Pepper Saxifrage – Silaum silaus

Pepper Saxifrage (Silaum silaus) is a member of the carrot family, and is often found in grasslands, hay meadows and undisturbed roadside verges, although it prefers to grow in damp soils. It is a medium flower which produces clusters around 20 – 60mm across , made up of small, fine flowers which are either cream or a very pale yellow in colour, which is roughly 1.5mm across.

Pepper Saxifrage is a variable plant, it has a solid, ridgied stem, which produces leaves that are often “triangular” in shape. The stalk segments are often long with a red tip.
Silaum mean “yellow” or “yellow ochre” this refers to the flower of the colours and the root of this plant is black but has a pepper / aromatic taste, and this in turn helped this plant to get the name, Pepper Saxifrage.

Height: 20 – 60cm
Flowering Time: June to August
Preferred Conditions: This plant prefers to grow in damp, clay like soil and is often found in places such as water meadows and lightly grazed land.

Pepper Saxifrage - Silaum silaus