Chenopodium pratericola
| Chenopodium pratericola | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Mid Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Chenopodium pratericola (common name: desert goosefoot)
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, though it is a casual on rubbish tips here and should succeed as a spring sown annual. 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: N. America. A casual in Britain[3].
Habitat: Stream banks, disturbed soils and sandy soils[4]. A casual on rubbish tips and near buildings and docks in Britain[3].
Edibility: Leaves and young shoots - cooked and eaten like spinach[5].
Seed - cooked. It can be ground into a powder and mixed with wheat or other cereals 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[6].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Mid Fall
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
Also Known As: C. leptophyllom. auct. non Nutt. C. desiccatum leptophylloides.
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.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Diggs, George and Barney Lipscomb. Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. Botanical Research Institute, 1999.
- ↑ Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.