Crystal Grass is a fast-growing, creeping plant commonly found in its natural habitat on dry land in South Africa and along most of the Canary Islands. In hot, dry conditions, crystal grass has a pink or rose-red color, which in itself makes it a very attractive plant. Thickets of this plant often cover large areas of the earth with an amazing lively red carpet.
Few people know that most of the most beautiful and famous landscape photographs and art canvases of the Canary Islands, and especially Tenerife, captured this amazing plant in collaboration with bizarre rocks, sands and the sea. Crystal grass is not native to these islands, it was brought there and cultivated in the early 19th century for the production of soda and soap. And then I just stayed there.
The flowers of this plant are also very beautiful. They look a bit like large daisies, usually creamy white in color. When their cups are fully open, they contrast beautifully with the reddish or green foliage around them, which also sparkles in the sun with tiny crystals.
After flowering, the crystal herb forms polyspermous fruits, which are actually edible, and in previous centuries were used for food during periods of food shortages, like the leaves of this plant. The crystal grass turns brown at the end of flowering and dries up, but the thousands of seeds in its fruits resurrect the plant when the rains return to the ground.
Today, this plant also grows in wastelands and abandoned agricultural lands, but more often it can still be found near the sea shores and even right on the sandy peaks of the beaches.
Botanical portrait
Crystal weed, or rather crystal mesembriantemum(Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) - a very decorative annual succulent belonging to the Aizov family (Aizoaceae). The Latin name comes from two mesembria + anthemonmeaning noon and flower. Most species of this plant open their inflorescences only during the day in sunny weather.
A lot of creeping recumbent stems about 10-15 cm high with fleshy leaves of a pale green color, expanding, form a continuous carpet, as if sparkling with small crystals of frost and woven for the palace of the Snow Queen. The leaves of this unusual plant are covered with shiny glandular hairs - papillae with transparent droplets of sap, which are designed to accumulate moisture and give it a unique charm. It is because of these transparent bubbles, very reminiscent of sparkling crystals of frost, that the plant got its name - crystal grass.
The crystal grass blooms in numerous chamomile-shaped, consisting of a large number of very narrow petals, flowers with a diameter of 4-5 cm, collected in racemose inflorescences of 3-5. The flowers are white, pinkish or red.
The fruit is a five-leafed capsule. The seeds are very small.
Healing properties
In 1994, in the course of scientific research in Lanzarote, the amazing healing properties of this plant were discovered.
Fresh juice of crystal grass is an excellent remedy for the treatment of numerous skin diseases, including such severe ones as neurodermatitis and psoriasis, and is used as an ingredient in medicinal baths, as well as in the manufacture of various medicinal ointments and cosmetic creams.
Based on this plant, various products are also produced to protect the skin from the harmful rays of the sun and treat sunburn.
Crystal herb can also be used for cosmetic purposes. Since its leaves contain 99% water, they can be used in the morning as a wash instead of lotion.This natural washing does not dry out the skin and does not cause irritation. In addition, shredded leaves can be used in place of soap.
Cooking use
At first glance, it is difficult to imagine that this miracle is also edible. However, both the leaves and young shoots of this plant have a pleasant, slightly sour taste. The most interesting thing is that the definition "crystal" is very suitable for describing the taste of this herb. The sourness in taste increases as the plant grows; by autumn, the leaves can reach an almost lemon flavor.
In China, young crystal grass leaves are served with vinegar sauce as a snack at the start of a meal. When this dish is brought, it seems that leaves covered with thick frosty frost are served on a plate, as if they were brought from the freezer, although in reality the dish is at room temperature. The taste is unusually fresh and clean, with a slight hint of sourness and slightly salty. Thousands of small bubbles on the surface of each leaf explode on your tongue as you chew them, creating a flavor spike and the sensation of a fantastic vitamin-enriched drink.
Crystal weed is eaten raw, in salads, or cooked like spinach. It is a great addition to seafood dishes. But, perhaps, best of all, its crystal taste can be felt if it is simply eaten with a shish kebab or other fried meat. Crystal grass in salads goes well with cucumber grass (borago).
Growing crystal grass
Growing conditions... The plant is quite unpretentious. Prefers a sunny place protected from northern winds and light, well-drained soil. It will grow well after potatoes and vegetables, under which organic fertilizers were applied. Watering is rare, moderate and preferably in the morning, which will especially appeal to those gardeners who come to the country only on weekends. Roots rot easily from excess water. For good growth and decorativeness, plants need regular weeding, loosening and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.
Sowing seedlings... To obtain earlier production, the seeds are sown for seedlings at the end of March or at the beginning of April in a light nutritious soil for seedlings, composed in equal proportions of nutrient soil, river sand and peat. The temperature is maintained no higher than + 15 ° C. Seedlings appear within 4-5 days, after which the temperature is reduced to + 10 ° C. In the phase of the second or third pair of true leaves, the seedlings dive into separate pots or boxes with a distance of 20 cm between the plants. The seedlings cannot stand waterlogging. Seedlings are planted in a permanent place in open ground at the end of May according to a 30x15 cm scheme.The plant easily tolerates a transplant.
Sowing in open ground... Sowing directly into open ground is carried out in the third decade of May. The seeding depth is 0.5 cm. Seedlings appear in 10-15 days. They need mandatory thinning.
Care... In the garden, the loose rosette of the plant begins to fall apart over time, which makes it difficult to care for the bush. To avoid this, experienced gardeners plant crystal grass in fairly wide boxes. These boxes can also be easily moved around the site.
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To obtain seeds, you need to wait until the seed pods are completely dry, then put them in warm water. Having soaked, the capsules will open, freeing small brown seeds, it remains only to rinse them in water.
Harvesting... The first crop of young leaves and shoots is harvested four weeks after planting. To stimulate further growth, harvest regularly and remove any buds that appear.
Leaves and shoots of crystal grass can be kept fresh for several days. For year-round use, the harvested crop at the end of autumn is frozen and stored in the freezer.
Midday beauty in landscape design
Thanks to its innate attractiveness and abundant and long flowering, crystal grass can be safely allocated a place in the foreground. She will attract attention both in the bed and in the border.
In containers, it looks great on a terrace or balcony. It will be very effective in a rock garden or rockery, as it goes well with stones.
This plant is very popular today in France and Spain, very fashionable in New York restaurants, simply irreplaceable in Chinese cuisine. It grows wild in many parts of the world, but the only place where you can constantly admire and feast on it is your garden.
