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Summary
A genus of plants in the mustard/cabbage family, Brassicaceae. Annual to perennial, herbs or shrubs. Species include garden cress, maca, and dittander. A possible carbon farming solutions plant as a staple oil-seed crop.
Physical Characteristics
Lepidium spp. is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 2 m (6ft 7in) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Many. See individual species.
Habitats
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves Root
Edible Uses:
Carbon Farming Solutions - Staple Crop: oil (The term staple crop typically refers to a food that is eaten routinely and accounts for a dominant part of people's diets in a particular region of the world) [1-1]. Fruit is usually spreading and squat (less than 3 times as long as broad),
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Various medicinal qualities depending on the species.
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Management: Standard Staple Crop: Oil Under Development
Climate: boreal to warm temperate. Humidity: semi-arid to humid. A genus of plants in the mustard/cabbage family, Brassicaceae. Annual to perennial, herbs or shrubs. Species include garden cress, maca, and dittander. Lepidium is from the Greek lepis (scale) referring to the shape of the seed pods. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: under development. Management: standard (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation) [1-1].
Carbon Farming
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Management: Standard
Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
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Staple Crop: Oil
(0-15 percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Some of these are consumed whole while others are exclusively pressed for oil. Annuals include canola, poppyseed, maize, cottonseed, sunflower, peanut. Perennials include high-oil fruits, seeds, and nuts, such as olive, coconut, avocado, oil palm, shea, pecan, and macadamia. Some perennial oil crops are consumed whole as fruits and nuts, while others are exclusively pressed for oil (and some are used fresh and for oil).
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Under Development
Plant breeders are actively working to domesticate these plants for cultivation, but they are not yet commercially available as crops. Examples include most of the perennial cereal grains.
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
Fahrenheit:
The PFAF Bookshop
Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.
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Propagation
See individual species.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Common names include peppercress, peppergrass, and pepperwort.
Native Plant Search
Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search
Found In
Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available
Widely distributed in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia.
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
None Known
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
Various
Botanical References
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
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