Atriplex hortensis var. rubra (Red Mountain Spinach)

Very ornamental, Atriplex hortensis var. rubra (Red Mountain Spinach) is an erect, hardy annual plant, with lance-shaped, thin, deep red-purple leaves, 6 in. long (15 cm) and vertical racemes packed with tiny red-purple flowers, which give way to papery seeds. Slightly salty, the leaves are delicious in salads or cooked like spinach. A multiple-purpose plant!

• Quickly grows up to 3-4 ft. tall (60-75 cm) and 18-24 in. wide (45-60 cm).
• Performs best in full sun in well-drained soils. Water freely in dry weather.
• Easy to grow, this plant is a welcomed addition to beds, borders, or cottage gardens. Great as cut flowers too, as it has a vase life of 7 days.
• Generally pest and disease free.
• Propagate by seed in succession from spring to early summer. Self-seeds so remove flower heads to prevent this, if required. May need staking.
• Cut back after flowering.
• Native to Asia and Europe, and widely naturalized in Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

Atriplex can be annuals, perennials, shrubs, or sub-shrubs, with simple, often silvery, leaves and usually inconspicuous flowers in summer