Valerianella locusta
(L.)Laterr.
Caprifoliaceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
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
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
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[
9- Title
- Edible and Medicinal Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Launert. E.
- Publisher
- Hamlyn
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-600-37216-2
- Description
- Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
,
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
].
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[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
37- Title
- The Gardener's Assistant.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thompson. B.
- Publisher
- Blackie and Son.
- Year
- 1878
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Excellent general but extensive guide to gardening practices in the 19th century. A very good section on fruits and vegetables with many little known species.
] though it tolerates most soils and wet or dry conditions[
52- Title
- Salads all the Year Round.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Larkcom. J.
- Publisher
- Hamlyn
- Year
- 1980
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A good and comprehensive guide to temperate salad plants, with full organic details of cultivation.
]. Prefers a sunny position but tolerates some shade in summer[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. This shade, plus an adequate supply of water, will slow down the plant's tendency to run to seed[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. 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[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. 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[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Edible Uses
Young leaves - raw[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
,
5- Title
- Food for Free.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Mabey. R.
- Publisher
- Collins
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0-00-219060-5
- Description
- Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.
,
12- Title
- Britain's Wild Larder.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P.
- Publisher
- David & Charles; Newton Abbot.
- Year
-
- ISBN
- 0-7153-7971-2
- Description
- A handy pocket guide.
,
27- Title
- The Vegetable Garden.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vilmorin. A.
- Publisher
- Ten Speed Press
- Year
-
- ISBN
- 0-89815-041-8
- Description
- A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.
,
33- Title
- Rare Vegetables for Garden and Table.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Organ. J.
- Publisher
- Faber
- Year
- 1960
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Unusual vegetables that can be grown outdoors in Britain. A good guide.
,
37- Title
- The Gardener's Assistant.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thompson. B.
- Publisher
- Blackie and Son.
- Year
- 1878
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Excellent general but extensive guide to gardening practices in the 19th century. A very good section on fruits and vegetables with many little known species.
]. 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[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. The leaves can be available all year round from successional sowings and will only require protection in the colder winters[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Flowers and flowering stems - raw[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
].
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.
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