Claytonia virginica
Spring Beauty
a perennial member of the Claytonia genus in the family Portulacaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Portulacaceae
- Genus
- Claytonia
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 0.15 m
- Spread
- 0.2 m
- Fertility
- Insects
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Root - raw or cooked[8][12][13][14][9]. Rich in starch, it has a pleasant nutty flavour[2][6]. A radish-like flavour when raw[3], it tastes like a cross between a potato and a chestnut when cooked[6]. The root is rich in vitamins A and C[3]. Leaves and flowering stems - raw or cooked[13]. Added to salads or used as greens[6]. The leaves are often available in the winter.
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Root
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.
A cold infusion or decoction of the powdered roots has been given to children with convulsions[9]. It has been said that eating the raw plants can permanently prevent conception[9].
- Product or use
- Antispasmodic
- Product or use
- Contraceptive
Environment
- Range
- Eastern N. America. A garden escape, locally naturalized in Britain[5].
- Habitat
- Rich woods, thickets and clearings[11]. Sandy open woods, prairies and disturbed sites in Texas[10].
- Shade tolerance
- partial shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 6+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- acid
- 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 on a peat based compost in spring in a cold frame. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 4 weeks at 10°c[4]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Division of offsets in spring or autumn.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a damp peaty soil and a position in full sun[1][4]. Another report says that it requires some shade[7]. Requires a lime-free soil[4].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4
Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00
Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009
Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9