Arabis alpina

Arabis alpina, the Alpine rock-cress, is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, native to mountainous areas of Europe, North and East Africa, Central and Eastern Asia and parts of North America. In the British Isles, it is only known to occur in a few locations in the Cuillin Ridge of the Isle of Skye. It inhabits damp gravels and screes, often over limestone.

Description

A cabbage family herb. It is a small plant which keeps growing from year to year. It grows 10-30 cm high and spreads 20-50 cm wide. The leaves are simple. They have fine silver hairs. The flowers are downy and white.

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers Leaves Edible Uses: Young leaves - cooked or raw. An agreeable cress-like flavour. Flowers - raw or cooked. A cress-like flavour.

Traditional Uses

Africa, Albania, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Britain, Canada, East Africa, Europe, Myanmar, North America, SE Asia, Slovenia, South America, Tasmania, Uganda,

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in the mountains in Europe. Hobart Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 5-9.

Where It Grows

TEMPERATE ASIA: Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation-Western Siberia (Western Siberia), Turkmenistan, Russian Federation-Far East (Far East), Russian Federation (Kamcatskij kraj) NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Northwest Territories, Québec, Newfoundland and Labrador), Greenland EUROPE: Finland, United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym), Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sicily), North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, France (incl. Corsica) AFRICA: Algeria (north), Morocco

Cultivation

Easily grown in ordinary well-drained soil. Prefers a sandy loam and a sunny position. Another report says that it prefers partial shade. Plants resent root disturbance and are best put in their final positions whilst still small. The flowers are attractive to bees.

Propagation

Seed - it is best to surface sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in a light position in a cold frame. Seed can also be sown in spring. It usually germinates in 2 - 3 weeks at 21°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division after flowering. Very easy, the divisions can be planted out straight into their permanent positions if required. Cuttings in a shady border in summer.

Other Uses

None known Special Uses

Production

There are about 120 Arabis species. They are temperate plants.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Alpski repnjak

References (9)

• Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 36
• Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 169
• Esperanca, M. J., 1988. Surviving in the wild. A glance at the wild plants and their uses. Vol. 1. p 36
• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 52
• Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 31

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