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Cochlearia officinalis
Also called Common Scurvygrass, Common Scurvy Grass, Scurvy Grass, Scurvey Grass
Cochlearia officinalis, common scurvygrass, scurvy-grass, or spoonwort, is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. The plant acquired its common name from the observation that it cured scurvy.
The flowers are pollinated by bees, flies, and beetles. The plant attracts wildlife and tolerates frost.
It was once used by herbalists as a cure for scurvy, as the plant contains Vitamin C. Nicholas Culpeper wrote of scurvygrass in his book Complete Herbal that its chief good effect is when used "by those that have the scurvy" and that it "is of singular good effect to cleanse the blood, liver and spleen, taking the juice in the Spring every morning fasting in a cup of drink". The plant was taken onboard ships in dried bundles or distilled extracts. Its very bitter taste was usually disguised with herbs and spices. Scurvygrass drinks and sandwiches were a popular in the UK until the mid-19th century, when citrus fruits became more readily available.
English Scurvygrass · Early scurvygrass · Danish scurvygrass · Tatra Scurvy-grass · Scurvygrass
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Cochlearia officinalis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
