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Common Name: Corn Salad

General Information

Valerianella locusta is an annual plant that can grow up to 0.30 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to N. Africa and W. Asia.

Habitat

Cultivated ground, waste places, hedgebanks, dunes etc, usually on dry soils[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A very easily grown plant, it prefers a fairly rich light soil[, ] though it tolerates most soils and wet or dry conditions[]. Prefers a sunny position but tolerates some shade in summer[]. This shade, plus an adequate supply of water, will slow down the plant's tendency to run to seed[]. Late sowings will benefit from a sheltered sunny position and perhaps some protection in the winter.
Often cultivated on a garden scale for its edible young leaves which, by successional sowing, can be available for most of the year although they will require protection in severe winters. There are several named varieties[]. The plants do tend to run quickly to seed in the summer though.
If allowed to flower, plants will often maintain themselves by self-sowing[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - raw[, , , , , , , ]. A very mild flavour, with a delicate quality that makes them seem to melt in the mouth, they can be added in quantity to salads[]. The leaves can be available all year round from successional sowings and will only require protection in the colder winters[].
Flowers and flowering stems - raw[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - in order to obtain a continuous supply of salad leaves, it is best to sow the seed successionally from early spring to late summer in situ. A late summer sowing might also succeed, and this would supply edible leaves in the winter.