Practical
Plants

Chrysanthemum coronarium spatiosum

Chop-Suey Greens

an annual member of the Chrysanthemum genus in the family Compositae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual
Height
1.2 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees, Flies, Beetles, Lepidoptera, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Beetles, Lepidoptera, Self

Uses

Edible uses

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

Young shoots and stems - raw or cooked[11][12][14][2][3]. Strongly aromatic[6][7], they are used as a flavouring or as a vegetable[8]. Cooked leaves become bitter if overcooked at a high temperature[8]. Young leaves are excellent in salads[8]. The leaves quickly wilt once they have been picked so it is best to harvest them as required[8]. They contain about 1.85% protein, 0.43% fat, 2.57% carbohydrate, 0.98% ash[5]. They are rich in vitamin B1, contain a moderate content of vitamin C and a little vitamin A[5]. Flowers - raw[3]. Blanched briefly and added to salads[6]. The centre of the flower is bitter so only the petals are normally used[8]. A fragrant pickle known as 'kikumi' is made from the petals in Japan[6].

Plant part
Flowers
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.

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

The leaves are expectorant and stomachic[9]. In conjunction with black pepper it is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[10]. The flowers are aromatic, bitter and stomachic[10]. They are used as a substitute for camomile (Chamaemelum nobile)[10]. The bark is purgative, it is used in the treatment of syphilis[10].

Product or use
Aromatic
Product or use
Bitter
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Purgative
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
VD

Material uses

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

Possibly a good companion plant, protecting neighbouring plants from caterpillars etc[Gardener's World, 28/04/89]. There is a report that secretions from the roots can be effective in controlling nematodes in the soil, but this has not been substantiated[8].

Product or use
Repellent

Environment

Range
S. Europe.
Habitat
Cultivated ground and waste places[13].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - surface-sow in spring to early autumn in situ. The seed usually germinates within 10 - 18 days at 15°c[8]. Successional sowings can be made at intervals of a few weeks in order to ensure a constant supply of young plants[8]. Autumn sowings succeed in mild areas[4]. An autumn sowing under cover will often supply leaves all winter[8].

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1], but it prefers a well-drained fertile soil in full sun[7][8]. It will tolerate light shade in the summer[8]. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.2 to 7.5. Plants do not grow well at temperatures above 25°c, tending to become bitter in hot weather[8]. Plants withstand light frosts[8]. Chop suey greens are commonly cultivated as a vegetable in the Orient and are becoming better known in the West[7]. There are many named varieties[6]. It takes 4 - 5 weeks from sowing the seed to the first harvest when plants are grown on the cut and come again principle[8]. Plants often self-sow when they are well-sited and the soil is disturbed by hoeing etc[K].

References

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

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  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩

  5. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  6. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11↩12↩13↩14

  9. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩

  10. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press 1975-00-00

    ↩

  12. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  13. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

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  14. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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