Beet
Beta trigyna
Family: Chenopodiaceae
What it is like
Beta trigyna is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.9 m (3ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.9
Where it is found
Steppe, roadsides, seacoasts, cultivated land and grassy places in Turkey. Occasionally persists in fields in Britain.
Europe - Balkans. to W. Asia. Occasionally persisting in Britain.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Root. It is supposed to be edible. Leaves - raw or cooked. Although we have found no records of their edibility, the plant belongs to a genus where the leaves are often used as food. The leaves of this species make an acceptable spinach.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Succeeds in most soils but prefers a light neutral to alkaline soil. A very tolerant plant, it has survived considerable neglect on our Cornwall trial grounds, succeeding in dense grass growth.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 weeks at 15°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. If you have sufficient seed, it can be sown outdoors in situ in mid to late spring.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist