Wakefield Museums and Castles

The young leaves are slightly bitter. Despite this, they can be eaten in salads or cooked, if picked before the plant flowers. The leaves are available in the winter months when few other greens are available.

The flower buds are eaten for their spicy flavour and bright colour.

The seeds of the plant can also be sprouted and eaten in salads.

Sweet rocket was a favourite flower of the French Queen, Marie Antoinette.

In the Victorian language of flowers, it stood for deception. It gives out a lovely perfume in the evening, but in the daytime has none.

It is considered an invasive species in some areas. This is especially in the states of Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin and Connecticut, where it is banned. It is illegal to move, sell, purchase, transplant, cultivate, or distribute the plant in these places.

Oil from the seeds is used in making perfume.

In Europe, sweet rocket is host to the caterpillars of several butterfly species. These include the orange tip (anthocharis cardamines), large white (pieris brassicae) and small white (pieris rapae). They also attract moth caterpillars, such as plutella porrectella.

Sweet rocket was used to treat wounds. It was an antidote for insect stings and snakebites.

Its leaves, which are rich in vitamin C, were used to prevent or cure scurvy. They could also boost urine and sweat production. It was used in enemas for obstructions of the intestines.

When used for medicinal purposes, the leaves are best picked when the flowers are blooming.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.