Climbing Saltbush
Rhagodia nutans
Family: Chenopodiaceae
What it is like
Rhagodia nutans is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. It is in leaf all year, in flower from August to October, and the seeds ripen from September to October. 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. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.2
Where it is found
Low stony hills and saline areas in red sand and clay soils. Heavy soils.
Australia - New South Wales.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Young leaves - cooked. A salty and slightly bitter flavour. Fruit - raw or cooked. They are very small and fiddly to harvest with very little flavour.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Requires a sunny position and a well-drained soil. This species is probably not hardy even in the milder areas of Britain, though it can be grown as an annual, flowering and setting seed in its first year.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within a week, prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out after the last expected frosts.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 8-11
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist