Pepper cress
Lepidium spinosum

Family: Brassicaceae

What it is like

A short herb. It grows each year from seeds. It grows 40 cm tall. The leaves at the base have loves along the side. These are slender. The upper leaves are narrow and do not have lobes. The flowers are white. They are 2-3 mm across. They are along long flower stalks. The fruit is a pod that is heart shaped and 5-6 mm long. It has deep notches.

Where it is found

It is a Mediterranean plant. It grows in moist waste ground.

Countries/locations it is found in

Europe, Greece, Mediterranean, Spain, Turkey, Türkiye

How it is used for food

The leaves are eaten fresh and added to salads.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Kerdime, Musurat

Synonyms

Andreoskia cardaminifolia (DC.) Prantl; Capsella spinosa (Ard.) Moench; Lepidium carrerasii J. J. Rodr.; Lepidium cornutum Sm.; and others