Camelina sativa

Kingdom         : Plantae

 

Order               : Brassicales

 

Family             : Brassicaceae

 

Genus              : Camelina

Species            : C. sativa

Basic Information

Camelina sativa is a flowering plant in the family of Brassicaceae which include mustard, cabbage, rapeseed, broccoli, cauliflower. This plant is native to Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia. C. sativa does not need more water and fertilizers. It can be grown in marginal agricultural lands and does not compete with food crops. It is used as a rotational crop with heat and cotton in order to enrich the soil condition.C. sativa has been cultivating since many years as a vegetable oils and animal feeds. During the Bronze Age and Iron Age C. sativa has had a main agricultural crop in Greece.

Plant Characteristics

C. sativa is an annual plant which grows about one to three feet. This is a short season crop and reaches to its maturity in 85 to 100 days. C. sativa has a branching stem and at the mature stage it is woody. The leaves are pointed with smooth edges and grow at about three inches long.  The flower has 4 pale yellow petals. The seeds which are in orange color seed pods contain about 40% of oil content. The seeding rate is at about 6-14kg/ha.