Cochlearia officinalis
| Cochlearia officinalis | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Cochlearia officinalis (common name: scurvy grass)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 weeks at 15°c[1].
Cultivation: Prefers a cool shady position[2]. Grows wild on acid or calcareous soils, but it avoids shady positions. Prefers a sandy or gritty well-drained soil[3].
At one time this plant was commonly eaten, especially by sailors, for its high Vitamin C content which can prevent or cure scurvy[4][5].
A polymorphic species, it hybridizes with C. danica and C. anglica[6].
A good bee plant[3].
Range: Coastal and mountainous regions of western, northern and central Europe, including Britain.
Habitat: Sea cliffs and coastal marshes[7][8], it can also be found inland near salt mines or saline springs[7].
Edibility: Leaves - raw[9][10][7][8][11]. An acrid tarry flavour, it can be added in small quantities to salads for its high content of vitamin C[4][12][5]. Pleasantly sharp[6][13]. Rather less than pleasant to most tastes, though there are occasional people who like it[K].
Medicinal: The herb is antiscorbutic, aperient, disinfectant, diuretic and stimulant[14][7][15][16]. This plant was highly valued by sailors of the past and was taken in the diet daily as a preventative for scurvy on long sea trips. Applied externally, the bruised leaves are used to heal ulcers[7]. It is best used when fresh though it can also be harvested in late spring or early summer and dried for later use[7].
Pollinators: Bees, flies, beetles, self
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
Seed Ripens: Mid Summer-Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ Vilmorin-Andrieux. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Loewenfeld, Claire and Philippa Back. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Mabey, Richard. Food for Free. Collins, 1974.
- ↑ Harris, Ben. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health, 1973.
- ↑ Freethy, Ron. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press, 1985.
- ↑ Schofield, Janice. Discovering Wild Plants.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.