Lepidium latifolium

Pepper herb ( Lepidium latifolium )

The pepper herb ( Lepidium latifolium ) is a plant of the genus cress ( Lepidium ), which can be used just like the garden cress in the kitchen. It has the same raw sharp, peppery flavor, just a little more intense than the garden cress. This is referred to as Broad-leaved herb pepper cress or as a beach Karse. The word savory is sometimes also used for savory ( Satureja hortensis ).

Features

In appearance the savory differs from the other Kressen somewhat. These are perennial herbaceous plants, while many others cress species are one or two year. You can reach stature heights of around 100 cm and are significantly larger than the other types of cress. Because they multiply on root suckers, they often form dense groups.

The inflorescence is a pretty loose branched panicle, while the flowers of the other species are located in the top right rather compact clusters. Because of this sprawling, white and fragrant inflorescence the pepper herb is also sometimes used in bouquets.

The little pods are flattened and rounded in outline or broad oval. The sepals have a white border, almost from its base up to its head.

The leaves are undivided. The stem leaves are ovate to lanceolate, depending on the height on the stem 5-10 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. You are bald, and fine on the edge, sometimes serrated indistinct. The basal leaves are larger and wider.

Occurrence

The pepper herb is mainly found on the coasts and thus on saline sandy or clay soils such as sand dunes. In the interior it is represented only low in Europe for the same reason. If it occurs, it is preferred there, too salty locations, but occasionally also along river banks in meadows or to find on older waste places.

The original distribution area included the temperate and meridional zones of Eurasia ( Europe and Central Asia). Against 1900, there was, presumably kidnapped with sugar beet seeds, to North America.