Virginia Spring Beauty: For Food, Medicine and Weather Purposes

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Florist Ephy
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Claytonia virginica, commonly known as Virginia spring beauty, fairy spud, eastern spring beauty, grass-flower, or just spring beauty, is a low-growing, pretty, perennial wildflower, and delicious vegetable. It is native to North America and thrives in sunny river banks, well-watered woodlands, and thickets.

[Note: The Right Flowers is not a medical site. Knowledge of and information about the therapeutic benefits and applications of flowers, while known through the ages, does not constitute medical advice. If you are having health issues, you should consult with a physician. In addition, you SHOULD NEVER attempt foraging and eating wild plants unless you are triple sure of their identity and edibility].

The spring beauty is a member of the portulaca family and closely related to miner’s lettuce (montia perfoliata) and purslane (portulaca oleracea). It got the name spring beauty because it is one of the plants that flowers in early spring, just after the gloom of the winter.

Virginia spring beauty is a perennial plant with succulent, grasslike dark green leaves. The plant produces dense white flowers with pink streaks in spring. When these plants bloom in large numbers across a field, they form a stunning, dense, flora formation that takes your breath away. The flowers usually open when it is sunny and warm and are known to close their petals and droop at night or when it is cloudy. So, if you intend to catch sight of these beautiful flowers in the wild, you need to walk around their natural habitats on a sunny day in the afternoon.

The beautiful flowers have a sweet floral scent that attracts pollinator such as bees. In the cut flower industry, Virginia spring beauty blossoms are used on their own in bouquets or used alongside other flowers. In ancient civilizations, the flowers were studied by rainmakers to predict the weather (sort of natural barometers).

The plant has always been associated with human civilizations due to its ornamental, food, and herbal purposes. In North America, the Algonquin and Iroquois tribes utilized the plant for food purposes by boiling or roasting it. Basically, the most sought after part of the plant is the tuber, which has a potato-like flavor and is considered a perfect potato substitute.

Since the plant has always held a coveted place in human history, Virginia spring beauty has been overharvested in the wild, making it almost an endangered plant. In Massachusetts, it is considered an endangered species.

The Virginia spring beauty is not a fussy plant and easily establishes in a garden as long as its natural habitat is simulated. It is a beautiful addition to flower gardens and can be easily propagated.

All the aerial parts of the plant are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked, however, the roots taste better when cooked. The leave, flowers, and stems are eaten raw in salads. Alternatively, they can be cooked like any other greens and eaten with rice, beans, pasta, and other dishes. Apart from its use for food purposes, the entire plant is used orally to prevent conception.

The Virginia spring beauty will cheer you up, help to predict the weather if you can master the ancient art, and still stimulate your palates. Here is a perfect floral plant you should have in your garden.

Virginia spring beauty, also known as eastern spring beauty, can be used for food, medicine and barometer purposes

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