Spinosa Atraphaxis (Atraphaxis spinosa)

Family: Polygonaceae | Edibility: Edible (2/5)

Atraphaxis spinosa is a deciduous Shrub growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 1.2 m (4ft in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Sap/Syrup

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring

Flavor & Culinary Uses

sweetmeats. — The plant is a source of a yellowish-white manna-like substance that is eaten as a food or used in making sweetmeats.

Habitat & North American Range

Grassy plains in semi-desert or very dry soils. Slopes, deserts (including the Gobi), roadsides, margins of cultivated land at elevations of 400--1800 metres in northern China. (Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9)