Enchylaena tomentosa

R. Br.

Barrier Saltbush, Ruby Saltbush, Berry Saltbush

Amaranthaceae Edible: Fruit, Leaves Potential hazards — see below 5,364 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Enchylaena tomentosa commonly known as barrier saltbush or ruby saltbush,is a flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae. It is a small shrub with greyish soft leaves, small flowers and fleshy berries.

Description

A small spreading shrub. It grows 0.3-1 m tall and spreads 0.5-1.5 m wide. The branches are slender and woody. They are hairy and straggling. The leaves are 0.8-2 cm long by 0.1-0.2 cm wide. They are thin and cylindrical. They are succulent and bluish-green. They are hairy. The flowers are small and occur singly in the axils of leaves. The fruit berries are 0.5 cm across. They change colour as they mature. Some varieties occur.

Edible Uses

The fruit is crisp, sweet, succulent, and salty-sweet in flavour. Very small at about 5mm in diameter, the fruits can also be soaked in water and the resulting liquid drunk like sweetened tea. Leaves are cooked like spinach, though they are rich in oxalates and should not be eaten in large quantities.

Traditional Uses

The young leaves can be cooked and used as a vegetable. The fruit are sweet and edible. They can also be dried and then soaked and eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The plant is antiscorbutic.

Known Hazards

The leaves are rich in oxalic acid. Perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since oxalic acid can bind up the body's supply of calcium leading to nutritional deficiency. It is oxalic acid that gives foods such as rhubarb their acid flavour. Cooking the leaves will greatly reduce the oxalic acid content. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.

Distribution

A tropical to warm temperate plant. It grows in semi-desert and arid regions. It is on sandy or calcareous soils. They can grow on slightly salty coastal soils. It is drought and frost tolerant. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Australia*, Hawaii, Pacific,

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. It tolerates temperatures down to at least -7c in Australian gardens where it also resists salt spray. However, this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters. It might be worthwhile trying it as a summer annual and seeing if it can overwinter. It probably requires a very well-drained soil and a sunny position. We have overwintered the plant in a cold greenhouse, though it suffered lots of die-back, so it will obviously have problems outdoors.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring in a greenhouse, barely covering it. Prick out seedlings as soon as large enough to handle and grow on under glass for at least their first winter, planting out after the last expected frosts with some protection for their first winter outdoors. The plant may also be grown as a summer annual by sowing in spring and planting out after the last expected frosts. Cuttings can also be used.

Other Uses

None known.

Other Information

It is eaten especially by children.

Notes

There are a few Enchylaena species. Also put in the family Chenopodiaceae.

Nutrition

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Fruit	65.1	—	—	5.7	—	—	3.8	—

Also Known As

Burra, Gurgudj, Iwati-wati, Mulili, Nyerilyi

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