Navelwort

Umbilicus rupestris

leaf

Round, fleshy leaves with a central dimple, crunchy and juicy, tasting of cucumber.

Origin

Western Europe and the Mediterranean

Where to find it

It is common in the damp West, from Brittany to the Basque Country and Portugal, and rare further east; it is picked before the summer heat, which makes it wither.

Season (United States)

January to May

Preparation

The leaves are picked one by one, rinsed and eaten raw the same day: they wilt fast.

Molecules

Beta-carotene (vitamin A) · Lutein and zeaxanthin · Vegetable nitrates · Chlorophyll

Did you know?

It grows in the cracks of old walls, often at hand height.