Seafood from the garden? The oyster plant tastes almost like its namesake. We'll show you how the oyster plant feels at home with you.
The oyster mushroom is known to many, but the oyster plant? Hardly anyone knows the delicate-leaved plant. Especially in Germany, the plant remains a real rarity. Wrongly so, after all, the oyster plant (Mertensia maritima) has all kinds of abilities: Not only does it taste confusingly similar to the seafood of the same name, it can also be cultivated without any problems. In our article we will show you what the oyster plant needs to feel good in your garden.
Oyster Plant: What is that?
Originally, the oyster plant comes from the coastal regions of Northern Europe, for example from Scotland or Iceland. In keeping with the harsh climate that prevails there, the oyster plant is very robust and also copes wonderfully with the German winter. Its appearance is also not to be disregarded: only 10 to 15 cm high and rather flat-growing, it is an attractive ornamental plant with its blue-green, slightly silvery leaves. The oyster plant is particularly beautiful when it is in bloom: the small, blue, hanging flowers are not only a real eye-catcher, but also contributed to the fact that the oyster plant is popularly referred to as "bluebells" in many places today.
Oyster plant: location and soil requirements
Fortunately, the Oyster Plant is fairly easy to please. A sunny or at least partially shaded spot is important for them. The oyster plant, on the other hand, likes its soil sandy and rich in humus. Above all, it is important that the substrate is loose and well permeable to water - the small plant does not tolerate waterlogging well. On the other hand, the plant does very well in slightly s alty soil thanks to its maritime roots - so it can be cultivated particularly well in coastal regions.
Plant oyster plant
If you want to give the oyster plant a new home, you basically have two options: On the one hand you can sow the oyster plant, on the other hand the oyster plant can be propagated vegetatively by division. The vegetative division has the advantage that you can see direct results and don't have to wait forever for the first seedlings. The best time to plant the cuttings is in spring, when the temperatures are not yet too high, but late frosts are no longer to be feared. However, there is one big disadvantage: You already need an oyster plant to get new plant parts. Since the plant is still relatively unknown in Germany, this is often a difficult undertaking.
"Getting seeds for the plant is relatively easy thanks to the internet. The seeds can be sown in pots or directly in the field in autumn, but may only be covered with a little soil, as they germinate in the light. Furthermore, the seeds need temperatures around 5°C to start germinating at all - so growing them indoors is not possible. However, the seeds must not dry out either, which is why they should be watered regularly without waterlogging. A disadvantage of this method: The seeds germinate very unevenly and over a long period of time, which can make for an unattractive picture in the garden at first.
Care for oyster plants
Actually, the oyster plant is relatively easy to care for, but a little support does not harm the plant. Regular pruning helps the oyster plant to stay in shape and develop stronger stems. The plant also supports the removal of faded or excess flowers: This allows it to put its energy into the secret highlight, namely its intensely aromatic leaves. Otherwise, a little fertilizer will do just as little harm as regular watering. However, care should be taken here: The oyster plant does not tolerate drought or waterlogging, so a sure instinct is required. A primarily organic long-term fertilizer such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer is recommended as fertilizer.
Oyster plants in a pot
Even if the oyster plant quickly feels at home in most gardens, the pot is often a worthwhile alternative. There are two main reasons for this: The oyster plant is a real snail magnet. The slimy creatures are crazy about the plant and falldownright over her. In the bed, despite snail protection and the like, it is hardly possible to protect the oyster plant from the snails. On the other hand, a pot that has been placed a little higher represents an insurmountable wall and the snails don't have a chance anymore.
Another reason for pot culture is that the oyster plant can spread almost explosively in the bed. If the conditions are right, the small plant multiplies quickly and efficiently via offshoots - other plants hardly have a chance and are driven out. In a pot, on the other hand, the oyster plant stays where it belongs.
Eat Oyster Plants
Of course you can not only look at the oyster plant, but also eat it. From spring to autumn you can regularly help yourself to the plant. Only in winter is it not possible to harvest because the above-ground parts of the plant die off and only sprout again in the next spring. You should also not overdo it with the harvest: You should leave the plant about half the leaves, otherwise you risk dying.
The leaves are a real treat in the kitchen. They taste wonderfully intense of seafood and are the ideal addition to salads or on bread. The oyster plant also tastes excellent with fish dishes. However, the leaves should not be boiled. Because in the hot water the leaves not only lose their color but also their beautiful aroma.
Like the oyster plant, the sea kale (Crambe maritima) is a so-called halophyte (s alt plant) and thrives in coastal soils enriched with soluble s alts.