Dear Reader, in this age of AI created content, please support with your goodwill someone who works harder to provide the human-made. Sign up at the top of the lefthand column or bottom of this page. You will receive my hand illustrated monthly newsletter RESTORE NATURE and access to the biodiversity garden design course as I write...and nothing else, I respect your time. I am also removing the advertizing as best I can as its become intrusive inappropriate and pays me nothing.

Is this street spinach ?

by Caro
(Cape Town)

Is this 'weed' edible ?

One hears about a local form of wild Amarinth that has been enjoyed as a leaf vegetable since time immemorial and has many indigenous names like 'marog'. In my ignorance I had always associated Amarinth with South America's dramatic and highly bred species eaten for their seeds or cultivated for decoration. This Amarinth grows through the cracks of street paving locally. I find pictures of similar looking plants under 'pests'. Various species look right and could fit the picture: A. blitum, A. retroflexus, A. viridus. I found another possibility, though it grows wild in the Natal midlands, a delicacy Imbuya – Amaranth Amaranthus hybridus on the fantastic website https://plantabundance.wordpress.com/tag/edible-weeds/

Comments for Is this street spinach ?

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Jun 20, 2017
Rating

we are going to have to find a wise woman
by: Caroline

I don't know what to do about identification, perhaps a wise woman, experienced in foraging, or I'll give mum a call later today ?

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Are you a home gardener ?.