The bark is purgative, it is used in the treatment of syphilis[14].

Usage: Possibly a good companion plant, protecting neighbouring plants from caterpillars etc[Gardener's World][28/04/89]. There is a report that secretions from the roots can be effective in controlling nematodes in the soil, but this has not been substantiated[1].

Pollinators: Bees, flies, beetles, lepidoptera, self

Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.

Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.

Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Mid Fall

Flower Type: Hermaphrodite

Links

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Larkcom, Joy. Oriental Vegetables. John Murray, 1991.
  2. ↑ Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
  3. ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
  6. ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
  7. ↑ Nicholson, Barbara and Stephen Harrison. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press, 1975.
  8. ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
  9. ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
  10. ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1986.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.
  13. ↑ Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.


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