Crambe cordifolia

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Crambe cordifolia plant.jpg

|genus = Crambe

|species = cordifolia

|authority = Steven

}}

Crambe cordifolia, the greater sea-kale,{{BSBI 2007|accessdate=2014-10-17}} colewort or heartleaf crambe ( syn. Crambe glabrata DC.), is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, native to the Caucasus. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector - Crambe cordifolia|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/4709/Crambe-cordifolia/Details | accessdate=15 April 2020}}

Epithet

The Latin specific epithet cordifolia, meaning "heart-shaped", refers to the leaves.{{cite book|last=Harrison|first=Lorraine|title=RHS Latin for gardeners|year=2012|publisher=Mitchell Beazley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=9781845337315|pages=224}}

Description

Growing to {{convert|2.5|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} tall by {{convert|1.5|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} broad, it is a substantial clump-forming herbaceous perennial with kidney-shaped dark green leaves, {{convert|35|cm|0|abbr=on}} or more in length, which die down in mid- to late summer.{{cite book|title=RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants|year=2008|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|location=United Kingdom|isbn=978-1405332965|pages=1136}} It is cultivated in gardens for its broad crinkled foliage and spectacular multi-branched inflorescences of many small fragrant white, cruciform (cross-shaped) flowers, reaching up to {{convert|2|m|0}} high and appearing in early summer. Under droughty conditions the foliage depreciates. The plant is tap-rooted and resents disturbance.

References

{{Reflist}}

  • {{cite book

| author=Alfred Pink

| url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11892

| title=Gardening for the Million

}}