Strawberry Blite, Blite goosefoot
Chenopodium capitatum

Family: Chenopodiaceae

What it is like

Chenopodium capitatum is a ANNUAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in flower from July to August, 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. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 0.6

Where it is found

Rubbish tips etc in Britain.

Europe. A rare casual in Britain.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Leaves - raw or cooked. Used like spinach, they are a good source of vitamins C and A. The young leaves are best. Poor quality. The raw leaves have been used in salad mixtures, but should only be eaten in small quantities, see the notes above on toxicity. Fruit - raw or cooked. An insipid but sweet flavour, they can be added to salads. The fruit is about 12mm in diameter. A red food colouring can be obtained from the fruit. Seed - cooked. It can be ground into a meal and mixed with cereal flours in making bread etc. The seed is small and fiddly, it should be soaked in water overnight and thoroughly rinsed before it is used in order to remove any saponins.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Colouring: edible dyes

Medicine

Rating: 1

The plant has been used as a lotion for treating black eyes and head bruises. The juice of the seeds and an infusion of the plant has been used to treat lung congestion.

Antiphlogistic: Reduces inflammation.

Pectoral: Relieves respiratory diseases, a remedy for chest diseases.

Other

Rating: 1

Gold/green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant. A red dye is obtained from the fruit, it is used in cosmetics and as a paint.

Dye: Plants that provide dyes.

How it is grown

An easily grown plant, succeeding in most soils but disliking shade. It prefers a moderately fertile soil. A very ornamental plant, strawberry blite has at times been cultivated for its edible leaves.

Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in situ. Most of the seed usually germinates within a few days of sowing.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Annual

Hardiness: 4-8

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

The leaves and seeds of all members of this genus are more or less edible. However, many of the species in this genus contain saponins, though usually in quantities too small to do any harm. Although toxic, saponins are poorly absorbed by the body and most pass straight through without any problem. They are also broken down to a large extent in the cooking process. Saponins are found in many foods, such as some beans. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish. The plants also contain some oxalic acid, which in large quantities can lock up some of the nutrients in the food. However, even considering this, they are very nutritious vegetables in reasonable quantities. Cooking the plants will reduce their content of oxalic acid. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Blitum capitatum.