Practical
Plants

Lepidium oleraceum

a perennial member of the Lepidium genus in the family Brassicaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

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

Young leaves - raw or cooked[5][1]. A hot cress-like flavour, they can be added to salads or used as a pot-herb[3]. High in vitamin C[2].

Plant part
Leaves

Environment

Range
New Zealand.
Habitat
By the coast on North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring.

Cultivation

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

We have very little information on this species and are not sure if it will be hardy in Britain, though one report says that it has been cultivated for its edible leaves in Britain[3]. Assuming it is hardy, then it is likely to be very easily grown and will succeed in most soils in full sun or light shade.

References

  1. Brooker. S. G., Cambie. R. C. and Cooper. R. C. Economic Native Plants of New Zealand. Oxford University Press 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-19-558229-2

    ↩

  2. Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-340-508302

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  4. Allan. H. H. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer, Wellington. 1961-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩

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