Herb: Spring Beauty


Latin name: Claytonia virginica


Family: Portulacaceae (Purslane Family)



Medicinal use of Spring Beauty:

A cold infusion or decoction of the powdered roots has been given to children with convulsions. It has been said that eating the raw plants can permanently prevent conception.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
15 cm
(6 inches)

Flowering:
March

Habitat of the herb:

Rich woods, thickets and clearings. Sandy open woods, prairies and disturbed sites in Texas.

Edible parts of Spring Beauty:

Root - raw or cooked. Rich in starch, it has a pleasant nutty flavour. A radish-like flavour when raw, it tastes like a cross between a potato and a chestnut when cooked. The root is rich in vitamins A and C. Leaves and flowering stems - raw or cooked. Added to salads or used as greens. The leaves are often available in the winter.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - surface sow on a peat based compost in spring in a cold frame. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 4 weeks at 10°C. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Division of offsets in spring or autumn.

Cultivation of Spring Beauty:

Rich woods, thickets and clearings. Sandy open woods, prairies and disturbed sites in Texas.

Known hazards of Claytonia virginica:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.