Leaf
Mathieu Menand, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Good King Henry
Blitum bonus-henricus (L.) Rchb.
Also known as: Perennial goosefoot, Lincolnshire spinach
Family: Amaranthaceae
30 to 60 cm tall
Nitrogen-rich meadows, track verges, near dwellings and livestock enclosures
Flowering: May – August
Full sun
Part shade
-25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Formerly nicknamed 'good folk's spinach', it was one of the most common leaf vegetables in country gardens before the arrival of modern spinach.
🍃 Leaves
Large triangular arrow-shaped leaves, slightly mealy on the underside
🌸 Flowers
Tiny greenish flowers grouped in dense spikes
🍎 Fruits
Small glossy black seeds, numerous
🪵 Bark
Perennial herbaceous plant, with thick upright stems, forming a clump.
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, notably mountain areas and nitrogen-rich pastures; former traditional leaf vegetable in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Inconspicuous, unattractive flowering, pollinated mostly by wind.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Vegetable corner, forgotten-plants garden; former traditional leaf vegetable, cooked like spinach, now being rediscovered.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Young leaves and shoots traditionally eaten after cooking; they nevertheless contain oxalates. To be eaten in moderation.
🌿 Other Amaranthaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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