Botanical atlas
Reflexed Stonecrop
Sedum reflexum
Reflexed stonecrop earned its old country name, prick madam, from generations of English cottage gardeners who tucked its sharp, lemony leaves into spring salads to wake up a sluggish appetite. The diarist and gardener John Evelyn praised it among the fashionable salad herbs of his day in Acetaria, his 1699 treatise on salad greens, noting its bracing, biting flavor. Like its cousin the houseleek, it was also planted along thatched roofs and stone walls in old European folk belief, thought to bring the household luck and stand watch against lightning. It has never been a grand medicinal herb, more a humble, everyday plant, valued as much for its cheerful hardiness as for its bite.
In tradition.
Reflexed stonecrop earned its old country name, prick madam, from generations of English cottage gardeners who tucked its sharp, lemony leaves into spring salads to wake up a sluggish appetite. The diarist and gardener John Evelyn praised it among the fashionable salad herbs of his day in Acetaria, his 1699 treatise on salad greens, noting its bracing, biting flavor. Like its cousin the houseleek, it was also planted along thatched roofs and stone walls in old European folk belief, thought to bring the household luck and stand watch against lightning. It has never been a grand medicinal herb, more a humble, everyday plant, valued as much for its cheerful hardiness as for its bite.
Traditional preparations.
The classic, centuries-old way to enjoy this herb, scattered fresh over greens for a sharp, lemony bite traditionally thought to stir the appetite before a meal.
Toss a small handful, about 1 tablespoon of fresh young tips and leaves, into a green salad just before serving.
An old cottage-garden method of capturing the herb's tang for dressings, once used the way one might use tarragon or chive vinegar today.
Steep a small handful of fresh leaves in 1 cup of mild vinegar for about two weeks in a cool cupboard, then strain and use a spoonful in dressings.
Safety.
Reflexed stonecrop is a mild, traditionally edible succulent, but it has always been used sparingly, a pinch or two of leaves rather than a plateful, since larger amounts of fresh sedum foliage can upset a sensitive stomach. Many stonecrops look alike, and some relatives are far more purgative or irritating, so never eat a wild sedum you cannot identify with certainty. Safety in pregnancy and nursing has not been studied, so it is best avoided then, and as always, it is wise to speak with a qualified herbalist or healthcare provider before using any plant medicinally.
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Ask about Reflexed StonecropHerbSense shares traditional herbal knowledge for education, not diagnosis or treatment. Herbs can interact with medicines and conditions. Speak with your doctor before acting on anything here, and seek care promptly for anything severe, sudden, or worsening.