Pot-Herbs

Greens, Edible, or Pot-Herbs^CH. This term greens is generally applied in America to any pot-herb, that is to say, to any green herbage which is cooked and served separately from the other principal and secondary dishes of a square meal^CH. The term "greens" is commonly used for the mess of cookery which is brought to the table^CH. It is not so often applied to the plants growing in the garden^CH. In the garden, perhaps, they are herbs—pot-herbs—although this term is not so much employed as it conveniently might be^CH. Greens are served early in the spring, when the appetite craves anything which tastes like out-of-doors^CH.

All sorts of plants are used as pot-herbs^CH. Almost anything which shows a succulent growth in the spring is likely to be tried by somebody^CH. Turnip tops, potato leaves, pig-weeds, purslane, and many other apparently impossible herbs, are often impressed into the service^CH. The really good pot-herbs are comparatively few, however^CH. Probably the best are dandelion, spinach, mustard (various species), endive, chard, beet-top and kale^CH.

The following plants have been more or less used as pot-herbs^CH:

• Buck's-horn Plantain, Plantago coronopus.
• California Peppergrass, Brassica japonica.
• Cardoon, Cynara cardunculus.
• Chard, Beta fulgaris.
• Chervil, Anthriscus cerefolium.
• Chicory, Cichorium intybus.
• Chinese Amaranth, Amarantus gangeticus.
• Chinese Artichoke, Stachys sieboldii (Stachys affinis or Stachys tuberifera).
• Chinese Cabbage, Brassica pe-teai.
• Chinese Cabbage, Brassica chinensis.
• Chinese Mustard, Brassica juncea.
• Chives, Allium schoenoprasum.
• Corn Salad, Valerianella olitoria.
• Cress, Lepidium saliva.
• Meadow Cress, Cardamine pratensis.
• Para Cress, Spilanthes olerocta.
• Upland Cress, Barbarta vulgaris and Barbarta praecox.
• Other so-called Cresses, as Lepidium chilense, Lepidium piscidium, Lepidium virginicum, Senebiera pinnatifida, Nasturtium indicum, Gynandropsis pentaphylla.
• Dandelion, Taraxicum officinale.
• Dock, Rumex, several species.
• Endive, Cichorium endivia.
• Globe Artichoke, Cynara scolymus.
• Good King Henry, Chenopodium bonus-henricus.
• Goosefoot, Chenopodium, mostly C. album.
• Ice Plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum.
• Italian Corn Salad, Valerianella eriocarpa.
• Kale, Brassica olfracea.
• Lettuce, Lactuca (especially the wild species, some of which are excellent).
• Malabar Nightshade, Basella alba and Basella rubra.
• Mustard, Brassica species.
• Nasturtiums, Tropaeolum species.
• Orach, Atriplex hortensis.
• Parsley, Petroselinum.
• Pepper-grass. Lepidium species.
• Pigweed, Amarantus species.
• Pokeweed, Phytolacca decandra.
• Quinoa, Chenopodium quinoa.
• Rocket Salad, Eruca sativa.
• Rosella, Hibiacui sabdariffa.
• Salad-Burnet, Porterium sanguisorba.
• Sorrels, various, Oxalis crenata, Oxalis tetraphylla.
• Spinach, Spiriacia oleracea.
• Tuberous-Rooted Chinese Mustard, Brassica napiformis.
• Turnip, Brassica rapa.
• Winter Purslane, Montia perfoliata.

Cultivation

Culture.—Pot-herbs are wanted at the earliest possible moment in the spring^CH. They are, therefore, often grown in hotbeds, frames, or in greenhouses (see Spinach, Dandelion, Mustard, etc.)^CH. They must be succulent and tender^CH. It is necessary, on this account, that they be quickly grown in loose, very rich, well- drained soil with plenty of water^CH. Specific directions for the cultivation of the various plants will be found under the several heads. ^CH

Gallery

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

• w:Pot-Herbs. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Pot-Herbs QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)