Silene inflata, Scuplit / Stridolo (Organic)
Silene vulgaris. Perennial.
Salad herb native to Europe. Great for year-round salads as it is very hardy. Also good cooked in risotto and omelets. Used throughout Italy for its slightly aromatic flavor much like arugula or chicory, but milder and with an herbal note. Some avoid the older leaves as they have a strong bite. Very easy to grow with pretty flowers. May self seed. Aka, Sculpit, Bladder Campion.
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Sow in pots indoors February through September. Transplant 3-4 weeks after sprouting. May also be direct sown early spring through late summer. Space plants at 12” and harvest young leaves. Winter hardy perennial that is easy to grow. Will self-seed.
Seed Saving
Collect seeds from brown dry flowers before they shatter too much. Cut seedheads when dry, thresh by hand or by dancing, winnow or screen to clean. Easy to save seed, but the seeds are very small. May also be propagated by dividing in spring or autumn.
Anna H –
Where did you grow this variety? Washington
In 8b western WA, my sculpit starts putting out tender new growth in late winter. I recommend growing it in moist shade/part-shade for vegetable use and full sun for ornamental use. The plants growing against my north-facing wall are significantly lusher, milder, and juicier of leaf than the sun-grown plants, but do not flower.
Sculpit is just OK as a vegetable. Mild, slightly bitter, and basically “leafy” tasting, it’ll do when your omelette is missing a green and nothing else is available. I value it more as an ornamental for the pretty, delicate flowers.
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Crystal Snare (verified owner) –
Where did you grow this variety? Washington
I was surprised at how drama free sculpt is! The leaf texture doesn’t seem sturdy, but it’s misleading. I grow it in full baking sun to part shade to containered and it’s happy everywhere! Cute little flowers, pretty lantern-looking seedpods.
I look forward to eating it this winter. So far I mostly nibble when I’m out weeding or watering, so I can’t evaluate it’s use as a salad addition but I think it will be amazing this winter.
I’ve let every bunch of it go to seed and unlike my lettuce, it hasn’t turned bitter with flowering or setting seed.
Mostly low growing (stems tall enough but flop over), but when it gets going, you’ll see it grow straight up for a little visual interest too.
Surprisingly happy little thing!
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