Common Name:

General Information

Nitraria roborowskii is a prostrate to erect shrub growing 100 - 200cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Asia - Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, western and northern China, Mongolia

Habitat

Lake margins, oases in desert areas; at elevations below 3,300 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Nitraria species generally prefer a light to medium well-drained soil in an open sunny position. Plants are very salt tolerant and usually grow well on saline soils[]. Established plants are very drought resistant[].

Edible Uses

The fruit is edible and the juice used as a beverage[]. The dark red, ovoid fruit is around 12 - 18mm x 8 - 15mm[]. The mesocarp is purplish black[]. The narrowly ovoid, seed is around 8 - 10mm × 3 - 4 mm[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - germinates best at 18-22°c. The seed is contained in a woody fruit. Pre-soaking for 24 hours in warm water can improve germination, cracking the woody shell (being careful not to damage the fseed) is also beneficial. Even then the seed can take one to severl months to germinate.
The seed germinates much better if it has passed through the digestive system - in particular the fruits were a favourite food for emus and defacated seeds would have a much higher germination rate[].