Atriplex hortensis L.
Orache, Orach, Mountain Spinach
Source: James A. Duke. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops. unpublished.
- Folk Medicine
- Yields and Economics
- Biotic Factors
Leaves have been used since ancient times as a potherb, a substitute for
spinach. Flour of the seeds is an important item in Vitamin A deficiency.
Sometimes grown as an ornamental. Plant yields a blue dye similar to indigo.
Considered diuretic, emetic, and emollient, orache has been suggested as a folk
remedy for plethora and lung ailments. Seeds mixed with wine are said to cure
yellow jaundice. They also excite vomiting. Heated with vinegar, honey and
salt, orache is used for gout. Fruits are purgative and emetic. Liniments and
emollients prepared from the whole plant, like the juice of the plant, are said
to be folk remedies for indurations and tumors, especially of the throat.
From looking at analyses of other species of Atriplex, one might conclude that
the leaves per 100 g contain ca 17 g protein, 3 g fat, 56 g total carbohydrate,
11 g fiber, 24 g ash, and perhaps 2,000 mg Ca, 150 mg P, 10 mg Fe, 2 mg Cu, 500
mg Mg, 800 mg K, 10 mg Mn, 2 mg b-carotene equivalent (Miller, 1958). Some
species of Atriplex are reported to contain the toxins betaine, HCN,
saponin, and selenium. (Duke, 1977a)
Coarse annual; stems erect, up to 2.5 m tall, green yellowish or reddish,
glabrous; lower leaves somewhat triangular to ovate, subcordate, up to 2 dm
long, blunt, with spreading basal lobes, somewhat glaucous, green or purplish,
entire or merely denticulate; inflorescence paniculate, of terminal and
axillary spikes; male and female flowers on same plant; pistillate flowers of
two kinds, some with 35 lobed calyx and no bracts, others with 2 subrotund
entire bracts, 11.5 cm broad and no calyx; fruit conspicuously rounded,
entire, shiny membranous; bracteoles 0.51.5 cm long, veined; seeds 24 mm
broad. Fl. Aug.Oct.
Red-leaved and yellow-leaved (white) forms are grown as ornaments. However,
they may be eaten just like the normal green-leaved form. A crimson-leaved
form (var. atro-sanguinea or var. rubra) is grown as an
ornamental along with Amaranthus-like plants. Vilmorin-Andrieux (1976)
mentions white, dark-red, green, copper, and Lee's Giant orache. Reported from
the Eurosiberian Center of Diversity, garden orach or cvs thereof is reported
to tolerate drought, frost, high pH, heat, sodium or salt, sand and weed.
(2n = 18).
Temperate Asia and Europe, wild in the trans-Indus region. Introduced and
naturalized in United States and Canada from New England and southern Quebec to
Montana and southward. It grows along the seashores from Maine to Virginia,
and the succulent leaves are juicy but somewhat impregnated with salt. Often
cultivated as a vegetable, and sometimes naturalized in many European
Plants grow equally well in a wide variety of soils, but rich soils give quick
growth necessary for tender leaves. Thrives in any temperate climate, and is
drought resistant. Ranging from Boreal Moist through Tropical Very Dry Forest
Life Zones, garden orach is reported to tolerate annual precipitation of 3 to
14 dm (mean of 18 cases = 7.1) annual temperature of 6 to 24°C (mean of 18
cases = 11.7) and pH of 5.0 to 8.2 (mean of 17 cases = 7.0) (Duke, 1978, 1979).
Propagated by seed. Seed drilled into open ground in early spring in rows
about 60 cm apart. Seedlings are not transplanted but thinned and allowed to
stand in the row. Plants are used in their young state. If weather is dry,
plants should be irrigated so they will grow quickly. They tolerate hot
weather fairly well, but soon go to seed. Monthly successive sowings are
From sowing seed to harvest of young leaves requires 4060 days, sometimes less
depending on the soil, climate and cultivation. Plants must be grown quickly
and leaves picked when young to obtain the best crop.
Although orache is grown extensively in Europe and Asia, it is not grown to any
extent in America. Because the leaves are picked as they develop or as they
are needed, there are few conventional yield data. Carlsson (1980) reports LPC
yields of 450 to 800 kg/ha. No data on economic value as it does not enter
commercial markets; mostly grown in home gardens. Said to be grown in France,
but no indication on a commercial scale.
Carlsson (1980) reports DM (biomass) yields of 14 MT/ha in the vicinity of
Landskrona and Lund, Sweden. Higher yields might be expected farther south.
If the leaf-protein were extracted, this should leave more than 13 MT biomass
as byproduct, for potential conversion to liquid or gaseous fuels.
Following fungi are known to attack orache: Cercospora dubia,
Chaetodiplodia caulina, Peronospora atriplicis-hortensis, P. effusa, P.
litoralis, P. minor, Phoma atriplicina, Ph. longissima, Phyllosticta
atriplicis, Septoria atriplicis, Stigmella atriplicis, Stagonospora
atriplicis. The bacterium, Bacterium melleum, also attacks plants,
as well as the following viruses: Beet mild yellowing, Beet Yellows and
Pelargonium leaf-curl. The following nematodes infest orache:
Heterodera schachtii and Meloidogyne sp. (Golden, p.c. 1984)
Complete list of references for Duke, Handbook of Energy Crops
Carlsson, R. 1980. Quantity and quality of leaf protein concentrates from
Atriplex hortensis L., Chenopodium quinoa Willd., and
Amaranthus caudatus L., grown in southern Sweden. Acta Agriculturae
- Duke, J.A. 1977a. Phytotoxin tables. CRC critical reviews in toxicology.
- Duke, J.A. 1978. The quest for tolerant germplasm. p. 161. In: ASA Special
Symposium 32, Crop tolerance to suboptimal land conditions. Am. Soc. Agron.
- Duke, J.A. 1979. Ecosystematic data on economic plants. Quart. J. Crude Drug
- Miller, D.F. 1958. Composition of cereal grains and forages. National Academy
of Sciences, National Research Council, Washington, DC. Publ. 585.
- Vilmorin-Andrieux, Mm. 1885 (reprint 1976). The vegetable garden.
Illustrations, descriptions, and culture of the garden vegetables of cold and
temperate climates. The Jeavons-Leler Press, 885 Clara Drive, Palo Alto, CA.
Last update December 29, 1997