Azorina vidalii
Family: Campanulaceae
What it is like
Azorina vidalii is an evergreen Shrub growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 0.3
Where it is found
Sea cliffs.
Azores.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia, Azores, Europe, Portugal, Tasmania,
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Leaves - raw. An excellent sweet flavour, the leaves can be used like lettuce in salads, though the plant is not very productive. It is important to only harvest individual side leaves, if the growing tip is harvested the shoot will usually die off.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 0
How it is grown
Requires a moist but very free-draining soil of medium fertility and a sunny position. This species is not very hardy outdoors in Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about 0°c. It can possibly be grown outdoors in the mildest areas of the country if given the protection of a sunny wall. A short-lived plant, tending to rot in humid conditions. Flowers tend to be white on plants grown in greenhouses, but turn pink on outdoor plants.
Propagating it: Seed - surface sow in mid spring in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 4 weeks at 18°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Cultivated Beds; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 8-11
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist