Herb: Golden Weather Glass


Latin name: Hypoxis hygrometrica


Family: Hypoxidaceae



Edible parts of Golden Weather Glass:

Tuber - raw or cooked. A starchy and earthy taste, with an irritant aftertaste. It is probably inadvisable to eat the root raw due to the presence of calcium oxalate crystals, though it should be all right cooked.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
15 cm
(6 inches)

Flowering:
May to
July

Habitat of the herb:

Moist positions in grassland and heath.

Other uses of Golden Weather Glass:

Seeds are hygrometric and can be used in amateur weather forecasting.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division of off-sets in spring or early autumn.

Cultivation of Golden Weather Glass:

Moist positions in grassland and heath.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Hypoxis hygrometrica:

Plant contains calcium oxalate crystals and can cause mild irritation to the throat if eaten. Thorough cooking destroys the toxin. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones and hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.