ATRIPLEX

Genus of about 250 species of evergreen or semi-evergreen shrubs, subshrubs, annuals and perennials from saltmarshes, salt flats, coasts and deserts throughout the world.

Represented in the UK by the annuals frosted orache, shore orache, spear-leaved orache and common orache which can be eaten boiled as greens. 

Orache has been used as a foodstuff since the Mesolithic age. Evidence of seeds of common orache have been found in settlements from the Late Iron Age.

Sheepmeat from animals grazing on saltbush have higher levels of vitamin E and is leaner earning consumer appeal.