Minutina Seeds / Erba Stella - Plantago Coronopus - Delicious & Perennial
Quantity: 100+ Seeds
Minutina is a relatively unknown vegetable in this part of the world. It’s a member of the plantain family, and originates from Eurasia and Northern Africa. It lives as a perennial, and once established, Minutina can be harvested at any time of the year. This being said, the leaves will taste the sweetest after a frost, making it a valuable plant to have in any winter garden.
The leaves have a rather nutty, sweet, and sometimes a pleasantly salty flavour, and are succulent in texture. It works well as an ingredient in most salads, soups, or roasted veggie dishes. The taste has been described as a combination of spinach and parsley, and to a degree I agree, but it mainly has the typical plantain flavour that one would find in Plantago Lanceolata or Plantago Major. As well as being a very delicious vegetable, this plant is packed full of nutrition. Like the other members of the plantain family, Minutina is very high in vitamin K, A, C, and E, Chlorophyll, iron, calcium, boron, and more. The leaves may be used as a poultice to aid against insect bites, infections, bruises, and sores too.
All seeds are organic and open pollinated.
Growing Instructions
Sow Indoors as early as a few weeks before last frost, but any time in the growing season is an appropriate time to start seeds. Indoor sowing isn't necessary, as it germinates readily in the ground. Plantain is hardy down to zone 5, and can tolerate frost and snow quite well. Under ideal growing conditions, it will grow to be about a foot tall, and equally wide. It thrives best in full sun, but will also produce a decent harvest when grown in partial shade. It likes loamy or sandy soils, and doesn’t seem to be particular to PH, but does like the soil to be free draining of water. These plants are drought, flood, deer, and pest resistant, and can provide one with high quality food for many years to come.