Montia fontana aka Water Blinks

Montia fontana is a small herb in the Montiaceae family. It goes by blinks, water chickweed, and Indian lettuce. The RHS lists it as native to Britain and Ireland. Its wider range spans temperate and subalpine regions, including the Andes. Records also place it in North America, Asia, and Australasia. It can live as an annual or a perennial.

Plants reach about 1.6 feet [0.5 metres] in height. The species varies in form, so plants need not look alike. Its wild sites share a strong link with moisture. It grows beside streams and springs, and in wet pastures. It also grows among rocks where water keeps the ground wet. Some plants occur in farm fields in southwest England. Many wild sites have soils with little lime.

Flowers appear from May to October, according to Plants For A Future. Seeds ripen from June through October. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects can pollinate the flowers, but plants can also pollinate themselves. Some flowers stay closed and set seed through cleistogamy. This means self-pollination takes place without the flower opening. The species is self-fertile, so seed production need not require another plant.

In gardens, it prefers moist, peaty ground. It accepts sandy soil, loam, and clay, including soil low in nutrients. It also tolerates mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline conditions. Grow it in sun or part shade with ample moisture. It can grow in wet soil or in water. Suitable settings include pond edges, bog gardens, and damp woodland edges. Plants For A Future describes it as frost tolerant. The evidence gives no precise hardiness zone. Sow seed where plants will grow in spring or autumn. Seeds tend to sprout fast after sowing.

The leaves are edible raw and can go into salads. Their mild taste can turn bitter during summer. Heat and dry growing conditions can make this worse. Plants For A Future gives its food value two out of five. That source lists no known hazards, medicinal uses, or other uses. This does not establish safety for every person or pet. It reports no weed potential. The supplied sources name no specific pests or diseases.