Crambe cordifolia

From Permawiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Crambe cordifolia
Light:Full Sun Part Shade
Moisture:Xeric Mesic
Hardiness:6
Soil pH:6.6-8.4
Height:7'
Width:4'
Blooms:Early Summer
Meadows
Native to:
Edible Rating:PFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating:PFAF Medicinal RatingPFAF Medicinal RatingPFAF Medicinal Rating
Tea:Yes
Poisonous

Crambe cordifolia

Propagation: Seed - sow March/April in a seedbed outdoors and either thin the plants out or move them to their permanent positions when about 10cm tall[1]. The young plants are very attractive to slugs so some protection will often be needed.

Germination can be slow so it is best to sow the seed in pots in a cold frame[2]. Germination usually takes place in 3 - 26 weeks at 15°c[2]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out into their permanent positions when they are at least 10cm tall.

Division in spring or autumn[3][1]. Dig up the root clump and cut off as many sections as you require, making sure they all have at least one growing point. The larger of these divisions can be planted out straight into their permanent positions, though small ones are best potted up and grown on in a cold frame until they are established.

Root cuttings, 3 - 10 cm long, in spring[4]. These can be planted straight into the open ground or you can pot them up in the greenhouse and plant them out once they are growing strongly.

Cultivation: An easily grown plant, succeeding in a good loam and an open sunny position[3][1][5] but also tolerating some shade[6]. Prefers a slightly alkaline soil in a position sheltered from strong winds[5]. Another place in this report says that the plant tolerates maritime exposure[5]. Tolerates poor and dry soils and some shade[5]. Dislikes acid soils[3]. Established plants are drought tolerant[7].

Plants are hardy to about -20°c[8].

A deep-rooted plant[9], it dislikes root disturbance. The young growth in spring is adored by slugs[K].

Plants can be grown in the summer meadow if the grass is not cut too low, since this would damage the growing point[5].

The flowers emit a delicious wallflower-like scent in hot sunny weather[10].

Range: W. Asia - Afghanistan and Iran.

Habitat: Grows on the steppes and open stony places[11][8].

Edibility: Leaves - cooked[12][13][14]. Used as a potherb[15]. Young leaves have a pleasant cabbage-like flavour, though older leaves are rather tough[K].

Root - cooked[12][16][14].

Medicinal: The plant is used as a cure for itch[17].

Usage: Plants can be used for ground cover when planted about 1.2 metres apart each way. They form large clumps[18].

Pollinators: Insects

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

Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure

Seed Ripens: Late Summer

Flower Type: Hermaphrodite

Links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sanders, Thomas. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge, 1926.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
  4. ↑ RHS. The Garden Volume 111. Royal Horticultural Society, 1986.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
  6. ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
  7. ↑ Chatto, Beth. The Damp Garden. Dent, 1982.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
  9. ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
  10. ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
  11. ↑ Komarov, Vladimir. Flora of the USSR. Gantner Verlag, 1968.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
  13. ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
  15. ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
  16. ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
  17. ↑ Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
  18. ↑ Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.


Retrieved from "https://old.permawiki.org/w/index.php?title=Crambe_cordifolia&oldid=26704"