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Dittander

©Philip Precey

Dittander

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Scientific name: Lepidium latifolium
Dittander is a herb of coastal saltmarshes and damp ground. Its waxy leaves and long roots help it to survive in this harsh environment. Due to its peppery taste, it has also become a popular garden plant.

Top facts

Stats

Height: up to 1.5m

Conservation status

Common.

When to see

June to July

About

Dittander is a scarce, salt-tolerant plant ('halophyte') that is generally found along the edges of coastal saltmarshes and damp ground in South East England and East Anglia. It has also been increasingly introduced to gardens as a culinary and medicinal herb, possibly escaping to some inland locations. It is a member of the cabbage family of plants.

What to look for

Dittander has grey-green, waxy, oval leaves. It displays tiny, white, four-petalled flowers that sit in rounded clusters at the end of branching stems.

Where to find

Mainly found in South East England and East Anglia.

Habitats

Did you know?

Dittander has a peppery taste, so was used in the preparation of sauces before Horseradish became popular; as a result, it has other common names like 'Pepperwort' and 'Peppergrass'.