Sea Beet (Beta vulgaris maritima)

Uses

Young leaves - raw or cooked^[7]^[2]^[3]^[5]. A delicious spinach substitute in the spring, the leaves become less pleasant as the season progresses, developing a distinct bitterness in hot weather[K]. Some people dislike the raw leaves since they can leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth[K].

Plant part: Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

Although little used in modern herbalism, beet has a long history of folk use, especially in the treatment of tumours^[6]. A decoction prepared from the seed has been used as a remedy for tumours of the intestines. The seed, boiled in water, is said to cure genital tumours^[6]. The juice or other parts of the plant is said to help in the treatment of tumours, leukaemia and other forms of cancer such as cancer of the breast, oesophagus, glands, head, intestines, leg, lip, lung, prostate, rectum, spleen, stomach, and uterus^[6]. Some figure that betacyanin and anthocyanin are important in the exchange of substances of cancer cells; others note two main components of the amines, choline and its oxidation product betaine, whose absence produces tumours in mice^[6]. The juice has been applied to ulcers^[6]. A decoction is used as a purgative by those who suffer from haemorrhoids in South Africa^[6]. Leaves and roots used as an emmenagogue^[6]. Plant effective in the treatment of feline ascariasis^[6]. In the old days, beet juice was recommended as a remedy for anaemia and yellow jaundice, and, put into the nostrils to purge the head, clear ringing ears, and alleviate toothache^[6]. Beet juice in vinegar was said to rid the scalp of dandruff as scurf, and was recommended to prevent falling hair^[6]. Juice of the white beet was said to clear obstructions of the liver and spleen^[6]. Culpepper (1653) recommended it for treating headache and vertigo as well as all affections of the brain^[6].

Product or use: Antitumor

Environment

Range

Coastal areas of Europe, including Britain, south and east to N. Africa and Asia to the East Indies.

Habitat

Banks and shingle by the coast^[7].

Light

full sun

Shade tolerance

no shade

Water

moderate

Hardiness

Zone 5+

Soil textures

sandy, loamy, clay

Soil pH

acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline

Drainage

well drained

Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil

Drought

intolerant

Salinity

tolerant

Cultivation

Beets grow well in a variety of soils, growing best in a deep, friable well-drained soil abundant with organic matter, but doing poorly on clay. They prefer an open position and a light well-drained soil^[8]. The optimum pH is 6.0 - 6.8, but neutral and alkaline soils are tolerated in some areas. Some salinity may be tolerated after the seedling stage. Beets are notable for their tolerance to manganese toxicity. Beet is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation of 23 to 315cm, an average annual temperature range of 5.0 to 26.6°C and a pH of 4.2 to 8.2^[6]. This is the wild beetroot of coastal areas. The cultivated beetroot, sugar beet, seakale beet and Swiss chard have all been developed from this species by means of selective breeding^[1]^[7].

References

F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

↩

Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-7971-2

↩

Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0

↩

Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

↩

Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983-00-00

↩1 ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13