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Botanical Name: Atriplex hastata
Family: Amaranthaceae
Subfamily: Chenopodioideae
Tribe: Atripliceae
Genus: Atriplex
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Caryophyllales
Synonyms: Atriplex deltoidea.
Common Name: Hastate Orach
Habitat :Atriplex hastata occurs in Most of Europe, including Britain, south from Scandanavia to N. Africa, east to Asia. It grows in waste or disturbed ground, often near the sea, on sand, shingle and mud above the high-tide mark.
Description:
Atriplex hastata is an annual plant growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in).
It is not frost tender. It is in flower from Jul to September. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind.
The Halberd-leaved Wild Orache (Atriplex hastata) closely resembles the Spreading Orache and is often regarded merely as a sub-species, but is, however, of a more erect character and the lower leaves are broadly triangular, the lobes widely spread….CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES
It is a troublesome weed in gardens and cultivated ground.
The leaves have been frequently eaten instead of spinach, but Culpepper says its chief virtues lie in the seed, employed in the same manner as that of the Garden Orache.
Cultivation:
Requires a position in full sun in any well-drained but not too fertile soil. Tolerates saline and very alkaline soils. A polymorphic species. This species is a poor companion for potatoes, inhibiting their growth when growing close to them.
Propagation :
Seed – sow April/May in situ. Germination is usually rapid.
Edible Uses: Leaves – cooked. Used as a spinach substitute, they have a fairly bland flavour and are often mixed with stronger tasting leaves. Seed – cooked. 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.
Medicinal Uses: Not available
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.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atriplex
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/arrac061.html
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Atriplex+hastata
