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Other Names : Lepidium virginicum, Virginia pepperweed, poor man's pepper,. <br>Found almost everywhere, peppergrass is a familiar plant that many consider an undesirable weed. Who would have thought a backyard 'pest' could potentially prevent cancer? And that is not the only disease deterred by peppergrass -- it has broad spectrum healing qualities for a variety of ailments. Better yet, it's free. Peppergrass can reach three feet high and has flowering stalks with jagged leaves. The plant also produces seed pods. The leaf, flower, pod and root are all edible, lending an intense spiced flavor that some compare with arugula. The leaves and flowers add an interesting accent to sauces, soups, salads and smoothies. Dried seed pods can be ground and used like black pepper whereas the root can be pulverized and mixed with vinegar as a substitute for horseradish. Recognizing such versatile value, ancient Incas cultivated peppergrass and Pliny wrote about it in 300 BCE.