Cochlearia officinalis

Taxonomy and growth

Family

Brassicaceae

Genus

Cochlearia

Life cycle

biennial, perennial

Height

0.3 m

Fertility

Self fertile, Bees, Flies, Beetles, Self

Flower type

hermaphrodite

Pollinators

Bees, Flies, Beetles, Self

Uses

Edible uses

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

Leaves - raw^{[7][13][16][2][14]}. An acrid tarry flavour, it can be added in small quantities to salads for its high content of vitamin C^[1][15][6]. Pleasantly sharp^[4][5]. Rather less than pleasant to most tastes, though there are occasional people who like it[K].

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 herb is antiscorbutic, aperient, disinfectant, diuretic and stimulant^{[11][16][9][12]}. This plant was highly valued by sailors of the past and was taken in the diet daily as a preventative for scurvy on long sea trips. Applied externally, the bruised leaves are used to heal ulcers^[16]. It is best used when fresh though it can also be harvested in late spring or early summer and dried for later use^[16].

Environment

Range

Coastal and mountainous regions of western, northern and central Europe, including Britain.

Habitat

Sea cliffs and coastal marshes^[16][2], it can also be found inland near salt mines or saline springs^[16].

Light

full sun

Shade tolerance

light shade

Water

moderate

Soil textures

sandy, loamy, clay

Soil pH

acid, neutral, alkaline

Drainage

well drained

Tolerances

high wind, maritime exposure

Wind

Yes

Maritime

Yes

Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil

No

Drought

intolerant

Salinity

tolerant

Propagation

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

Cultivation

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

Prefers a cool shady position^[10]. Grows wild on acid or calcareous soils, but it avoids shady positions. Prefers a sandy or gritty well-drained soil^[8]. At one time this plant was commonly eaten, especially by sailors, for its high Vitamin C content which can prevent or cure scurvy^[1][6]. A polymorphic species, it hybridizes with C. danica and C. anglica^[4]. A good bee plant^[8].

Related plants

• Cochlearia anglicaLong Leaved Scurvy Grass
• Cochlearia danicaDanish Scurvy Grass
• Cochlearia macrocarpa
• Cochlearia oblongifolia

References

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

   ↩1↩2

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

   ↩1↩2

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

   ↩

4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

   ↩1↩2

5. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

   ↩

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

   ↩1↩2

7. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

   ↩

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

   ↩1↩2

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

   ↩

10. Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8

    ↩

11. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

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

    ↩

13. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

    ↩

14. Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00

    ↩

15. Freethy. R. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-946284-51-2

    ↩

16. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6