Common Name: Shepherd's Purse

General Information

Capsella bursa-pastoris is a slender, erect, annual to short-lived perennial plant, usually growing from 15 - 70cm tall[].
Often harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine, the plant is also extensively cultivated in some areas of the world as a cabbage-flavoured spring greens[], in Japan it is one of the essential ingredients of a ceremonial rice and barley gruel that is eaten on January 7th[].
Shepherd's purse is a very common garden weed that can spread freely in cultivated ground. It is usually in flower and producing seed in all months of the year, unless the temperature drops below 5°c. This species is a prime example of how a plant can be viewed as an annoying weed in some areas of the world whilst in others it is actually cultivated for its wide range of uses[, , ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

A virtually cosmopolitan plant, found in most regions of the world, though generally at higher elevations in the tropics.

Habitat

Arable land, gardens, waste places etc, it is a common weed of cultivated soil and can even be found growing in situations such as cracks in pavements[, , ].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Probably originating in the eastern Mediterranean, Shepherd's purse has spread as a weed to many areas of the world. It is more common in the temperate zone, but is also often found in the tropics, more commonly at elevations above 600 metres.
Prefers a sunny position. Plants flourish in most soils from clays to sandy loams, but dislikes wet conditions[, ]. They will grow even in the poorest of soils, though in such a situation the plants might only reach a few centimetres tall before they flower and set seed[]. In rich soils plants will take longer to go to seed and will grow up to 60cm tall[]. Tolerates a pH in the range 5 - 8[].
The leaves grow rather larger under cultivation, they can be harvested about a month after sowing and can be treated as a cut and come again crop[]. They do run to seed fairly rapidly, however, especially in hot dry weather or when in poor soils[, ].
A member of the cabbage family, it is a host plant for many diseases of Brassicas[].
Birds are very fond of the seeds[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[, , , , ]. The young leaves, used before the plant comes into flower, make a fine addition to salads[]. The leaves are a cress and cabbage substitute[], becoming peppery with age[]. Leaves are usually available all year round, though they can also be dried for later use[]. The leaves contain about 2.9% protein, 0.2% fat, 3.4% carbohydrate, 1% ash. They are rich in iron, calcium and vitamin C[]. A zero moisture basis analysis is available[].

The young flowering shoots can be eaten raw or cooked[]. They are rather thin and fiddly but the taste is quite acceptable. They can be available at most times of the year.

Seed - raw or cooked[, ]. It can be ground into a meal and used in soups etc[, ]. It is very fiddly to harvest and utilize, the seed is very small[].

The seed contains 35% of a fatty oil[]. This oil can be extracted and is edible[].

The seedpods can be used as a peppery seasoning for soups and stews[].

The fresh or dried root is a ginger substitute[, , ].

Medicinal

Shepherd's purse is little used in herbalism, though it is a commonly used domestic remedy, being especially efficacious in the treatment of both internal and external bleeding, diarrhoea etc[, ].

A tea made from the whole plant is antiscorbutic, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, haemostatic, hypotensive, oxytocic, stimulant, vasoconstrictor, vasodilator and vulnerary[, , , , , , , , , , ]. A tea made from the dried herb is considered to be a sovereign remedy against haemorrhages of all kinds - the stomach, the lungs, the uterus and more especially the kidneys[, ]. The plant has been approved by the European Commission E for the treatment of nosebleeds, premenstrual syndrome, and wounds and burns[]. The plant can be used fresh or dried, for drying it is harvested in the summer[]. The dried herb quickly loses its effectiveness and should not be stored for more than a year[].

Clinical trials on the effectiveness of this plant as a wound herb have been inconclusive[]. It appears that either it varies considerably in its effectiveness from batch to batch, or perhaps a white fungus that is often found on the plant contains the medically active properties[].
The plant has been ranked 7th amongst 250 potential anti-fertility plants in China[]. It has proven uterine-contracting properties and is traditionally used during childbirth[].
The plant is a folk remedy for cancer - it contains fumaric acid which has markedly reduced growth and viability of Ehrlich tumour in mice[].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh plant[]. It is used in the treatment of nose bleeds and urinary calculus[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Plants can be grown on salty or marshy land in order to reclaim it by absorbing the salt and 'sweetening' the soil[].

Other Uses

The seed, when placed in water, attracts mosquitoes. It has a gummy substance that binds the insects mouth to the seed[]. The seed also releases a substance toxic to the larvae. ½ kilo of seed is said to be able to kill 10 million larvae[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ late winter to May. Seed can also be sown as late as mid autumn[]. The seed germinates best at temperatures between 5 - 30°c[]. Fresh seed is usually dormant, but the dormancy is broken by temperatures below 15°c[]. The seed can remain dormant and viable for many years in the soil[]. A common weed of disturbed ground, the plant does not normally need any help to maintain itself[].