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Useful Temperate Plants

Atriplex patula

L.

Amaranthaceae

+ Synonyms

Atriplex agrestis Schur

Atriplex amana Post

Atriplex angustifolia Sm.

Atriplex erecta Huds.

Atriplex hastata patula (L.) E.Pons

Atriplex hastilifolia Rchb. ex Steud.

Atriplex macrodira Guss.

Atriplex nemorensis Schur

Atriplex oblongifolia patula (L.) Westerl.

Atriplex polymorpha Coss., Germ. & Wedd.

Atriplex procumbens S.B.Jundz.

Atriplex recta Schur

Atriplex salina Desf.

Atriplex verreauxii Moq.

Atriplex virgata Scop.

Chenopodium angustifolium (Sm.) E.H.L.Krause

Chenopodium zosterifolium Hook.

Obione angustifolia (Phil.) Ulbr.

Schizotheca patula Fourr.

Common Name: Spreading Orach

Atriplex patula
Flowering plant
Photograph by: Bas Kers (NL)
Creative Commons License
Atriplex patula Atriplex patula

General Information

Atriplex patula is a usually erect, annual plant with a branched stem 30 - 90cm tall[
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine
The plant has spread as a weed and become naturalized in temperate regions of New Zealand, North and South America.

Known Hazards

Most reports say that no member of this genus contains any toxins and that all have more or less edible leaves. However, one report says that if very large quantities are eaten they can cause photosensitivity[
70
Title
Lichens for Vegetable Dyeing.
Publication
 
Author
Bolton. E.
Publisher
Studio Vista
Year
1972
ISBN
0-289-70288-7
Description
A small but interesting book for the casual reader and the enthusiast.
]. If plants are grown with artificial fertilizers they may concentrate harmful amounts of nitrates in their leaves.

Botanical References

17
Title
Flora of the British Isles.
Publication
 
Author
Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1962
ISBN
-
Description
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
,
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

Eurasia - Norway to Portugal, through northern Asia to eastern Siberia, through Ukraine to the Caucasus, through Turkey to Afghanistan and the Levant

Habitat

Waste and arable land near the coast[
9
Title
Edible and Medicinal Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Launert. E.
Publisher
Hamlyn
Year
1981
ISBN
0-600-37216-2
Description
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
], it is usually found on clays and heavy ground[
4
Title
A Modern Herbal.
Publication
 
Author
Grieve.
Publisher
Penguin
Year
1984
ISBN
0-14-046-440-9
Description
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
]. Roadsides, waste ground, riverbanks, and weed-infested places generally[
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitAnnual
Height0.75 m
PollinatorsWind, Insects, Self
Self-fertileYes
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Succeeds in full sun in any well-drained but not too fertile soil[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Prefers a rich soil. Tolerates saline and very alkaline soils[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - raw or cooked as a spinach substitute[
5
Title
Food for Free.
Publication
 
Author
Mabey. R.
Publisher
Collins
Year
1974
ISBN
0-00-219060-5
Description
Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.
,
85
Title
Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains.
Publication
 
Author
Harrington. H. D.
Publisher
University of New Mexico Press
Year
1967
ISBN
0-8623-0343-9
Description
A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants.
,
95
Title
Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada.
Publication
 
Author
Saunders. C. F.
Publisher
Dover Publications
Year
1976
ISBN
0-486-23310-3
Description
Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.
,
153
Title
Economic Native Plants of New Zealand.
Publication
 
Author
Brooker. S. G., Cambie. R. C. and Cooper. R. C.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1991
ISBN
0-19-558229-2
Description
An interesting and readable book on the useful plants of New Zealand.
,
183
Title
Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications
Year
1990
ISBN
0-9628087-0-9
Description
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. A fairly bland flavour, a few leaves of stronger-flavoured plants can be added to enhance the taste[
9
Title
Edible and Medicinal Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Launert. E.
Publisher
Hamlyn
Year
1981
ISBN
0-600-37216-2
Description
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
].

Seed - ground and mixed with cornmeal or used to thicken soups etc[
183
Title
Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications
Year
1990
ISBN
0-9628087-0-9
Description
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. Small and very fiddly to harvest and use[
9
Title
Edible and Medicinal Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Launert. E.
Publisher
Hamlyn
Year
1981
ISBN
0-600-37216-2
Description
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
].

Medicinal

The seeds, harvested when just ripe, are said to be as efficacious as ipecacuanha as a laxative[
4
Title
A Modern Herbal.
Publication
 
Author
Grieve.
Publisher
Penguin
Year
1984
ISBN
0-14-046-440-9
Description
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow mid spring in situ[
134
Title
Growing from Seed. Volume 2.
Publication
 
Author
Rice. G. (Editor)
Publisher
Thompson and Morgan.
Year
1988
ISBN
-
Description
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.
]. Germination is usually rapid.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-10-06. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Atriplex+patula>

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