Lepidium virginicum

Taxonomy and growth

Family

Brassicaceae

Genus

Lepidium

Life cycle

annual, biennial

Height

0.5 m

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^[10][11][2]. The leaves are a rich source of vitamin C^[7] and have a hot cress-like flavour^[1]. Chopped finely and added to salads, used as a garnish or cooked as greens^[4]. Unripe seedpods have a pleasantly pungent flavour and can be eaten raw^[10] or used as a condiment in soups and stews^[4]. The seed is a pepper substitute^[11][2].

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 of wild pepper-grass are nutritious and generally detoxifying, they have been used to treat vitamin C deficiency and diabetes, and to expel intestinal worms^[7]. The herb is also diuretic and of benefit in easing rheumatic pain^[7]. North American Indians used the bruised fresh plant, or a tea made from the leaves to treat poison ivy rash and scurvy^[5]. A poultice of the leaves was applied to the chest in the treatment of croup^[5]. The seed is antiasthmatic, antitussive, cardiotonic and diuretic^[3]. It is used in the treatment of coughs and asthma with excessive phlegm, oedema, oliguria and liquid accumulation in the thoraco-abdominal cavity^[3].A poultice of the bruised roots has been used to draw out blisters^[8]. The root is used to treat excess catarrh within the respiratory tract^[7].

Environment

Range

N. America - Quebec to Minnesota, south to Florida and Colorado. A casual in many parts of Britain.

Habitat

Dry sandy soils^[10] in waste places and by roads^[9]. Avoids dense woods and wet places^[2].

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.

Cultivation

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

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils.

Related plants

• Lepidium apetalum
• Lepidium campestrePepperwort
• Lepidium chilense
• Lepidium densiflorumCommon Pepperweed

References

1. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4

   ↩

2. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

   ↩1↩2↩3

3. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

   ↩1↩2

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

   ↩1↩2

5. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

   ↩1↩2

6. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

7. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

   ↩1↩2↩3↩4

8. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

   ↩

9. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

   ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

11. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩1↩2