Smyrnium perfoliatum

Perfoliate Alexanders

Apiaceae Edible: Flowers, Leaves, Stem 3,636 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Biennial herb growing to 1.5 m tall and 0.6 m wide. Hardy to UK zone 6, not frost tender. Flowers June to August with seeds ripening July to September. Hermaphroditic and self-fertile, pollinated by insects. Adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, or heavy clay soils with good drainage. Tolerates mildly acid to basic pH and grows in semi-shade or full sun. Prefers moist soil.

Description

A small plant. It grows 90 cm high and spreads 45 cm wide. It takes 2 years to complete its life cycle. The stems are angled. They are hairy at the nodes only. The lower leaves have 2-3 oval leaflets. These leaves have teeth. The upper leaves are rounded and appear to surround the stem. They are heart shaped at the base. The flowers are in yellow umbels. They are rounded and have 5-12 rays. The fruit are 3-3.5 mm long and broader than long. They are brownish-black.

Edible Uses

Leaves and young shoots can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in soups and stews. The plant begins growth in autumn and leaves are often available throughout winter. They carry a strong celery-like flavour and are frequently blanched by excluding light from the growing plant before use. Leafy seedlings work as a parsley substitute. The stem is eaten raw or cooked with a celery-like taste and is often blanched before use; this species is considered superior to the related S. olusatrum as it blanches better, is more crisp and tender, and has a less harsh flavour. Flower buds are eaten raw with a celery-like flavour and can be added to salads. The spicy seeds are used as a pepper substitute. The root is cooked and boiled for use in soups and is said to be more tender if kept in a cool place throughout winter.

Traditional Uses

The blanched leafstalks are eaten raw in salads and used as a potherb. The flower buds are eaten raw and added to salads.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in grassy and rocky places. It suits hardiness zones 6-10.

Where It Grows

Australia, Britain, Czech Republic, Europe, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Mediterranean, Portugal, Sicily, Slovenia, Spain, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye,

Cultivation

Succeeds in most soils but prefers an open sunny position in a well-drained moisture retentive soil. Self-sows freely with us in our Cornwall garden, in a suuny, sheltered position.

Propagation

Seed - best sown in an outdoor seedbed in autumn and planted into its permanent position in late spring. Germination can be slow. Can also be sown in situ in spring.

Other Uses

None known.

Also Known As

Lisciandreddu, Ozsalata, Prerasla repušica

References (15)

Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 156
Cerne, M., 1992, Wild Plants from Slovenia used as Vegetables. Acta Horticulturae 318
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1345
Denes, A., et al, 2012, Wild plants used for food by Hungarian ethnic groups living in the Carpathian Basin. Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae 81 (4): 381-396
Ertug, F, Yenen Bitkiler. Resimli Türkiye Florası -I- Flora of Turkey - Ethnobotany supplement

Show all 15 references

Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 22
Geraci, A., et al, 2018, The wild taxa utilized as vegetables in Sicily (Italy): a traditional component of the Mediterranean diet. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2018) 14:14
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 611
Hermandez Bermejo, J.E., and Leon, J. (Eds.), 1994, Neglected Crops. 1492 from a different perspective. FAO Plant Production and Protection Series No 26. FAO, Rome. p 321
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 291
http://www.botanic-gardens-ljubljana.com/en/plants
Irving, M., 2009, The Forager Handbook, A Guide to the Edible Plants of Britain. Ebury Press p 130
Pasta, S., et al, 2020, An Updated Checklist of the Sicilian Native Edible Plants: Preserving the Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Century-Old Agro-Pastoral Landscapes. Frontiers in Plant Science. Volume 11|Article 388
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Sp. pl. 1:262. 1753