Trigonella caerulea
| Trigonella caerulea | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Trigonella caerulea (common name: sweet trefoil)
Propagation: Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in situ.
Cultivation: Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1]. Prefers a well-drained loamy soil in full sun[2].
Cultivated in the Mediterranean for its leaves which are used as a flavouring[3][4][5].
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[2]. 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? The origin of this plant is obscure[6]
Habitat: Naturalized on waste and arable land[2].
Edibility: Young seedlings are eaten with oil and salt[7]. The leaves and young plants are eaten cooked[8][5][9].
The dried powdered leaves and flowers are used as a flavouring and colouring for bread etc[7]. They are also used as a condiment in soups and potato dishes[7].
A decoction of the leaves is used as an aromatic tea and as a flavouring for China tea[7].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 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.
- ↑ Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.