Latin Name: Cardamine Hirsuta

Description:

A cabbage family herb.  It is an annual or perennial plant.  It forms a rosette or ring of leaves.  It grows to a height of 30 cm and spreads to 30 cm.  The stem is erect and the leaves are green and sword shaped.  They usually have 3-7 pairs of leaflets.  The flowers are pale mauve and small.  They have 4 petals.  They occur in clusters at the ends of branches.  The fruits are 15-25 mm long pods, which are narrow and erect.  They are about 1 mm thick.  The seeds are brown and with a smooth coat.  They are about 1 mm long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes: 

As Old English stune, the plant is cited as one of the herbs invoked in the pagan Anglo-Saxon Nine Herbs Charm, recorded in the 10th century.

Edibility Rating out of 5: 3

Medicinal Rating out of 5: 0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edible Uses: Leaves and flowers – raw or cooked. A hot cress-like flavour, they are mainly used as a garnish or flavouring in salads etc but are also sometimes used as a potherb. The plant germinates most freely in the autumn and so leaves are usually available all winter.

Resources: 

Wikispiecies