Chenopodium bushianum
| Chenopodium bushianum | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Chenopodium bushianum
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in situ. Most of the seed usually germinates within a few days of sowing.
Cultivation: We have very little information on this species and do not know how well it will grow in Britain, but it should succeed as a spring sown annual. It is very closely related to C. album. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
An easily grown plant, succeeding in most soils but disliking shade[1][2]. It prefers a moderately fertile soil[2].
Range: Northern N. America.
Habitat: Waste and cultivated ground[3].
Edibility: Leaves - cooked and used as a spinach[4]. The raw leaves should only be eaten in small quantities, see the notes above on toxicity.
Seed - cooked. It can be ground into a meal and used with cereal flours in making bread etc. The seed is small and fiddly, it should be soaked in water overnight and thoroughly rinsed before it is used in order to remove any saponins.
Usage: Gold/green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant[5].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The leaves and seeds of all members of this genus are more or less edible. However, many of the species in this genus contain saponins, though usually in quantities too small to do any harm. Although toxic, saponins are poorly absorbed by the body and mos
Links
References
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Livingstone, B. Flora of Canada. National Museums of Canada, 1978.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.