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Lepidium spp. - Various

Common Name Perennial Lepidium
Family Brassicaceae
USDA hardiness 3-10
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Various depending on the species.
Range Origin: N. Temperate. Widely distributed in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia.
Edibility Rating    (5 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (3 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Lepidium spp. Perennial Lepidium


edibleplants.org
Lepidium spp. Perennial Lepidium

 

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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

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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.

Plant 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

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

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Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

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PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

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Other Uses

See individual species.

Special Uses

Carbon Farming  Food Forest

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

  • Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
  • 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).
  • 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:

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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,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

See individual species.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Common names include peppercress, peppergrass, and pepperwort.

Native Range

Coming Soon

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

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Lepidium apetalum Annual/Biennial0.3 -  LMHSNM22 
Lepidium campestrePepperwort, Field pepperweedAnnual/Biennial0.6 0-0  LMHSNDM200
Lepidium chilense  0.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Lepidium densiflorumCommon PepperweedAnnual/Biennial0.5 0-0  LMHSNDM210
Lepidium diffusum  0.0 -  LMHSNM20 
Lepidium fremontiiDesert PepperweedPerennial0.5 -  LMHSNDM20 
Lepidium graminifoliumGrassleaf pepperweedPerennial0.1 0-0  LMHSNDM20 
Lepidium hyssopifoliumHyssopleaf pepperweedAnnual/Biennial0.0 0-0  LMHSNM10 
Lepidium iberis Annual0.3 -  LMHSNM11 
Lepidium incisum Annual0.2 -  LMHSNM10 
Lepidium intermedium Annual/Biennial0.3 -  LMHSNM20 
Lepidium latifoliumDittander, Broadleaved pepperweedPerennial1.2 5-9  LMHSNM311
Lepidium meyeniiMacaPerennial0.1 0-0  LMHSNM530
Lepidium nitidumShining Pepperweed, Howell's pepperweedAnnual0.3 0-0  LMHSNM202
Lepidium oleraceum Perennial0.0 -  LMHSNM20 
Lepidium perfoliatumClasping pepperweedAnnual/Biennial0.3 0-0  LMHSNM110
Lepidium rotundumVeined PeppercressPerennial0.2 -  LMHSNM20 
Lepidium ruderaleNarrow Leaved Peppergrass, Rroadside pepperweedAnnual/Biennial0.3 0-0  LMHSNM21 
Lepidium sativumCress, Gardencress pepperweedAnnual0.5 6-9  LMHSNM312
Lepidium virginicumWild Pepper Grass, Virginia pepperweed, Intermediate pepperweed, Menzies' pepperweed, Hairy pepperweAnnual/Biennial0.5 0-0  LMHSNM220

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.

 

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Subject : Lepidium spp.  
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