Crambe kotschyana
| Crambe kotschyana | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 6.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 8' |
| Width: | 8' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer |
| Meadows | |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Crambe kotschyana
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]. Prefers a slightly alkaline soil in a position sheltered from strong winds[5]. Tolerates poor soil and some shade[5]. Dislikes acid soils[3]. Prefers a rather dry soil[6].
Plants are hardy to about -20°c[6].
A deep-rooted plant[7], it dislikes root disturbance[2].
Plants can be grown in the summer meadow if the grass is not cut too low (since this would damage the growing point)[5]. A good bee plant[8].
Very closely related to C. cordifolia[5] and considered by some botanists to be no more than a variety of that species, differing mainly in its larger flowers[3].
Range: E. Asia - Himalayas.
Habitat: Rocky slopes to 4300 metres[9]. On humus rich soils, usually below rocky cliffs, 2000 - 2500 metres in Kashmir[10].
Edibility: Leaves - cooked[9]. Used as a vegetable[11].
Root - cooked[9][10]. Used as a vegetable[11]. Nutritious[8].
Medicinal: Antipruritic[10].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: C. cordifolia kotschyana. (Boiss.)O.E.Schulz.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sanders, Thomas. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge, 1926.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ RHS. The Garden Volume 111. Royal Horticultural Society, 1986.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Komarov, Vladimir. Flora of the USSR. Gantner Verlag, 1968.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Polunin, Oleg and Adam Stainton. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press, 1984.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Flora of China. 1994.