Arthrocnemum subterminale

Parish.

Glasswort, Parish's glasswort

Amaranthaceae Edible: Leaves, Seed

No photos yet for Arthrocnemum subterminale

Description

Arthrocnemum subterminale is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. It is in flower from June to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Edible Uses

Young stems of Parish’s glasswort are edible fresh or cooked, though they contain very high levels of salt and should be eaten only in moderation. Flavor is crisp, juicy, and saline—somewhat like sea asparagus or samphire—though often with a slight bitterness. Cooking or parboiling helps reduce the harshness and salt content. The seeds are also edible and were historically used as food by coastal Native Americans, though their small size makes them labor-intensive to harvest and process. Seeds can be dried and ground into a coarse flour, or boiled into a porridge, but availability is highly seasonal. As with related glassworts, fruits and seeds are tiny, enclosed in papery utricles, and difficult to separate from chaff. Overconsumption of either seeds or stems can contribute to excessive salt intake. Edibility Rating: 3/5 – useful as a wild vegetable or emergency grain, but not a staple. Leaves - raw or cooked. Seed - ground into a meal.

Medicinal Uses

Stems and ashes also had minor medicinal and preservative applications.

Distribution

South-western N. America - California and Baja California.

Where It Grows

California, Mexico Northwest

Cultivation

Habitat & Distribution: Parish’s glasswort is a halophyte (salt-loving plant) native to coastal southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico. It grows in salt marshes, estuaries, tidal flats, and other saline habitats where few plants can survive. Growth & Ecology: This species is a perennial subshrub, spreading into mats. Like other saltworts, it tolerates extreme salinity and periodic inundation. In coastal ecosystems, it plays a key role in soil stabilization, salt cycling, and wildlife habitat. Cultivation: Rarely cultivated, but potentially useful for saline soil rehabilitation. It prefers saline or brackish soils in full sun and tolerates periodic flooding. Best growth occurs in coastal wetlands. Typically 20–80 cm tall, forming low shrubby clumps. Likely hardy in USDA zones 8–11, restricted to mild coastal climates. Not frost-tolerant. We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it is unlikely succeed outdoors in any but the mildest parts of the country. The plants native habitat will give some idea of its cultivation needs.

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe if this is possible, otherwise in spring, in a greenhouse in a light sandy compost. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division might be possible in the spring.

Other Uses

Traditionally, dried glasswort stems were burned for their ash, which is rich in soda and potash, and used in soap- and glass-making (“glasswort” comes from this use). Dense mats of Parish’s glasswort help trap sediments and stabilize coastal saltmarshes, improving habitat for birds and invertebrates.