Cochlearia officinalis by Stadtkatze, on Flickr
It’s time for another of those weeds. Scurvy Grass is an up to 30 cm (1 ft) high, usually biannual herb with fleshy, heart-shaped leaves in a rosette. These leaves are round to heart-shaped and have long shafts. The flowers are pure white with four petals, and are placed in dense clusters. The fruits are almost spherical seed pods. The plant has a sharp taste and a mustard-like odor.
Latin name Cochlearia officinalis
Synonyms Scurvy Grass, Common Scurvy Grass, English Scurvygrass, Long-leaved Scurvy-grass, Spoonwort
Family Brassicaceae
Scurvy Grass grows wild along the coasts of Central and Northwestern Europe and in the temperate areas in Asia and North America.
The plants can withstand severe cold, and the juicy, fresh, crisp taste of the leaves are edible throughout the year.
Some might get this herb confused with Watercress (Nasturtium officinale). You can tell the difference by Scurvy Grass flowers having a strong fragrance when rubbed.
The species is divided into different sub-species, of which three grow in Norway. The literature on herbal medicine does not distinguish between these subspecies
Caution
If taken in too large quantities, it can cause damage to mucous membranes and cause bleeding in the stomach, intestines and kidneys.
Main constituents
Scurvy Grass contains glucosilinates (glucoputranjivin, glucocochlearin, glucotropeolin, sinigrin, which break down to mustard oil), tropine, cochlearine, volatile oil, bitter principle, tannins, flavonoids, numerous minerals and up ot 0.25 % ascorbic acid (vitamin C). The volatile oil contains 94 % butyl mustard oil.
Uses
Medical
The herb is antiscorbutic, aperient, disinfectant, diuretic and stimulant. It is best used when fresh though it can also be harvested in late spring or early summer and dried for later use. This will however cause the vitamin C to oxidize.
Since it’s found growing naturally in saline marshlands, a section of the herbalists were of the view that this plant would also be effective in dissolving the ‘salt’ of rheumatism and gout.
The herb is astringent and may be applied to lessen or stop a nosebleed or other types of bleeding wounds. In addition, this herb is also known to be an effective diuretic and is used to treat conditions like fluid build-up and kidney stones. The leaves may be used as an antiseptic mouthwash to treat canker sores.
Scurvy Grass is also known to be antiseptic and possess gentle purgative properties. The young plant possesses common detoxification properties and encloses an assortment of minerals. Therefore, the young scurvy plant is generally consumed as a tonic during spring.
In the past, the sailors held this herb in high esteem and they also consumed it as a part of their diet with to avoid developing scurvy caused by a deficiency of vitamin C.
Herbalists also recommend the topical application of the leaves to treat ulcers and wounds that heal very sluggishly.
Magical
It’s said to correspond to Jupiter. That would put it the area of success, abundance, luck, business, power and honor . As well as associate it with gods like Thor and Zeus.
Cosmetic
The juice can be applied topically on the skin to treat pimples as well as spots.
Culinary
The leaves are eaten raw. Bothe because of the nutritional content, and because og their sharp, mustardy taste, they can be added to salads in small amounts. The flavour resembles that of horseradish and watercress – both close relatives of this herb.
Other
Scurvy Grass is also an important bee plant.
Cultivation
Although rarely cultivated, it may be propagated by seed. The seeds of the plant are sown in situ in early spring or autumn. They normally germinate within two to three weeks when maintained at a temperature of around 15°C.
It prefers sandy or light, loamy or medium and clay (heavy) soils that have an adequate drainage. In addition, this plant has a preference for basic (alkaline), acidic and neutral soils. It also has the aptitude to grow in saline soils. It grows well in partial shade as in light woodland or in the absence of shade.
Harvest
The leaves and/or the parts above ground are collected before the plant comes into flower.
Fun Facts
There are records of Scurvy Grass being used as a remedy in Roman times, and Martin Martin mentions the Shetlanders using it.
Scurvy was a common disease in Northern Europe up until the 1800′s. The symptoms are bleeding gums, loose teeth, bleedings in muscles and tendons around the joints, anemia and increasing general weakness. If left untreated, this disease can be fatal.
Only recently have scientists discovered that the herb encloses high amounts of vitamin C, similar to that contained by fresh oranges.
Linnaeus writes about the plant being used for shortness of breath and pulmonary edema caused by heart failure.
In the 1600′s, the English doctor Robert Turner recommended Scurvy Grass in beer as a cure for different conditions, including fever.
The latin name Cochlearia comes from cochlear, meaning spoon, and points to the spoon shape of the leaves.
The name Scurvy Grass obviously comes form its use for Scurvy. It has similar names in Norwegian, Danish, Swedish and German.
There are written sources stating that people in Finnmark (in Northern Norway) put the herb on barrels for winter use in the 1600′s, and sold it to the Southern parts of the country under the name ‘Finnmarkskål’ (Finnmark Cabbage).
If you dry Scurvy Grass, it loses much of it’s effectiveness against Scurvy, since the vitamin C oxidizes.
In the 1850s Scurvy Grass extract was a fashionable breakfast drink.
For the Harry Potter fans, it’s a common ingredient in Confusing Draughts and Befuddlement Draughts.
I’ve always wondered about that herb, but never got around to checking what it’s called and what it does. I remember it well from my childhood, I actually remembered the scent just by looking at the picture! Do you know what it’s called in Norwegian?
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I think it’s lovely that I managed to call up a memory
I haven’t found it here, because I live in the mountains, but it’s called Skjørbuksurt in Norwegian. Rolv HJelmstad has some Norwegian info on it: http://www.rolv.no/urtemedisin/medisinplanter/coch_off.htm