Red Orache (Atriplex hortensis var. rubra)

Botanical Name: Atriplex hortensis var. rubra
Common Name: Red Orache, Mountain Spinach
Annual | Heirloom | Edible & Ornamental

Red Orache is a stunning and highly nutritious heirloom leafy green, once a staple in European and Middle Eastern gardens before spinach became widespread. Its deep red to purple leaves add vibrant colour to garden beds and salads alike. With a mild, slightly salty flavor and excellent heat tolerance, orache grows reliably from seed in Irish gardens and is ideal for both ornamental borders and productive veg plots.

Horticultural Points

• Plant Type: Fast-growing, upright annual
• Leaves: Deep red to purple, arrow-shaped, tender when young
• Flavor: Mild and slightly mineral, similar to spinach but more heat-tolerant
• Height: 60–150 cm, making it a beautiful backdrop in mixed plantings
• Growth Speed: Ready to harvest from 30–50 days after sowing
• Self-Seeding: Readily self-seeds in organic gardens if allowed to mature

Growing Instructions (Seed Propagation – Suited to Irish Gardens)

• Sowing Time: March to August (succession sow for continuous harvest)
• Direct Sow: Sow thinly in prepared beds or borders, 1 cm deep
• Spacing: Thin seedlings to 20–30 cm apart
• Soil: Well-drained, moderately rich soil
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Watering: Regular watering helps prevent early bolting
• Harvesting: Pick young leaves for salads or mature leaves for steaming/cooking; harvest before flowering for best texture

Historical Background

• Orache was widely cultivated in Europe long before spinach, with culinary and medicinal references dating back to antiquity.
• Known for its adaptability and nutrition, orache was a common leafy green in medieval and Renaissance kitchen gardens.
• The red-leaved form, particularly attractive, gained popularity in 19th-century Victorian gardens for both ornamental and culinary use.
• Today, Red Orache is being rediscovered as a resilient, nutrient-rich crop for regenerative gardens and historical foodways.