Wintercress
Barbarea vulgaris

Other Names: Bittercress, Common cress, Indian posey, Land cress, St. Barbarba herb, Scurvy cress, Upland cress, Yellow rocket

Habitat: (Barbarea vulgaris) A native to Europe it is a perennial evergreen plant introduced to America by the first sailing ships where it was used as an edible and medicinal herb for preventing scurvy. Wintercress is now found growing wild in moist areas, roadsides, stream banks and waste places, from Newfoundland to Ontario, south ward, and in some central states in the U.S..Cultivation: Wintercress is easily cultivated from seed or seedlings, it prefers moist, well drained, sandy soil. The long, pinnately cut, lobed, basal leaves are dark green, smooth and somewhat crispy, they grow in a rosette or layered whorl. The stem grows to a height of 4 ft., is branched, and the upper leaves are stalkless and deeply toothed. Atop the stems are clusters of lemon yellow, 4 petaled flowers, long, sharp upward pointing seedpods are present on the stem beneath the flower cluster. Blooming from March to August. Gather only the leaves, only in early spring (before flowers appear), and young, green clusters of flowers (similar to broccoli).

Caution: Many warnings exist about the consumption of this plant, some are due to its ability to store contaminates, even pesticides, from the soil or water it grows in, to make sure it is edible do not to harvest from roadsides and waste places or anywhere near (bad) or brackish water, or cultivated fields where pesticides and herbicides have been used.

Properties: Mainly used as food, for salads, and as a pot herb, or fried, wintercress is high in vitamin C and minerals, it is used as a bitter medicinal tea to stimulate appetite, purify and strengthen blood (Cherokee), for coughs, and as a diuretic. Caution is advised in eating the raw plant, only small amounts 1 tbls. chopped leaves or less. Used externally as a poultice to help heal wounds. The presence of glucosinolate compounds in the plant are converted by myrosinase to substances such as isothiocyanates, thiocyanates, nitriles and goitrin. Wintercress are members of the family Brassicaceae, grown under cultivation all over the world these plants are very important vegetable foods. Called cole crops, some of these members are very familiar to us, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Collards, Kale, Radish, Turnip and Mustard greens, are but a few. Recently some members of this family (Broccoli sprouts) have been found to posses some very important anti-cancer chemicals, called isothiocyanates, these chemicals are known to be potent stimulators of natural detoxifying enzymes in the body.

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Folklore: Called the herb of ST. Barbara, wintercress seed was traditionally sown on the 4th day of December the day of feast. It was believed to be sacred by many tribes because it stayed green during the coldest winters, and was a food stable all winter long. Believed to be poisonous by some (experts).

TRY THESE RECIPES

Salads: Tear leaf lobes from stem, soak in vinegar and oil add to salads.

Pot Herb: Use whole leaves and flower buds or either separately, boil 5 min. change water and boil in seasonings for 30 min. or fry in seasonings.