Lepidium perfoliatum
L.
Clasping pepperweed
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(c) FreckLes, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by FreckLes
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(c) Denys Davydov, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Denys Davydov
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Olexii Kovalenko, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Olexii Kovalenko
Description
Lepidium perfoliatum is a ANNUAL/BIENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft). It is in flower from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Edible Uses
Young leaves - raw or cooked. A hot cress-like flavour.
Medicinal Uses
Antiscorbutic. The plant is used as an antiscorbutic.
Distribution
E. Europe to E. Asia. An introduced casual in Britain.
Where It Grows
TEMPERATE ASIA: Afghanistan, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation (Buryatia (south), Altay, Krasnoyarsk (south)), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, China (Gansu Sheng, Jiangsu Sheng, Liaoning Sheng, Shanxi Sheng, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu) TROPICAL ASIA: India (Uttar Pradesh), Pakistan EUROPE: Austria (east), Hungary, Russian Federation-European part (European part (south)), Ukraine (incl. Krym), Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Croatia, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia
Cultivation
Succeeds in most soils. The plant is occasionally cultivated as a vegetable in China.
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in situ. Germination should take place within 3 weeks.
