Also called poor man’s pepper, peppergrass is part of the mustard family and has a distinct and pleasant spicy flavor. All parts of the plant are edible, and peppergrass uses have a wide range. The leaves can be eaten raw or used in cooking the way arugula or other mustard greens would be. The seeds can be ground up and used in the same way pepper is used. Even the roots can be pulverized and mixed with salt and vinegar for a very good horseradish alternative. When growing peppergrass plants, remove most of the flowers before the seed pods have a chance to drop. This will ensure that some new plants grow in the spring, but they won’t overrun your garden.
Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum) is a very common plant that grows all over the place. It was grown and eaten both in the Incan and Ancient Roman Empires, and today it can be found virtually everywhere in the United States. It spreads easily and is often treated as a weed, but many gardeners and foragers appreciate it for its sharp, peppery flavor. Keep reading to learn more peppergrass information, like peppergrass uses and how to grow peppergrass.he plant can grow to three feet (1 m.) in height and become bushy when it has no other competition. It starts out as a low-growing rosette that bolts upward rapidly to form long, thin leaves, small white flowers, and seed pods. Growing peppergrass plants is very easy, as they reseed themselves and tend to spread to places they’re not wanted. In fact, peppergrass management is usually more difficult and more important than peppergrass care. That said, it does have a useful place in the garden… with careful maintenance. Invasive in Egypt.
How to get rid of:
Hand pulling of above ground plant parts is ineffective. Successful hand pulling or digging requires complete plant removal within 10 days after weed emergence throughout the growing season for two to four years. Hand pulling and digging can be a useful method for controlling new introductions of white- top in riparian areas and around the home. Removing whitetop is best accomplished when the soil is moist.
