Valerianella locusta, Corn Salad, Lambs Lettuce - Verte de Cambrai
Verte de Cambrai is a small leaved type, dark green and rather slow growing. Cold tolerant and adapted to autumn and winter harvest open field or glasshouse.
Often cultivated on a garden scale for its edible young leaves which, by successional sowing, can be available for most of the year although they will require protection in severe winters. The plants do tend to run quickly to seed in the summer though.
If allowed to flower, plants will often maintain themselves by self-sowing.
A very easily grown plant, it prefers a fairly rich light soil though it tolerates most soils and wet or dry conditions. Prefers a sunny position but tolerates some shade in summer. This shade, plus an adequate supply of water, will slow down the plant's tendency to run to seed. Late sowings will benefit from a sheltered sunny position and perhaps some protection in the winter.
In order to obtain a continuous supply of salad leaves, it is best to sow the seed successionally from early spring to late summer in situ. A late summer sowing might also succeed, and this would supply edible leaves in the winter.
Edible uses
Young leaves - raw. A very mild flavour, with a delicate quality that makes them seem to melt in the mouth, they can be added in quantity to salads. The leaves can be available all year round from successional sowings and will only require protection in the colder winters.
Flowers and flowering stems - raw.
