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Reichardia picroides - (L.)Roth.

Common Name French Scorzonera, Common brighteyes
Family Asteraceae or Compositae
USDA hardiness 7-10
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Cultivated soil and waste places[50].
Range S. Europe.
Edibility Rating    (5 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Frost Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Reichardia picroides French Scorzonera, Common brighteyes


http://www.hear.org/starr/
Reichardia picroides French Scorzonera, Common brighteyes

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Reichardia picroides is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.3 m (1ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from April to August, and the seeds ripen from June to September. 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 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

R. macrophylla. Picridium vulgare.

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds; North Wall. By. East Wall. By.

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves  Root
Edible Uses:

Leaves - raw or cooked[2, 27, 37, 52, 105]. Mild and good[37]. A pleasant agreeable flavour with a slight sweetness and very little fibre, it makes a very acceptable lettuce substitute and we use it in large quantities in salads[K]. The older leaves seem to be even nicer, even when the plant is in flower[K]. Root - raw or cooked[2, 177, 183].

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.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Easily grown in any moderately fertile well-drained soil in a sunny position[200]. Grows best in a shady position in summer[37], where it will produce better quality leaves[K]. It prefers plenty of moisture in the growing season[200], though it is fairly drought tolerant once established[K]. Plants are very tolerant of poor soils[K]. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[200]. It is likely to be hardier when grown in a soil on the poor soil, though the leaves will not be so tender nor so freely produced[K]. Plants are also likely to be hardier in well-drained soils and dislike very wet weather[K]. Plants are often short-lived, though they are self-sowing quite freely in Cornwall[K]. A very easily grown plant, it has also proved to be almost totally slug-proof, even in a very heavily slug-infested garden[K]. Formerly cultivated as a cut and come again salad crop in S. Europe[27, 37], producing a harvestable yield within 10 weeks of sowing the seed[K]. This plant is possibly useful as a winter salad crop, growing in a sunny fairly sheltered position in Cornwall it has been yielding very well and continuously for a period of 18 months since the summer of 1993[K]. It requires more investigation[K].

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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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow March/April in a warm position outdoors and then in succession if required until the autumn. Only just cover the seed. Germination is usually very good and quick. We usually make a sowing in the spring in the greenhouse, pricking out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle, and then planting them out in late spring or early summer. Established plants can self-sow quite freely in disturbed ground.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Lebanon, Syria, Turkey,Cyprus. EUROPE: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Croatia, Italy, North Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain, France, Gibraltar, Monaco, Portugal, AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia.

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

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.)Roth.

Botanical References

50200

Links / References

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

Readers comment

The Future   Sun Apr 12 2009

Where can these seeds be bought?

Mk   Sat May 16 2009

I acquired seed from Bountiful Gardens in Willits, CA http://www.bountifulgardens.org/

Bountiful Gardens Scorzonera seeds available.

john   Sun Aug 16 2009

Bountiful gardens has "Scorzonera" which is Latin name: Scorzonera Hispanica", not the same as Reichardia picroides aka "French Scorzonera"

spammy   Mon Jan 11 2010

i find it bizzare that almost every page on this site has comments from people who have bought or are looking to buy the plant from said page. this website tells you were the plant grows (geographic location and habitat) and it tells you what the plant looks like. whats the point of buying it? they are free!!

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Subject : Reichardia picroides  
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