Herb: Bractscale


Latin name: Atriplex serenana


Synonyms: Atriplex bracteosa


Family: Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot Family)



Edible parts of Bractscale:

Leaves and young plants - cooked. They are usually boiled with other foods as a salty flavouring. Seed - cooked. Used in piäole or ground into a meal and used as a thickener in making bread or mixed with flour in making bread.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Annual


Height:
3 m
(9 3/4 foot)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Alkaline valleys at low elevations, grassland and coastal sage scrub.

Propagation of Bractscale:

Seed - sow April/May in situ. Germination is usually rapid.

Cultivation of the herb:

Alkaline valleys at low elevations, grassland and coastal sage scrub.

Medicinal use of Bractscale:

None known

Known hazards of Atriplex serenana:

No member of this genus contains any toxins, all have more or less edible leaves. However, if grown with artificial fertilizers, they may concentrate harmful amounts of nitrates in their leaves.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.