Practical
Plants

Lens culinaris

Lentil

an annual member of the Lens genus in the family Leguminosae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Lens
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.45 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Cleistogamous
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Cleistogamous

Uses

Edible uses

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

Seed - cooked or sprouted and eaten raw[1]. A very nutritious food[3][4], the seeds can be cooked on their own or added to soups, stews etc[5]. The seed can be soaked for 12 hours in warm water and then allowed to sprout for about 5 days[8]. They have a crunchy, fresh flavour[8]. Lentils are more digestible than many legumes[K]. The dried seed can also be ground into a powder and used with cereal flours in making bread etc[5], this greatly enhances the value of the protein in the bread. The seed stores better if it is left in its husk[6]. Young seedpods - used fresh or cooked like green beans[11][4][5].

Plant part
Seed
Plant part
Seedpod

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 seeds are mucilaginous and laxative[7]. They are considered to be useful in the treatment of constipation and other intestinal affections[7]. Made into a paste, they are a useful cleansing application in foul and indolent ulcers[7].

Product or use
Laxative
Product or use
Poultice

Environment

Range
Original habitat is obscure, possibly the Mediterranean.
Habitat
Not known in the wild.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no 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 - sow early April in situ[1]. Some cultivars are probably suitable for sowing outdoors in the autumn, at least in the milder parts of the country[6].

Cultivation

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

An easily grown plant[K], it prefers a sandy soil in a warm sunny sheltered position[9][10][6]. Another report says that it does best on clay[10]. It produces most seed when grown on poorer soils[10]. Lentils are widely cultivated in warm temperate and tropical zones for their edible and very nutritious seed, there are many named varieties[5]. The plants are much hardier than is commonly supposed and many of these varieties can succeed in Britain, particularly in warm summers. There is at least one, called 'WH2040', that can withstand temperatures as low as -23°c in the seedling stage[6]. 'Chilean' is a low-growing plant that can be grown in the winter in areas where winter vegetables can be grown[5]. 'HarLen' tolerates temperatures down to -10°c and performs very well in gardens[5]. The plants take the same time as peas to mature, so lentils are a potential commercial crop for Britain[2]. Yields of up to 2 tonnes per hectare are possible[6]. The main problem with growing them as a commercial crop is that they are produced by using cheap labour in many countries which makes it very difficult for British farmers to compete on prices. However, this does not preclude their being grown in the garden and allotment. Lentils are also beneficial to grow as part of a rotation on the farm or garden. They have a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby and, if the roots are left in the ground when the seeds are harvested, this will provide a source of nitrogen for the next crop[6].

References

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

    ↩1↩2

  2. Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading 1986-00-00 ISBN 0704909820

    ↩

  3. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩

  4. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  7. 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

  8. Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  10. Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩

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