Scorpiurus vermiculatus
| Scorpiurus vermiculatus | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Scorpiurus vermiculatus
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and plant out after the last expected frosts. It might be worthwhile making sowings in situ in April.
Cultivation: We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will succeed outdoors in Britain, though it should be possible to grow it at least as a frost-tender annual. It is likely to require a sunny position in a light or medium well-drained soil.
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[1]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.
Range: Europe - Mediterranean.
Habitat: Fields[2].
Edibility: Young seedpods - raw or cooked[3][4]. A very indifferent flavour, it is included as an item of food mainly because it looks very like a caterpillar and can therefore cause humour at the food table[5].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: S. subvillosus. L. S. sulcatus. L.
Links
References
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of the Mediterranean. Hogarth Press, 1987.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.