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Plants

Atriplex hastata

Hastate Orach

an annual member of the Atriplex genus in the family Chenopodiaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual
Height
0.75 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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.

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - cooked[7][8][3]. Used as a spinach substitute, they have a fairly bland flavour and are often mixed with stronger tasting leaves[9][5]. Seed - cooked[9][3]. Ground into a powder and used to thicken soups etc or added to wheat flour and used in making bread. Very fiddly to harvest because the seed is quite small.

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Seed

Environment

Range
Most of Europe, including Britain, south from Scandanavia to N. Africa, east to Asia.
Habitat
Waste or disturbed ground, often near the sea, on sand, shingle and mud above the high-tide mark[2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant
Salinity
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow April/May in situ[1]. Germination is usually rapid.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a position in full sun in any well-drained but not too fertile soil.[6] Tolerates saline and very alkaline soils[6]. A polymorphic species[2]. This species is a poor companion for potatoes, inhibiting their growth when growing close to them[4].

References

  1. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00

    ↩

  2. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩1↩2

  4. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩

  5. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  7. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

    ↩

  8. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩

  9. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2

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