Edible plant - novice Season - all year Common names Shepherd's purse, mother's heart, break your mother's heart, case weed, pick purse, pick pocket, shepherd's bag, pepper plant, shepherd's pouch
Scientific name meaning: Capsella comes from the Latin Capsa meaning case or box and a reference to the resemblance of the seed pod's to a medieval shepherd's purse. In another reference to the seedpod shape, Bursa is both a Greek and Modern Latin word meaning a hide- or skin-made pouch. Pastoris is derived from the Latin Pastor meaning shepherd or herdsman
Habitat  Found in grassland or on disturbed earth. |
Overall structure Forms a basal rosette of leaves before producing a flower stalk to 40cm. |
Leaves  The basal leaves are pinnately lobed. |
Stem The stem can reach 40cm and can have hairs or be hairless. |
Flowers  An erect raceme of small white flowers appears on the top of the flower stem. The flowers each have four petals. |
Seeds  The tiny spherical seeds for within love-heart shaped seeds pods that break open down the centre. |
Possible lookalikes  Could be confused with other members of the cabbage (Cruciferae) family, such as field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), pictured, but none are poisonous. Once in seed, shepherd's purse can be easily distinguished from its relatives by its heart-shaped seed pods. |
Use as a food The leaves and flowers can be eaten raw or cooked and have a cress- (raw) or cabbage-like (cooked) taste. The seed pods add a nice crunch and texture to salads and can also be cooked. Left to age, the seeds become peppery and can be used as a pepper substitute. The root has a spiciness to it and has been used to replace ginger.
All parts should be eaten in moderation - see hazards Use in herbal medicine and medicine Shepherd's purse has been used as a stimulant, vasoconstrictor and vasodilator, and to treat PMS, nosebleeds, diarrhoea, wounds, scurvy and cancer. It is a known anti-fertility plant and is proven to increase uterine contractions.
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner.
Hazards Should be avoided by pregnant women and those who have thyroid or heart problems. Can be toxic in large quantities, causing breathing difficulty. Can become addictive in some cases
Other uses When placed in water, the seed of shepherd's purse is said to attract and kill mosquitoes and their larvae Importance to other species The flowers of shepherd's purse provide a year round source of nectar for pollinators
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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