|
About:
Atriplex nummularia is a species of saltbush known by the common names old man saltbush, bluegreen saltbush, and giant saltbush. It is native to Australia, occurring in Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland.[1] It has been exported to other areas of the globe for various uses and was introduced to parts of the American desert southwest and northern Mexico, possibly for use as a soil stabilizer.[2] Domestic grazing animals will eat the sturdy shrub, which is adapted to arid environments with saline soils, so it is used as an animal forage in such habitats.[3] It is widely used as a forage crop in Tunisia.[4] The plant is generally palatable to grazing animals, but the palatability can be limited by the concentration of salt in the plant tissues as the plant takes in water from saline soils.[3][4]
A. nummularia is a grayish-white shrub growing to heights between 1.5 and 3 meters. The erect to spreading stems and twigs are scaly and striated. The thick leaves are oval to triangular, wavy and sometimes with dull teeth, and up to 6 or 7 centimeters long. The plant may be monoecious or dioecious. The male flowers are held in clusters or long spikes up to 20 centimeters long. The female flowers are held in the leaf axils or in terminal inflorescences, or sometimes are interspersed among the male clusters.
The section above is from Wikipedia
|
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Plantae, Angiosperms, Eudicots, Core eudicots, Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae, Subfamily: Chenopodioideae, Tribe:
Genus: Atriplex
Botanical Name: Atriplex nummularia Lindl.
How to Plant:
Fertilizer Requirements (N-P-K):
/
Landscape Uses:
Nutrition:
/
Culinary Uses:This bean has been called the "one species supermarket" because practically all of the plant is edible. The beans are used as a vegetable, but the other parts (leaves, flowers, and tuberous roots) are also edible. The tender pods, which are the most widely eaten part of the plant (and best eaten when under 1" in length), can be harvested within two to three months of planting. The flowers are often used to color rice and pastries. The flavor of the beans has a similarity to asparagus. The young leaves can be picked and prepared as a leaf vegetable, similar to spinach. The roots can be used as a root vegetable, similar to the potato, and have a nutty flavor; they are also much richer in protein than potatoes. The dried seeds can be useful as a flour and also to make a coffee-like drink. Each of these parts of the winged bean provide a source of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, and other vitamins. The seeds contain 35% protein and 18% oil.
Uses/It's good for:
Cooking:
Get Recipes at Mealit.com
Heirloom Varieties/Species:A. nummularia
|
|
Photo by Wikipedia
Zone:
/
Lifecycle:
Sun:
Resistant To: /
Seasonality:
/
Fruit Weight:
/
Fruit Bearing:
/
Fruit Size:
Days to Maturity:
Height:
/
Sowing Method:
Spread:
Harvesting:
/
Drainage:
/
Soil
% Sand Silt Clay:
/
Soil
pH:
/
|
|
