Common Name:

General Information

Nitraria sibirica is a shrub that can be prostrate, arched, or rarely erect; it can grow 50 - 150cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Asia - northwest Itan, through central Asia to Siberia, Mongolia and northern China

Habitat

Sandy areas in oases, saline sandy areas, sands along lakeshores; at elevations below 3,700 metres[]. Rubbly, often solonetzic soil in the northern deserts, foothills and low mountain horizons[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	1.00 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

Fruit - raw[]. Not as good as that from Nitraria roborowskii []. The dark red, ellipsoid to spherical fruit is 6 - 8mm in diameter, both ends obtuse. The mesocarp is dark blue to purplish[]. The ovoid seed is 4 - 5mm, apex acute[].

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[].