Post #88 Plant Profile: Florida Pellitory (Parietaria floridana)
Ah, the humble Florida pellitory! It is a wild plant that no one really grows on purpose and often people will pull it thinking it has no use. Little do they know that it’s a native, edible plant packed with nutrients!
And perhaps even more importantly, it is an excellent pollinator plant that specifically attracts the larvae of the majestic Red Admiral butterfly.
It pops up in the cool season, and if the soil is poor, it will have very small, rounded leaves on its succulent, almost clear stems. But in rich soil, the leaves are much larger and pointed, growing close to an inch long. The leaves themselves are not fleshy, but they are a bit fuzzy with fine hairs.
Given the nickname “over the wall”, Florida pellitory will happily climb walls when they are nearby. Otherwise it tends to creep as a groundcover in disturbed soil or fill in cracks between flagstones and crumbling asphalt.
Generally considered an annual, it readily produces plenty of tiny seeds that come after insignificant white flowers.
Florida pellitory doesn’t overrun an area, so we don’t view it as an invasive thug, but rather a good friend we look forward to seeing in small amounts for a few months each year. I don’t bother sowing or gathering seed because it is widespread and I can count on it seeding itself in my garden.
Health Benefits of Florida Pellitory
Florida pellitory is high in both potassium and sodium, as well as nitrates. It is a diuretic that supports the kidneys. It is also known to contribute to lowering high blood pressure.
How do you eat Florida pellitory?
Highly edible, it has a taste reminiscent of cucumber, similar to borage flowers if you are familiar with those.
Although most really only see it as a weed, we let this plant grow whenever and wherever it wants to because it’s a pleasant green to eat, raw or cooked.
Raw it is a little hairy and the cucumber flavor makes it a good addition to a salad in small amounts, or as an unusual plate garnish.
Cooked it is an enjoyable, mild green for sautes, soups, stews, and stir fries (thrown in at the end because it only needs to be wilted a bit).
A Word to the Wise: Florida pellitory is related to the greater nettle family and some people with allergies, especially pollen allergies, may experience itchiness when consuming this plant. Approach with caution (or not at all) if you have known pollen allergies.
How do you grow Florida pellitory?
If you are interested in cultivating it in your garden, first look around your yard, especially where you may have sandy patches. Do you see it growing anywhere already? If so, encourage its growth and let it spread. It will self seed and proliferate if left to its own devices. Use a low, portable garden fence to stake it out so it doesn’t get mowed down. There are lots of decorative, no-dig fences available to keep your yard looking pretty while protecting these “weeds”!
Once you’ve got a strong patch going, try transplanting a large clump of plants to the location you’d like to grow it in before it flowers. This way, it will reseed where you want it.
Harvesting tip: It’s better to harvest the leaves from taller plants and take the top rather than the bottom as the bottom leaves tend to hold onto sand crystals. Due to the leaves’ fuzzy nature the sand crystals are hard to rinse out, leaving you with a mouthful of grit if you are unlucky!
Weeds and Pests
Because Florida pellitory is seen as a weed itself, there’s no need to worry about weeds taking over. It does just fine asserting itself in disturbed soil.
The same goes for pests. As a native weed, it is quite resistant to pests and diseases.
Where can you find Florida pellitory for sale?
It is generally not sold anywhere but you may come across it at a local farmer’s market being sold by a farmer who wants to introduce it to consumers.
If it is not already growing as a volunteer somewhere in your yard, it is possible to procure seeds online or possibly at your local nursery or in any nearby vacant lot. Be advised, however, that there are many plants with the common name “Pellitory”, many not even in the same genus as Florida pellitory, who’s latin name is Parietaria floridana.
So look for the latin name when purchasing seeds and make sure it matches up, otherwise you may very well end up with an unwanted non-native weed sprawling across your garden.
There’s nothing wrong with loving an underdog, and in this case Florida pellitory may be seen as just that among more popular, edible native South Florida plants. We love it anyways. It’s refreshing cucumber flavor is a surprising delight for cold drinks and as a special garnish to everyday meals.
It’s a super easy keeper since nine times out of ten it volunteers itself, so why not keep it around? Do you have Florida pellitory growing in your yard? If so, is it a friend or a foe? If you have been pulling it out in vain until now, it’s not too late to make peace with it!
Let us know your experience with Florida pellitory and how you like to use it, if at all. You can post in the comments section below; we love hearing from you!
Until Next time,
Happy Gardening,
Mary