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Common Name: Ruby Saltbush

General Information

Enchylaena tomentosa is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 1.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine

Known Hazards

The leaves are rich in oxalic acid. Perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since oxalic acid can bind up the body's supply of calcium leading to nutritional deficiency. It is oxalic acid that gives foods such as rhubarb their acid flavour. Cooking the leaves will greatly reduce the oxalic acid content. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[].

Botanical References

Range

Australia - all mainland states.

Habitat

Loamy and slightly saline soils by the coast in semi-arid areas[, ]. Found in salt marshes and rocky headlands as well as in arid zones inland[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. It tolerates temperatures down to at least -7c in Australian gardens where it also resists salt spray[]. However, this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer, colder and wetter winters. It might be worthwhile trying it as a summer annual and seeing if it can overwinter. It probably requires a very well-drained soil and a sunny position[]. We have overwintered the plant in a cold greenhouse, though it suffered lots of die-back, so it will obviously have problems outdoors[].
Hybridises in the wild with Maireana georgei M. turbinata.

Edible Uses

Fruit - crisp, sweet and succulent[, ]. A salty-sweet flavour[]. Very small, it is about 5mm in diameter[]. The fruits can be soaked in water and the liquid drunk like sweetened tea[].
Leaves - cooked like spinach[, ]. The leaves are rich in oxalates so they should not be eaten in quantity[].

Medicinal

The plant is antiscorbutic[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Prick out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse, planting out after the last expected frosts. Give some protection for at least their first winter outdoors.
It might also be possible to grow the plant as a summer annual, sowing in the spring and planting out the young plants after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings.