Edible: Leaves, Seeds, Vegetable
An annual herb. It grows up to 2 m tall and spreads 40-50 cm wide. The leaves are triangular. They are greyish green. They can be red or yellow. They are 10-15 cm long and have small teeth along the edge. The flowers are in clusters at the ends of the plant. These can be 20 cm long. They are green or red but insignificant. The fruit are very small brown plate like seeds. There are several named cultivated varieties.
It is a temperate or Mediterranean plant. It is best in nitrogen rich soils. It can tolerate salty conditions. It suits hardiness zones 6-11. Tasmania Herbarium.
Common Names: Mountain spinach, Garden orache, Sea Purslane, Armuelle, Butter leaves, Chakotte soppu, Chakwat, Chandanbatva, Fat hen, French spinach, Garden orache, Juri, Korake, Labada, Labat, Lebeda, Loboda, Natina, Paharipalang, Pahari palak, Pepeljuga, Pezik otu, Suraka, Surake, Thoya kura, Thoyah-keeray, Tuinmelde, Yu qian bo cai
Synonyms:
Atriplex acuminata M. Bieb.;
Atriplex atrosanguinea Voss;
Atriplex heterantha Wight;
Atriplex hortensis var. rubra L.;
and others