Eryngium creticum

Eryngium creticum, or the field eryngo, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the Northern and Eastern Mediterranean, eastwards to Iran. It is known in Lebanon as قرصعنة and in Israel as חרחבינה מכחילה.

Description

A herb which keeps growing from year to year. Sometimes it is an annual. It grows 1 m tall. The stems are erect and violet-blue. They have many branches. The leaves can be oval or rounded. The base is heart shaped. They have teeth or 3 lobes. The leaves are leathery and on long stalks. The flower head is violet blue and spreading. The flowers are in round heads. These are 5-10 mm across. There are 5-7 bracts. There are 1 or 2 pairs of spines at the base.

Edible Uses

Young basal leaves can be cooked and eaten.

Traditional Uses

The leaves and stems are preserved in vinegar and also eaten raw in salads. They are used in pickles. The roots are eaten raw or cooked.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

Used as an antidote in the treatment of snakebite.

Distribution

It is a Mediterranean plant. It grows in wasteland in grassy and stony areas. It grows in dry habitats in waste places and in cliff crevices.

Where It Grows

Cyprus, Europe, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Mediterranean, Middle East, Palestine, Turkey, Türkiye,

Cultivation

Requires a well-drained soil and a sunny position. Prefers a light sandy soil but tolerates most soil types including lime and poor gravels. Plants should be put in their final position whilst small since they resent root disturbance. Plants are usually short-lived perennials and sometimes are only annual or biennial.

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in early autumn, placed on the surface of a well-drained compost in a cold frame. Sowing in spring is also possible. Germination typically occurs in 5–90 days at 20°C. Once large enough to handle, prick seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse through their first winter, then plant out into permanent positions in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Division can be done in early spring or autumn, though care should be taken as the plant resents root disturbance. Root cuttings can be taken in autumn or winter.

Other Uses

None known.

Notes

There are 230 Eryngium species.

Also Known As

Beektire, Cistok, Deve dikeni, Ecirok, Ekkeyde, Encero, Eryngo, Goz dikeni, Ikkeyde, Kazayagi, Kurs'nneh, Mangallo, Pagkalos, Qarsa'neh, Sifenok, Striye bergan

References (26)

• Ali-Shtayeh, M. S., et al, 2008, Traditional knowledge of wild edible plants used in Palestine (Northern West Bank): A comparative study. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 4: 13
• Al-Qura'n, S. A., 2010, Ethnobotanical and Ecological Studies of Wild Edible Plants in Jordan. Libyan Agriculture Research Center Journal International 1(4):231-243
• Batal, M. & Hunter, E., 2007, Traditional Lebanese recipes based on wild plants: An answer to diet simplification? Food and Nutrition Bulletin, vol. 28, no. 2 (supplement) © 2007, The United Nations University.
• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 154
• Ciftcioglu, C. G., 2015, Sustainable wild-collection of medicinal and edible plants in Lefke region of North Cyprus. Agroforest Syst. Springer

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