Practical
Plants

Thlaspi arvense

Pennycress

an annual member of the Thlaspi genus in the family Brassicaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Thlaspi
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees, Flies, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Self

Uses

Edible uses

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

Young leaves - raw or cooked[8][13][14][16][7]. They should always be harvested before the plant comes into flower or they will be very bitter[19]. Even the young leaves have a somewhat bitter flavour and aroma, and are not to everyone's taste[19][18]. They can be added in small quantities to salads and other foods[19][6]. They can also be cooked in soups or used as a potherb, they taste somewhat like mustard but with a hint of onion[6]. For a leaf, it is very rich in protein[10]. The seed is ground into a powder and used as a mustard substitute[2][6]. The seed can be sprouted and added to salads[6].

Product or use
Condiment
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Seed

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.

Antirheumatic, diuretic[12][15]. The seed is a tonic[10]. Both the seed and the young shoots are said to be good for the eyes[10]. The seeds are used in Tibetan medicine and are considered to have an acrid taste and a cooling potency[11]. They are anti-inflammatory and febrifuge, being used in the treatment of pus in the lungs, renal inflammation, appendicitis, seminal and vaginal discharges[11]. The entire plant is antidote, anti-inflammatory, blood tonic, depurative, diaphoretic, expectorant, febrifuge and hepatic[5][10]. It is used in the treatment of carbuncles, acute appendicitis, intestinal abscess, post-partum pain, dysmenorrhoea and endometriosis[5]. Use with caution since large doses can cause a decrease in white blood cells, nausea and dizziness[5]. The plant has a broad antibacterial activity[10], effective against the growth of Staphylococci and streptococci[5].

Product or use
Antibacterial
Product or use
Antidote
Product or use
Antiinflammatory
Product or use
Antirheumatic
Product or use
Blood tonic
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Hepatic
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

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

The seed contains 20 - 30% of a semi-drying oil, it is used for lighting[17].

Product or use
Oil

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa, W. Asia, Siberia and Japan.
Habitat
Waste places and a weed of cultivated ground where it can be a serious pest[1][3][4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
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 in situ in March or April.

Cultivation

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

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils. Dislikes shade.

References

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

    ↩

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  7. Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-11-710012-9

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

  10. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  11. Tsarong. Tsewang. J. Tibetan Medicinal Plants Tibetan Medical Publications, India 1994-00-00 ISBN 81-900489-0-2

    ↩1↩2

  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. Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

  17. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩

  18. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

Edit this page