Water Clover (Marsilea quadrifolia)

Family: Marsileaceae | Edibility: Edible (1/5)

Marsilea quadrifolia is a FERN growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil and can grow in water.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds, Leaves

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Spring

Flavor & Culinary Uses

rich in starch. — Young stems and leaves.; A famine food, only used in times of scarcity.; The spores are produced in a sporocarp (like a fairly large container) and in allied species this is ground up and mixed with flour etc and used in making bread etc.; It is rich in starch.

Habitat & North American Range

Ponds and paddy fields all over Japan. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)