Atriplex nummularia
Atriplex nummularia
Safety & Hazards
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.
Cultivation Details
A plant of the arid temperate and subtropical zones, where it is found at elevations up to 400 metres. It grows best in areas where the mean annual temperature is within the range 15 - 24°c, and can tolerate a mean maximum of 32 - 37°c in the hottest month and a mean minimum of 3 - 7°c in the coldest month. When dormant, the plant can survive occasional temperatures down to about -5°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at 0°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 230 - 650mm[1]. Requires a position in full sun in any well-drained but not too fertile soil[2]. Tolerates saline and very alkaline soils[2]. Succeeds in a hot dry position. The plant is very drought tolerant, but also tolerates seasonal inundation of the soil in its native habitat[1]. Succeeds in windy positions[1]. The plant responds well to pruning and will also resprout if it is cut back to ground level[1]. Plants are usually monoecious but can be dioecious.
Propagation
Seed - sow mid spring in a cold frame in a compost of peat and sand. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 weeks at 13°c[3]. Pot up the seedlings when still small into individual pots, grow on in a greenhouse for the first winter and plant out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Rinsing seeds in flowing water for about an hour improves germination. The seeds start to germinate in about 6 days if grown at 25°c[1]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame. Very easy. Pot up as soon as they start to root (about 3 weeks) and plant out in their permanent positions late in the following spring[PFAF]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, late autumn in a frame. Very easy. Pot up in early spring and plant out in their permanent position in early summer[PFAF]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Atriplex+nummularia>
Pollinators
Wind
References
- [1]Florabank Fact Sheets — http://www.florabank.org.au/lucid/key/Species%20Navigator/Media/Html/index.htm#D ↩︎An excellent on-line publication. At present their are 132 species in the list, giving lots of information on growing and using the plants, plus information on their climatic tolerances, distribution maps and photographs.
- [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
- [3]Growing from Seed. Volume 2. — Rice. G. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1988 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.
- [4]Flora of N. America — http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ ↩︎An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
- [5]Flora of China — Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. · 1994 · http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
- [6]Native Tastes of Australia — http://tasteaustralia.biz/ ↩︎A website with detailed information on around 50 species of native Australian food plants, including recipes.
- [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎