Seasonal Wild Flowers

Common Cornsalad

Valerianella locusta

Lamb's Lettuce

Valerianaceae

April to June

It is found throughout the country but is less common

in the North.

See the BSBI distribution map for Common Cornsalad

It grows on bare ground with rocky and thin soils. coastal

dunes and shingle, walls, gravel and rail tracks, and on

bare surfaces in gardens and fields.

Common Cornsalad is an inconspicuous, native, annual

herb, growing up to 20cm.

It has a zigzag structure (dichotomous branching) and

looks like a forget-me-not with very small flowers.

The flowers are in a flowerhead arising from forks of

the stem branches.

Each flower is up to 2.5mm across and has 5 lilac

petals and 3 stamens.

The stem is much branched and fragile.

Leaves are elongated ovals and opposite.

It can be grown as a winter salad crop and is rich

in vitamins.

Common Cornsalad on gravel, Dorset

Flower head

Flowers, 5 petals and 3 stamens

Zigzag stem and opposite leaves