Atriplex carnosa

A. Nelson

Thickleaf orach

Amaranthaceae Edible: Leaves, Seeds Potential hazards — see below

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Summary

Annual herb reaching 0.9 m tall. Flowers July to September with seeds ripening August to October. Wind-pollinated and monoecious. Tolerates light sandy and medium loamy soils, prefers well-drained conditions and poor soils. Adapts to mildly acid through very alkaline and saline soils. Requires full sun and tolerates both dry and moist conditions plus drought.

Description

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Seed Edible Uses: Leaves - cooked and used as a spinach. Seed - cooked. It can be ground into a meal and used as a thickener in soups etc, or can be mixed with cereal flours to enrich the protein content when making bread, cakes, biscuits etc.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Known Hazards

No member of this genus contains any toxins, all have more or less edible leaves. However, if grown with artificial fertilizers, they may concentrate harmful amounts of nitrates in their leaves.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

North America, USA,

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though it should be possible to grow it as a spring-sown annual. It might be no more than a synonym for A. patula. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Succeeds in full sun in any well-drained but not too fertile soil. Most species in this genus tolerate saline and very alkaline soils.