Atraphaxis spinosa

Shir-khecht shrub

Polygonaceae Edible: Manna 82 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

A deciduous shrub growing 60cm tall by 120cm wide, hardy to UK zone 6. Flowers August to September. Hermaphrodite with male and female organs. Prefers light sandy, well-drained soils and tolerates nutritionally poor soil. Full sun required; cannot grow in shade. Prefers moist soil. Tolerates mildly acidic, neutral, and basic pH soils.

Description

A shrub. It grows up to 1 m high. The stems are slender. The woody branches are slender and without leaves at the end. There is a spine at the point. The leaves are grey-green are round or oval. They are 3-7 mm long by 3-5 mm wide. They are leathery. There are 2-6 flowers in the axils of current year's growth.

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Manna Edible Uses: The plant is a source of a yellowish-white manna-like substance that is eaten as a food or used in making sweetmeats.

Traditional Uses

It produces a sweet manna like substance that is eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in deserts. It grows between 400-1,800 m above sea level in northern China.

Where It Grows

Afghanistan, Arabia, Asia, Central Asia, China, Egypt, Europe, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mongolia, North Africa, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan,

Cultivation

Requires a sunny position in a light well-drained soil of low to moderate fertility. Succeeds in the rock garden or on a sunny stony bank. Plants are hardy to at least -10°c so long as the soil is not wet over the winter. The tiny flowers have long lasting petals. This species is closely related to A. frutescens. Any pruning should be restricted to the removal of branch tips every second or third year during the spring in order to maintain a neat compact habit. Established specimens resent root disturbance.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Seedlings are prone to damp off so should be watered with care and kept well ventilated. Cuttings of soft wood in early summer in a frame. Layering in spring.

Other Uses

None known Special Uses

Notes

It contains several flavenoids.

Also Known As

Ci mu liao

References (6)

Donkin,
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 184
Flora of China @ efloras.org Volume 5
Flora of Pakistan. www.eFloras.org
Sp. pl. 1:333. 1753

Show all 6 references