Atriplex tatarica
L.
Amaranthaceae
Atriplex arazdajanica Kapeller
Atriplex campestris W.D.J.Koch & Ziz
Atriplex diffusa Ten.
Atriplex graeca Willd.
Atriplex incisa M.Bieb.
Atriplex lehmanniana Bunge
Atriplex multicolora Aellen
Atriplex olivieri Moq.
Atriplex pamirica Iljin
Atriplex pruinosa Sieber ex Boiss.
Atriplex rosea subintegra C.A.Mey.
Atriplex tornabenei Tineo
Atriplex veneta Willd.
Chenopodium tataricum (L.) E.H.L.Krause
Obione graeca Moq.
Schizotheca tatarica (L.) Čelak.
Teutliopsis tatarica (L.) Čelak.
Common Name:
Flowering plants, probably cultivated in a private driveway in Saratov, Russia. The plant in the background is wild marijuana (Cannabis sativa ruderalis), which has been decriminalized when grown in small quantities.
Photograph by: Le.Loup.Gris
General Information
Atriplex tatarica is a much-branched annual plant forming a tangled or spreading mass of gowth 20 - 100cm tall, occasionally to 150cm[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of potash. It is said to have potential for use in medicine.
The plant has become naturalized as a weed, especially in temperate regions of the Americas
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.
Botanical References
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
,
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
Range
Eurasia - Germany to Spain, east to Western Siberia, Mongolia, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan the Levant; N. Africa - Morocco to Egypt
Habitat
Saline and alkaline deserts, sometimes also found in field margins and wet plains in the Gobi Desert[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Properties
| Weed Potential | Yes |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual |
| Height | 0.80 m |
| Pollinators | Wind |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Species in this genus generally succeed 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.
]. Most species in this genus tolerate 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.
].
A polymorphic species[
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
].
Edible Uses
Leaves and young plants - cooked. An emergency food, only used when all else fails[
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
].
Seed - cooked. Used in piñole or ground into a meal and used as a thickener in making bread or mixed with flour in making bread. The small seed is 1.5 - 2.5mm in diameter[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Medicinal
The plant is of interest in its medicinal applications[
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.
]. No more information is given
Other Uses
The plant is used as a source of potash[
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.
].
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.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
