Claytonia perfoliata - Miner's Lettuce

Family:	Portulacaceae
Habit:	Annual
Height:	0.15
Synonyms:	Claytonia perfoliata.
Range:	N. America. Naturalized in Britain.

Claytonia perfoliata (Miner's Lettuce) is a Annual which grows to a height of 0.15m . It has a hardness rating of 0and is vunerable to frost.
Miner's Lettuce will flower in November to January. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Flies, self

Soil Information

Miner's Lettuce will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is / is important for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Miner's Lettuce prefers either dry or moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Miner's Lettuce can grow in full, semi shaded areas and areas with no shade.

Disturbed and waste ground, moist banks and slopes, often in partial shade, especially on light soils[17, 85]. Also found on rather dry sandy soils[50].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge
• Works within dappled Shade
• Grows in a shady edge
• Is suited to a deeply shaded location
• Can spread to cover ground and will out compete weeds

Cultivation Details

Prefers a moist peaty soil[1, 60]. It is often found growing wild on sandy soils[264]. An easily grown plant, it can succeed on very poor and dry soils[52, 60]. Plants grow well the dappled shade of trees, producing a better quality crop in such a situation[52, 60, 264]. Although only an annual[208], it usually self-sows when well sited. A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to at least -15°c. Miner's lettuce is occasionally cultivated as a salad plant[1, 46]. It's main value is as a reliable producer of leaves in the winter, though it can provide leaves all year round[141, 200, 264]. It can be grown as a cut and come again crop[183].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 4/5
Leaves - raw or cooked[2, 5, 12, 27, 52, 62]. A fairly bland flavour with a mucilaginous texture, it is quite nice in a salad[183, K]. The young leaves are best[85], older leaves can turn bitter especially in the summer and if the plant is growing in a hot dry position[K]. Although individual leaves are fairly small, they are produced in abundance and are easily picked[K]. Stalks and flowers - raw[52]. A nice addition to the salad bowl[K]. Bulb - raw[5, 53, 62]. Although very small and labour-intensive to harvest, the boiled and peeled root has the flavour of chestnuts[244]. Another report says that the plant has a fibrous root system[62] so this report seems to be erroneous[K].

• Flowers -
• Leaves -
• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
The leaves are gently laxative[94]. Apart from its value as a nourishing vegetable that is rich in vitamin C, it can also be taken as an invigorating spring tonic and an effective diuretic[254]. A poultice of the mashed plants has been applied to rheumatic joints[257].

• Antirheumatic - Treats rheumatism.
• Laxative - Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ. The seed usually germinates rapidly.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

Although only an annual, this species makes an excellent ground cover in a cool acid soil under trees. In such a position it usually self-sows freely[208] and grows all year round[K].

• Ground cover - Usually low growing plants that can be grown with other plants, especially shrubs and trees, to prevent the growth of weeds.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of the British Isles.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Author: Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Rating:
Publisher : A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
Date of Publication : 1962

Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest.
Hitchcock. C. L.
Author: Hitchcock. C. L.
Rating:
Publisher : A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.
Date of Publication : 1955

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