Chenopodium capitatum 20 seeds "Strawberry spinach"

Chenopodium capitatum

20 seeds

"Strawberry spinach"

Annual growing to 0.6m.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Edible Parts: Fruit, leaves and seeds.

Leaves - raw or cooked. Used like spinach, they are a good source of vitamins C and A. The young leaves are best. The raw leaves have been used in salad mixtures, but should only be eaten in small quantities. Fruit - raw or cooked. An insipid but sweet flavour, they can be added to salads. The fruit is about 12mm in diameter. . Seed - cooked. It can be ground into a meal and mixed 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.

The plant has been used as a lotion for treating black eyes and head bruises. The juice of the seeds and an infusion of the plant has been used to treat lung congestion.

Cultivation details

An easily grown plant, succeeding in most soils but disliking shade. It prefers a moderately fertile soil. A very ornamental plant, strawberry blite has at times been cultivated for its edible leaves.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in situ. Most of the seed usually germinates within a few days of sowing.