Dragon Tree growing at the Lisbon Botanical Gardens. Photo by Steve Andrews
Dragon trees come from Tenerife and the Canary
Islands, and it is said they are also found in Cape Verde, Madeira and parts of
Morocco, so I wasn't expecting to find them in Portugal or Gibraltar. However, they do grow in these places and grow very well there, as I was to discover.
Dragon trees can be seen in a botanical garden in the
centre of Lisbon in Portugal and also in parks and gardens in Gibraltar. The
dragon trees in these locations were just as healthy and well-formed as most of
their counterparts in Tenerife, though admittedly not as big as some of the
very old trees found in the Canary Islands.
Dragon Tree in Lisbon. Photo by Steve Andrews
The dragon tree (Dracaena
draco) is a weird plant, not really a tree, although it grows to tree-like
proportions. It has spiky leaves that grow in rosettes and bears small white
perfumed flowers that turn into orange-red berries as they ripen.
Dragon Tree berries. Photo by Steve Andrews
Dragon trees get their name because if cut they bleed
a red sap known as Dragon’s Blood, and also because aerial roots that hang
downward can resemble a dragon’s beard.
The dragon tree produces a mushroom-shaped head of
branches that fan outwards. The many branches in these dragon tree crowns are
said to be like the hundred heads of a dragon that the hero Hercules killed.
Drago Milenario. Photo by Steve Andrews
Dragon trees can grow for a very long time and the
Drago Milenario that grows in Icod de los Vinos in Tenerife is said to be
1,000-years-old, though estimates put it more like somewhere between 250 and
650 years in age.
Whatever its age, the Drago Milenario is a majestic specimen
and is the oldest dragon tree in the world. It has become a plant symbol of
Tenerife and many tourists flock to see it in the Parque del Drago it stands
in.
Dragon trees are very rare in the wild but are
extensively cultivated in subtropical gardens and parks. They take a very long
time to grow and only have a single trunk until the first time they flower when
the tree produces side shoots from its crown. It can take 10 years before a
dragon tree is big enough to flower and then branch.
Branching Dragon Tree. Photo by Steve Andrews
The dragon tree has been classed as a medicinal herb
because its sap is said to be good for strengthening the gums.
The Guanches, who were the people who lived in
Tenerife before the Spanish Conquest made shields out of the trunk and held the
dragon tree in great reverence.
Dragon tree berries have one or two seeds and can be
germinated easily enough though they may take as much as a month before
sprouting.
The fennel (Foeniculum
vulgare) is a common medicinal and culinary herb often found growing wild
by the sea. It is a tall plant with umbels of yellowish flowers and produces
finely divided feathery foliage that is very aromatic and smells like anise.
Fennel is native to the Mediterranean, parts of Europe
and the UK but is found in many other parts of the world, including America,
Canada and Australia. It is a perennial plant and likes to grow in grassy areas
and on waste-ground near the sea and is often to be found when foraging in
coastal areas. It is very common in the north of Tenerife in the Canary Islands
and can be found on the other islands.
Fennel is included and recommended in Richard
Mabey’s Food For Free, which is an excellent book on edible plants that can
be found while foraging and that has been republished over and over and is now
in its fortieth year after its first publication.
The aniseed aroma that fennel produces is a very good
way to identify this herb which is in the Apiaceae or parsley family, a group
of plants that also has several very poisonous species such as the hemlock.
Fennel, from Koehler's Medicinal-plants (1887) in Public Domain
Fennel seeds are good in curries and other spicy
dishes and can be used to make fennel tea. In Spanish the herb is known as
hinojo and teabags are commonly sold in grocery stores and supermarkets under
this name.
Fresh fennel leaves can be eaten in salad, used as a
garnish or made into sauces which are very good with oily fish. Fennel is
actually very good for indigestion so using it in your cooking makes a lot of
sense.
There is a variety of fennel known as Florence fennel
or finnochio that has a bulb at the base and this is popular as a vegetable to
be eaten raw or cooked.
In herbal medicine fennel is recommended for digestive
problems and is said to improve the vision. It is also said to be an aid to
slimming.
Fennel can be grown easily in the herb garden and will
produce large clumps. There is a bronze fennel too with attractively coloured
foliage.
Most people know that houseplants can contribute to a
natural atmosphere, but they might be unaware of the fact that indoor plants
can make them a healthier person. As always, being environmentally conscious is
important, but we should also be thinking about how to bring the natural world
into our living spaces using a variety of houseplants for our own health as well as considering them for their
natural beauty.
Indoor plants, as decoration, not only look good and add a
splash of colour but they can actually help make your home a healthier place to
live by cutting down on pollutants in the air. Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis),
ivy (Hedera helix) and the mother-in-law’s-tongue or
snake plant (Sanseveria trifasciata), for example, are all recommended
for improving air quality.
Mother-in-law's tongue In Public Domain
One way you can plot out your plants is by using 3D design software on the Internet. This method can help you with deciding where each type of
houseplant is most likely to thrive. You can also get an idea of what space is
available and how much lighting there is by using a bird’s eye view.
Natural light coming in through windows, as well as keeping
plants in good condition, can enhance the foliage, casting some shadows that
add depth and create some interesting visual effects.
Most houseplants look best against a simple and uncluttered
background to provide contrast. Plants also help you scale the look of your
rooms, as including bigger plants in your space ironically gives rooms a larger
feel. The Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) and the rubber plant (Ficus
elastica) have been very popular for many years but they need the space to
grow and really look their best.
Ficus elastica In Public Domain
You will be spending most of your time in the living room
so this is a good place to distribute them. Plants have been proven to have
positive effect on mood and they can help your relax. In fact your grandparents
were probably resting by an aspidistra or cast iron plant (Aspidistra
elatior). This traditional plant is easy to grow in the living room or
lounge.
Cilantro leaves Photo by Steve Andrews
Herbs like cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), chives (Allium
schoenoprasum) and basil (Ocimum basilicum) can be grown for
convenience in the kitchen and provide an array of health benefits. They also
add a touch of natural charm to your home and flavour to your cooking.
The symbiotic relationship plants provide extend even into
the bathroom. Ferns will benefit from the humidity and release oxygen into the
air to help you wake up in the morning. The maidenhair fern in particular (Adiantum
aethiopicum) loves cool damp air and has delicate pale green fronds.
Christmas cactus In Public Domain
You can even add a seasonal touch to your home by growing
bulbs like hyacinths indoors in spring, and the colourful Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera
species) will flower in the festive season.
Many years ago the Findhorn village in Scotland made
the news because of the gigantic plants and vegetables that grew there, and
this was believed to have happened due to the magical assistance of nature
spirits. Findhorn was soon to become a thriving New Age community and still is
to this day. Now a rare shrub known as Bencomia
caudata has been found growing to the size of small trees here in Tenerife
in the Canary Islands.
According to author and botanist David Bramwell in
his book Wild Flowers of the CanaryIslands, this particular species of Bencomia only reaches 2 m in height and
he describes it as a “small shrub.” However, whilst out walking with friends I
discovered a number of specimens of this rare plant that had developed into
small trees and reached 4 m or more. Some of these had proper branches and trunks
as well. They are of the beaten track and hidden away in the garden of an
abandoned house in the Cuevas Negras area above Los Silos.
Bencomia caudata tree. Photo by David Parkes
I contacted Bramwell and he has confirmed that the
small trees are B. caudata but a lot
bigger than usual. It is thought that the fertile soil where they are growing
has caused their fantastic increase in size. The Cuevas Negras ravine they are
in is sheltered and receives plenty of water. Most of the vegetation growing
there is very tall, green and luxuriant. There are very high plants of some
sort of Cabbage in the garden as well and my friend Holly van Heffernan was
photographed by one of these to show just how tall they are.
Holly van Heffernan with a Cuevas Negras cabbage. Photo by Steve Andrews
The Bencomia genus of shrubs is actually in the
Rosacae or Rose family but only an experienced botanist would be likely to realise
this because the shrubs do not look anything like the popular flower we all
know so well. They are evergreens and have attractive pinnate leaves. The
flowers are carried in inflorescences that later on turn into tightly packed
globular fruits. The flowers are either male or female and the plants are
dioecious.
Palo de Sangre the Stick of Blood. Photo by Steve Andrews
The leaf-form of the Bencomia species bears a
resemblance to those of the Stick of Blood or “Palo de Sangre” (Marcetella moquiniana) that is another
uncommon shrub found in Tenerife. It gets its name from having the upper parts
of its stems covered in bright red hairs. This shrub is in the Rose family too.
It grows on cliffs, slopes and in ravines in the wild but is frequently cultivated
in parks and gardens for its ornamental value.
There are another three species of Bencomia that are
endemics of the Canary Islands. B.exstipulata grows in various locations
in the highlands of Mt Teide, B.
sphaerocarpa is surving in small populations on the forest cliffs of El
Hierro, and B. brachystachya is a
shrub that is only found in Gran Canaria. All of the Bencomias are very rare
plants and protected species.
Summer is the hottest time of the year and has plenty of sunlight, but when
it comes toforagingfor wild foods it is the season in between spring and autumn, which means
that the spring greens are past their prime and the fruits and nuts harvested
in autumn are still not ready.
However, summer is a great season for gathering in the herbs that grow wild
and drying them to preserve them for future use and some like St John's Wort
are traditionally harvested at this time.
St John's Wort
St John's Wort(Hypericum
perforatum) is commonly found growing in grassy places, woodland
clearings and edges, roadsides, waste ground and railway banks and is in full
bloom and full potency at midsummer when it can be collected on St John's Day,
June 24. It is easily recognised by its golden yellow flowers starry 5-petaled
flowers with conspicuous stamens and the flowering tops are the part of the
plant that contains most of its active ingredient hypericin.
St John's Wort
St
John's Wort has become widely known and used as Mother Nature's answer to
Prozac and is on sale as a herbal tea or in other forms as a supplement from
health stores and distributors of such products. It is also a remedy for
anxiety and nervous tension, as well as having antiseptic and anti-inflammatory
properties.
Red Clover(Trifolium
pratense) is a plant that may well also be found in places where St
John's Wort grows and especially in fields and meadows but also on railway
banks and waste ground. TheNative Americansrecognised its medicinal properties after it had been introduced
to the continent and used it against cancerous tumours and skin diseases, as
well as taking it during pregnancy and childbirth and as a general tonic and
herb of purification.
The
flowers are the parts that get used as an infusion and these can be collected
and dried. Red Clover was once used to treat bronchial complaints and is also
thought to be good for balancing blood sugar levels.
Common name: Wild Marjoram - Scientific name: Origanum vulgare Photo by Leo Michels. Usage: Public Domain
Two
aromatic summer herbs that can be used in cooking as well as for medicinal
purposes areWild
Thyme(Thymus drucei) and theMarjoram(Origanum vulgare), both of
which favour grassy places on limestone or a chalky soil.
Wild
Thyme is a tiny little plant that you will have to get down on your hands and
knees to gather and it grows in clumps among short grassland and on downs and
heaths. It produces reddish-purple flower heads and is easier to find and pick
when in bloom, which occurs between June and August.
The
flavour and fragrant aroma of Wild Thyme is much milder than the garden variety
but it is just as useful for flavouring savoury dishes. Richard Mabey awards it
with an A category in his classic bookFood for Free.
Marjoram
is a much bigger plant and when in flower it is easy to spot clumps of it,
especially as it usually has bees and other insects in attendance eagerly
gathering the nectar from its pinkish purple flowers. This is a very aromatic
and spicy herb that is excellent for adding flavour to food.
In
Mediterranean cookery Marjoram has been much valued and made use of, although
in the UK it has often been neglected for some reason, even though one of its
local names is Joy of the Mountain. It is also known as Oregano.
Marjoram
is prepared by collecting some flowering sprigs of the herb, hanging them to
dry and then stripping the leaves and flowers from the stalks. Crushed up in
this dry form it can be stored in airtight jars for future use.
Marjoram
taken as an infusion is good for anxiety, insomnia, colds and chest complaints,
indigestion and tension headaches. It has antiseptic properties too.
Another
common summer herb isFennel(Foeniculum
vulgare) and although it grows inland on waste ground and
cultivated in gardens it really thrives on cliffs and other places by the sea.
It can reach as much as 5 ft in height and is easy to recognise with its
graceful appearance, feathery leaves and umbels of mustard-yellow flowers,
which appear from June to October.
If you
crush any part of the Fennel plant you will notice a strong smell of aniseed
and its flavour is similar too. The seeds are collected later on in the autumn
and are wonderful for adding to curries, stir-fries and other dishes as well as
making Fennel herb tea but the leaves and stalks are gathered in early summer
and hung up to dry.
Finely
choppedFennel leavesare good in salads, with parsnips, and even in apple
pie and the herb is good with oily fish as well. The whole plant is edible and
it really is one of the most useful wild herbs that can easily be found.
In
fact, Fennel is such a versatile plant that Pliny listed it as being a remedy
for no less than 22 complaints and it was one of the Anglo-Saxon herbalists'
nine most sacred herbs. Fennel tea is good for the digestion and it can be used
as a gargle for a sore throat and a mouthwash.
Fennel Tea
250ml/
½ pint/ 1 cup of boiling water 1 teaspoonful ofFennel seed½ thin slice of fresh orange or some grated rind
Crush
the Fennel seeds slightly and place in a teapot and pour the boiling water over
them. Cover and leave to infuse for 5 minutes.
Add the
orange slice or rind for extra flavour, and then strain before serving.
Olives with Wild Marjoram
1 lb of
pricked olives in a jar 1 cup of olive oil 1 teaspoon of Thyme 1 teaspoon of
crushed peppercorns 3 teaspoons of chopped Wild Marjoram
Add the
herbs and spices and olive oil to the olives in the jar, close it, shake well
and store in a refrigerator for at least 2 days.
Serve
the olives with red wine and cheese.
Common Mallow
TheCommon
Mallow(Malva sylvestris) is often
found growing in the same locations as Fennel and is another very useful herb
that flowers from June through until October. Typically encountered on
roadsides, on banks and on waste ground the Common Mallow stands out with its
showy pink five-petalled flowers that are produced on stems that can be as much
as 3 ft in height.
The
leaves, flowers and seeds are all edible as well as having medicinal
properties. The plant contains a lot of mucilage, which taken internally as an
infusion reduces inflammation and is a treatment for coughs sore throats and
bronchitis.
Young
leaves and shoots of the Common Mallow contain vitamins A, B1, B2 and C and can
be eaten raw in salads or cooked as greens. Unripe fruits can also be added to
salads and the seeds are known as "cheeses," due to their shape
rather than the mildly nutty flavour.
The
Romans cultivated the Common Mallow as a culinary and medicinal herb and by the
16th century it had gained a reputation as a cure-all. In sufficient quantity
it has a laxative action and so can help purge the body of toxins and disease.
Meadowsweet
One
more easily found and wonderful summer herb is the Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria),
which grows in damp places such as river and streamsides and by ponds, and
flowers from June until October with frothy creamy-white flower heads.
Meadowsweet has inspired poets Ben Jonson and John Clare, and the latter
included it in his poem To Summer.
The
flowers and leaves when dried smell of newly mown hay and can be added to
pot-pourri or used to make a herbal tea. It can be used to flavour soups and
stews but has medicinal properties too and is traditionally taken as an
infusion for heartburn and gastric ulcers.
Lime Tree
Besides
all the herbs described above that can be looked for in the countryside, there
is another, which grows much closer to home and is definitely worth knowing
about and that is theLime
Tree(Tilia x europaea), which
can be found in many parks, gardens and along city streets. In June and July
the delightful honeyed fragrance of this common tree perfumes the air and when
they are in bloom is the time to harvest its flowers.
Made
into a herbal tea, known as "Tilleul" in France where it has proved a
very popular beverage, Lime-blossom besides tasting good is good for anxiety
and insomnia because it has mildtranquillising propertiesas well as for treating high blood pressure. Dry the
entire flower head along with its winged bract and make the tea without milk.
In
early summer, before the Lime leaves get too old and tough, they can be eaten
in sandwiches but make sure to wash them first and collect them from out of the
way of roads and traffic fumes.
Summer
is an ideal time for enjoying the countryside and rambling due to the longer
hours of daylight and the warm and sunny weather. The fragrance and the many
uses of the herbs found growing at this time of year are surely another of the
many pleasures of the season.
Footnote:
This article was originally published inPermaculture Magazine,
number 48, summer 2006.
Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a very common weed found growing in many
places in the world, but whilst it is despised by gardeners, it is actually a
delicious and nourishing edible wild plant. So instead of throwing it away or
into the compost heap why not try saving some to use in the kitchen?
Chickweed is very common in the UK and many parts of
Europe and likes to grow in cultivated ground and in damp soil. It self-seeds
itself and easily forms large masses of its tiny green foliage. It is often
found growing along paths and even in the cracks in concrete and paving stones.
Chickweed
description
Chickweedis a fragile and straggling plant. It has small bright
green leaves, and minute white, star-like flowers, with five deeply divided
petals. It flowers throughout the year and often grows well in the autumn and
winter months.
Chickweedforms mats of its green foliage and
its branched stems reach about 40 cm in length, though they are mainly to be
seen creeping over the ground.
It is
an annual plant but quickly re-establishes itself from seed if it has died down
due to dry conditions. Chickweed is native to the UK and Europe but is
naturalised throughout the world. It likes to grow in nay reasonably moist soil
in sun or partial shade.
The
plant's Latin nameStellariacomes from "Stella",
meaning a star, and referring to the shape of its flowers. It was called its
English name of Chickweed because it was once much-used as a food for hens and
other birds.
Chickweed's uses
Chickweed
is a surprisingly enjoyable edible wild plant to eat. It is good in salads but
also cooked as greens or added to soups.
Chickweed
is also a medicinal herb with a
number of uses in herbal medicine. Taken as an infusion it is a treatment for
rheumatism. It can also be made into a poultice or an ointment and used as a remedy
for eczema, skin irritation and other skin diseases.
Chickweedis rich in the minerals potassium and
calcium, as well as being a source of vitamins A, B and C.
It is
used in homeopathy to treat rheumatism, arthritis and bronchitis.
Chickweed recipes
The
following recipe is taken from Richard Mabey's classic book for foragers - Food For Free.
"Wash
the sprigs well, and put in a saucepan without any additional water. Add a knob
of butter, seasoning, and some chopped spring onions. Simmer gently for about
10 minutes, turning all the time."
Mabey goes on to say that a dash of lemon
juice or a sprinkling of grated nutmeg completes the dish, and that Chickweed
cooked like this is very good served with rich meat.
Many people today suffer from arthritis and
gout but what a lot of them don’t realise is that their painful condition is
made worse by many commonly eaten foods and their acidic content. There are plenty of greens, vegetables
and some fruits that contain oxalic acid and this is where the problem lies. Purines
in foods become uric acid in the body. Even black tea is one such source of the problem. Cranberries can be good for you but they are a fruit with a high acid content. Moderation is the key with many such foods.
Margaret Hills
The late Margaret Hills, who had been a
nurse, became famous for her book Curing Arthritis the Drug-Free Way, and a
main part of her theory and the remedy she prescribed, is the avoidance of the
foods and drinks that cause arthritic conditions. Hills had once suffered the
painful ailment herself but had found a cure for it.
Cider Vinegar
She claimed that apple cider
vinegar counter-acted the problem by helping to break up the crystals in the
joints. It contains malic acid, and this has an alkaline effect in the
bloodstream. So, apple cider vinegar is a very important way of treating
osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, according to Hills.
Hills helped many people cure their
arthritis and soon had thousands of followers. She set up a clinic and also
went on to write other books, all dealing with the subject of how to treat
yourself if you suffer from arthritis and how to live a lifestyle that prevents
the condition starting or returning if you once had it. She recommended eating a healthy diet that is low in purines and avoiding commonly eaten food such as citrus fruit and drinking black tea.
You see, the inflammation in the joints
is caused by uric acid crystals that have accumulated over time. Oxalic acid
and oxalates not only add to this problem but cut down the absorption of
calcium, which is needed for the strength, repair and growth of bones. It is believed that oxalates, and calcium oxalate in particular, cause kidney stones.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Honeygar
Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes healed
himself of terrible arthritis with cider vinegar in a product known as
Honeygar, which also contains honey as its name suggests. He takes Honeygar
daily and swears by its efficacy. His story was published in the Daily Mail in
2008 in a story by Matthew Dennison entitled: “Sir Ranulph Fiennes: I beat my
arthritis with a vinegar cure passed down from my mother”.
Parsley Salad
Parsley
Amongst the plants that contain oxalic
acid, Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
has large amounts of this substance in its leaves. Many people think of this
herb as being healthy to eat, and whilst this is mainly true, because of the
oxalic acid it should be eaten with caution by anyone with a tendency to suffer
from arthritis.
Spinach leaves
Spinach
Many of us were brought up watching the
Popeye the Sailor-man cartoons in which the hero of these animations derives
all his strength from eating Spinach. Again, this plant is very good for us in
moderation because os the vitamins and minerals it contains. However, Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) too has a lot of
oxalic acid in it, as does its very close relative the Beetroot. Beetroot and the Beets are all in the Beta genus of plants. Sea Beet or Wild
Spinach, which is regarded an ancestor of the cultivated varieties, is Beta vulgaris. Chard too contains oxalic
acid in its leaves and is actually a descendant of the wild plant just
mentioned because it is known to botanists as B. vulgaris subsp. cicla.
Rhubarb on sale
Rhubarb
Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) may make delicious pies but the leaves of this vegetable
are actually poisonous due to the acids in them. The pinkish-red stalks which
we use in our cooking admittedly do not contain anywhere near as much oxalic
acid but it is present. This has been known for a long time and many old books
will include a caution that this food should be avoided or eaten in moderation by
those who suffer from gout and arthritis.
Bermuda Buttercup
Sorrel
There are two sorts of plant known as
Sorrel. First there are those in the Rumex
genus including the Common Sorrel (R.
acetosa) and the Sheep’s Sorrel (R.
acetosella). They are known for having a sharp and tangy taste and make
good additions to salads and can be cooked as greens. However the acidity of
these Sorrels is caused by oxalic acid.
The second type of Sorrel that also
contains high levels of this harmful acid are those in the Oxalis genus. Even
their generic name tells you this is the case. Wood Sorrel (O. acetosella) and the Bermuda Buttercup
(O. pes-caprae) are two of the many
species. They all have pretty foliage like four-leaved clovers and many have
dainty flowers too. The Oxalis species have a tangy taste and are eaten in
salads but again the caution needs to be applied because of the oxalic acid
they contain.
Purslane
The Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a common weed in
many places in the world. This little plant with its semi-succulent leaves
makes a popular and tangy addition to salads but again it has oxalic acid
present in its leaves in the form of oxalates.
It can be cooked as well as eaten raw and has many other health-giving
nutrients but care should be taken because of the oxalic acid present.
Corn Salad or Lamb’s Lettuce (Valerianella locusta) is an edible plant
that, as its name aptly suggests, is good in salads. Also known as Mache, it is a member of the
Valerian family of Valerianaceae, and commonly grows as a weed in many places
even though it is also widely cultivated.
Corn Salad can be found in waste ground,
on hedge banks, sand dunes and on arable land used for growing other crops but
usually in fairly dry soil. It will self-seed itself and spring up all over the
place, even in cracks in a pavement and in walls.
It is a small annual plant that reaches
a maximum of some 40cm and it bears really tiny pale lilac flowers. Corn Salad
produces a rosette of spoon-shaped leaves and a short flowering stalk grows
from this, usually producing flowers in spring. It is said that its name Lamb’s
Lettuce comes from a similarity between the shape of its leaves with those of
baby sheep
Corn Salad's range
Corn Salad is a very hardy plant and
found growing wild in the UK, parts of Europe, North Africa and western Asia. It has become naturalised in many parts of
North America too after escaping cultivation there.
France is the main producer of Corn
Salad today for sale to European consumers but it is also grown in Italy in Germany
as a crop. Germany, the UK and Spain are
where the plant gets eaten the most in Europe. Organic Corn Salad seeds can be
purchased online and from many suppliers of seeds.
Corn Salad can produce several crops in
a year if cultivated. It is often grown as a second crop in August and
September and gathered throughout the autumn and winter until it shoots upward
to flower in spring. Although the whole plant is edible it is really only the
leaves that are usually eaten.
Corn Salad can be eaten fresh on its own
or mixed with other salad ingredients, and is particularly good with potato
salad. It has a pleasant tangy taste.
Corn Salad can also be cooked a as green vegetable and served as a side-dish.
John Gerard's Herbal
Corn Salad was once foraged for by
European peasants and was used as a food plant in Britain for many centuries. It
was grown commercially in London from the late 18th century. Today
it can be bought in seed form for cultivation as a salad plant. It was included
in John Gerard’s Herbal in 1597,
giving some indication of how long ago the plant was eaten. Because it grows in
the autumn and winter, Corn Salad is a particularly useful plant to grow at
these times in the year.
Drawing of Corn Salad
Vitamins and minerals
Corn Salad is a very healthy plant to
eat because it is the source of several vitamins and minerals. It is said to
contain three times as much Vitamin C as ordinary lettuce does. Corn Salad also
contains Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B9, Beta-carotene , Omega-3 fatty acids,
Potassium and Iron.
Corn Salad, although a small plant with
very insignificant flowers, is well worth growing and eating.
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