Practical
Plants

Calandrinia balonensis

an annual or perennial member of the Calandrinia genus in the family Portulacaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual, perennial
Height
0.1 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant contains oxalic acid, so it should only be used in moderation[3]. Oxalic acid can lock up certain of the nutrients in food and, if eaten in excess, can lead to nutritional deficiencies. It is, however, perfectly safe in small amounts and its acid taste adds a nice flavour to salads. Cooking the plant will reduce the quantity of oxalic acid. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones and hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[6].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw. The leaves contain oxalic acid and so some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Seed - raw or ground into a meal[3]. The seed is very small and fiddly to harvest, especially since it ripens intermittently over a period of several weeks[K]. Root - raw or cooked[3].

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root
Plant part
Seed

Environment

Range
Australia.
Habitat
Arid areas, often around salt lakes[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant
Salinity
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown in situ in spring since it strongly resents root disturbance. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 weeks at 20°c[2]. In frost-free climates plants can also be propagated by means of cuttings.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a hot sunny situation on a poor dry sandy soil[5]. This species is not very hardy in Britain, but it should be possible to grow it as a tender annual in this country. Plants are intolerant of root disturbance, they are best treated as half-hardy annuals and sown in situ in late spring[1]. In frosty climates this species can become a self-sowing annual, the seed germinating in spring[4].

References

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

    ↩

  2. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989-00-00

    ↩

  3. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988-00-00 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  6. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩

Edit this page