Salicornia europaea
| Salicornia europaea | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Salicornia europaea (common name: glasswort)
Propagation: Seed - best sown in situ as soon as ripe in a well-drained outdoor bed[1].
Cultivation: Prefers a rich organic soil with ample nitrogen and regular watering[2]. This species is little, if at all, cultivated and its exact requirements are not clearly understood[2]. It is not known if the plant will require periodic inundation by salty water to grow well[2]. Glasswort is difficult to grow in cultivation[1][2], it can succeed in gardens if sown as soon as the seed is ripe in the autumn in a well-drained soil[1].
A very variable plant both in size and the number of branches produced - a number of subspecies are recognised[2]. The best forms for food production are bushy plants up to 40cm tall with an upright habit that keeps the branches out of the mud[2]. The form sometimes classed as a distinct species (as S. ramosissima Woods.) has this habit and habitat and so is the best form for using in cultivation experiments[2]. When seeking seed for cultivation, try to collect from plants with this habit and also choose plants nearer the high tide mark that therefore receive less inundation[2].
The edible leaves are occasionally sold in local markets[3].
Range: Coasts of western Europe, including Britain.
Habitat: Coastal sands, mudflats and salt marshes, often near the low tide mark[4][5].
Edibility: Young stems - raw or cooked as a potherb, added to soups etc[6][7][1][8][9]. The plant is at its best for eating in late summer[2]. The stems are very succulent, but have a thin woody core that is easily removed[2][K]. They are best harvested when about 15cm long, the top 10cm being used leaving the bottom 5cm to produce new shoots[2]. They require little cooking, just adding them to a soup for the last few minutes of cooking is sufficient[4]. The plant has a salty flavour[9] and makes a very pleasant raw nibble[K]. The young shoots can be pickled after first boiling them in their own salted water[9].
Seed[10]. Rich in protein[9]. The seed is rather small and fiddly to utilize[K].
An edible oil is obtained from the seed. A high quality, it is similar to safflower oil (Carthamnus tinctoria)[9].
Usage: The ashes obtained from burning this plant are rich in potash and are used in making soap or glass[11][12][7][3][13]. The ashes can also be used as a soap.
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
Seed Ripens: Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: S. herbacea
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Larkcom, Joy. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn, 1980.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Vegetables. Macmillan Reference Books, 1995.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Mabey, Richard. Food for Free. Collins, 1974.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ Elias, Thomas. A Field Guide to North American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Mabey, Richard. Plants with a Purpose. Fontana, 1979.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.