One of the plants which came with our present garden was Sedum spectabile (also known as the Ice Plant). It is a hardy and beautiful ornamental with a long season of interest; the seedheads last all winter and into the following spring. It does seem to function as a bit of a snail dormitory but at least that means we know where to find them.

What I hadn’t realised is that the leaves are edible. That information caught my eye earlier this week so, after doing a little further reading, I tried one this morning. It had quite a sharp taste and mucilaginous mouth feel but was not unpalatable. It brought to mind cucumber and sorrel.

If it doesn’t turn out to have any side effects, then I can see that it will be a pleasant addition to salads and boost Sedum into my favourite category of plants, those that are both beautiful and delicious.