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Lotus edulis - L.

Common Name
Family Fabaceae or Leguminosae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Sandy, stony and rocky places[45].
Range Europe - Mediterranean.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Lotus edulis


Lotus edulis

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Lotus edulis is a ANNUAL growing to 0.0 m (0ft 2in) by 0.4 m (1ft 6in). It is in flower from June to October, and the seeds ripen from July to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects.
It can fix Nitrogen.
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.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seedpod
Edible Uses:

Young seedpods - raw or cooked[2, 105, 177]. The pods are a bit small and fiddly (they are about 3cm long) but they have quite a pleasant taste eaten raw, rather like French Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)[K].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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FOOD FOREST PLANTS

Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

Nitrogen Fixer

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

No details on cultivation requirements have been seen for this plant. However, it succeeds outdoors at Kew where it bears quite good crops of seedpods and is probably best in a light well-drained soil in a sunny position. It has also yielded fairly well on our Cornish trial grounds, though it is more difficult to ripen the seed in the damper climate[K]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

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Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in situ in the spring. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 4 weeks at 15°c. If seed is in short supply, it can be sown in pots in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring or early summer.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Plant Search

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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Melilotus indicusAnnual Yellow SweetcloverAnnual1.0 5-9  LMHNDM121
Melilotus officinalisMelilot, SweetcloverAnnual/Biennial1.2 0-0  LMHNDM233
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Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Botanical References

45

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Subject : Lotus edulis  
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