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Lepidium virginicum - L.

Common Name Wild Pepper Grass, Virginia pepperweed, Intermediate pepperweed, Menzies' pepperweed, Hairy pepperwe
Family Brassicaceae or Cruciferae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Dry sandy soils[55] in waste places and by roads[43]. Avoids dense woods and wet places[159].
Range N. America - Quebec to Minnesota, south to Florida and Colorado. A casual in many parts of Britain.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Lepidium virginicum Wild Pepper Grass, Virginia pepperweed, Intermediate pepperweed, Menzies


USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 2: 165.
Lepidium virginicum Wild Pepper Grass, Virginia pepperweed, Intermediate pepperweed, Menzies
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Tau%CA%BBolunga

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Lepidium virginicum is a ANNUAL/BIENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It is in flower from May to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. 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

L. intermedium.

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves  Seedpod
Edible Uses: Condiment

Young leaves - raw or cooked[55, 62, 159]. The leaves are a rich source of vitamin C[254] and have a hot cress-like flavour[144]. Chopped finely and added to salads, used as a garnish or cooked as greens[183]. Unripe seedpods have a pleasantly pungent flavour and can be eaten raw[55] or used as a condiment in soups and stews[183]. The seed is a pepper substitute[62, 159].

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.
Anthelmintic  Antiasthmatic  Antiscorbutic  Antitussive  Cardiotonic  Diuretic  Vitamin C

The leaves of wild pepper-grass are nutritious and generally detoxifying, they have been used to treat vitamin C deficiency and diabetes, and to expel intestinal worms[254]. The herb is also diuretic and of benefit in easing rheumatic pain[254]. North American Indians used the bruised fresh plant, or a tea made from the leaves to treat poison ivy rash and scurvy[222]. A poultice of the leaves was applied to the chest in the treatment of croup[222]. The seed is antiasthmatic, antitussive, cardiotonic and diuretic[176]. It is used in the treatment of coughs and asthma with excessive phlegm, oedema, oliguria and liquid accumulation in the thoraco-abdominal cavity[176].A poultice of the bruised roots has been used to draw out blisters[257]. The root is used to treat excess catarrh within the respiratory tract[254].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils.

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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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

Seed - sow spring in situ. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Québec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia (southwest)), United States (Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, District of Columbia, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah), Mexico (Baja California (Norte), Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Aguascalientes, Chiapas, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Tlaxcala, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán) SOUTHERN AMERICA: Hispaniola, Anguilla, Netherlands Antilles, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Montserrat, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, United States (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S.), St. Vincent and Grenadines, Virgin Islands (British), Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador

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.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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 spp.Perennial LepidiumPerennial1.2 3-10 FLMHSNM532

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

L.

Botanical References

43235

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

iank   Tue Oct 14 2008

Also known as "Poor Man's Pepper," This species prefers dry soils. -J. Kricher. A Field Guide to Eastern Forests; North America. Where found: Dry soil, waste ground. -Lee Allen Peterson. A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America

xavier acosta   Thu Apr 16 2009

Used extensively in Cuba for kidney related problems. All parts of the plant (don't know about the roots) can be used. Some 10 to 20 grams of the fresh herb can be boiled in water for about 10 minutes to make a gallon of infusion. This tea is drunk as water.

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