Atriplex hortensis

‘Red Flash’

RED FRENCH SPINACH

Atriplex hortensis ‘Red Flash’
RED FRENCH SPINACH

Atrilpex hortensis ‘Red Flash’ is the all round perfect garden plant – decorative; deliciously edible; popular for floristry cut flowers; and wickedly quick and easy to grow.

Decorative colour in the flower garden

The whole plant is an intense magenta-red, with the leaves and flowers of  variety ‘Red Flash’ being particularly glowing and rich.
So they are a great (and quick) filler for colour schemes in the flower or potager garden.
The leaves are rich magenta-red, with a purple shimmer to the backs.
Flowers and seeds are deep, magenta-red.

French Spinach for stylish French Potager gardens

Atrilpex hortensis is probably called French Spinach because it is so popular in French Potager gardens – where they like their gardens to be equally as good to eat as they are to look at.
So ‘Red Flash’ gives brilliant colour and style to potager or flower gardens of any nationality.

Deliciously edible vegetable crop

French Spinach is a great summer vegetable to take over from winter English Spinach (which bolts to seed immediately in hot weather).
French Spinach has a very similar flavour to English Spinach.
And it is used in cuisine in exactly the same way as English Spinach – but instead has stunning colour.

Produces through the heat, without bolting or becoming bitter

And produces all summer long without bolting.
Plus the leaves do not get bitter in hot weather, but instead stay tasty and fresh flavoured.

Pick fresh young leaves for colourful salads

Pluck new, young leaves to add colour and flavour to salads.

Older leaves for cooking

Use older leaves in stir-fries; sauté with garlic and olive oil; or steam with pine nuts; and in soups. All yum.

‘Cut-and-come-again’ vegetable & floristry product

The more leaves you pick – the better the plant produces.
It is good to sow just a few seeds every few weeks from early spring on – so you have a constant procession of prime leaves for the summer kitchen.

Perfect for colourful microgreens in salads

Atrilpex hortensis ‘Red Flash’ is a particularly good variety for producing microgreens for salads.
The flavour is excellent; they are ready to harvest very quickly; and the rich red colour is sensational as a garnish or salad enhancer.

Harvest the seeds too

The seeds are an edible crop too. They are harvested to eat fresh in muesli; mixed with flour for baking breads; and added to soups for thickening.

Quick from seed to table

From sowing the seed;
2 to 3 weeks: Begin harvesting Red French Spinach for salad microgreens.
4 to 5 weeks: When the plant is approx. 15 to 30cm. high – it is perfect to harvest for salads, stir-fries, or steaming like Spinach – tender and flavoursome.
Or you can continually harvest a few leaves from each plant as it grows for fresh greens in the kitchen
6 to 7 weeks: Full sized plants are producing flowers for floristry.
7 to 8 weeks: Gathering seed for using in cooking.

Popular cut flower & foliage for florists

Atriplex hortensis ‘Red Flash’ is also a prime variety for cut flower farmers and florists to grow.
It produces long trusses of deep red tiny flowers, and colourful red seed heads.
So both flower and seed trusses, can be used dried or fresh in floral arrangements.
They dry and hold their colour well – so dry by hanging in a warm, dry place out of direct sunlight.
The stems of glowing foliage can also be cut for vases.

Lovely colour & tasty crop for pots & balcony, plus flower garden or veggie patch

‘Red Flash’ grows and harvests well in pots. So it is an ideal balcony vegetable as well as garden plant.
But be careful not to plant them near your potato crop because Atriplex inhibits the growth of Potatoes.

Ancient folk medicine

Atriplex hortensis has a very long and varied use in herbal medicine and folk-lore.
Probably most popular was to prepare a tonic with water from boiling the leaves, and used as a remedy for tiredness and irritability.
While a rather more plaintive claim was as a treatment for tumours.
The seed of Atriplex hortensis however is credited with being rich in Vitamin A.

Easy to grow in full sun or part shade

Sow seeds or young plants in either full sun or part shade – they are very adaptable.

Tolerates poorer soils

Plants of Atrilpex hortensis ‘Red Flash’ tolerate a wide range of soils – from light sandy soils; through garden loam; to heavy clay.
With soil pH from slightly acid to quite deeply alkaline.
They also tolerate saline conditions well and better than most.

Water-wise & wind resistant

Atriplex is an excellent productive plant for gardeners with exposed conditions, windy sites, and limited water.
Plants are drought resistant.

Quick and easy to grow Annual

100cm. High if let to grow to full height for seed production.
Space plants about 40cm. apart in the veggie or flower garden.

Bounty for bees & pollinators

The myriad little flowers of Atriplex hortensis are a gold mine for honey-bees, native bees, and other useful pollinators – as the flowers have abundant sweet nectar and pollen.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Suitable for beginners & kids

Seeds of Atriplex hortensis ‘Red Flash’ are very easy and reliable to germinate. 

Either for a crop of Spinach leaves or seeds outdoors
OR
For for salad microgreens indoors.

Sow at any time indoors in punnets, whenever suitable temperatures can be provided (18-20°C).
OR
Scatter directly in the garden during early spring & on into summer.

Sow indoors for quicker and maximum germination / & for salad microgreens: First sow the seeds in a punnet or cell tray, on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Then pat gently to ensure good contact with the mix.
Do not cover / or  just lightly cover the seeds with a little sieved mix or fine vermiculite, but do not bury them more than 2mm. deep.
Because these seeds need light to germinate.

Now thoroughly moisten the punnet by standing it in a shallow water bath.
And allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Then drain and place the punnet in a warm, well-lit position (with good light but no direct sunlight).

Keep the seeds warm & moist

Temperatures of 18-21°C approx. are ideal for rapid and optimum germination.
You can use a heat mat to maintain suitable warmth.

Continue to keep the punnet moist by misting the punnet from a spray water bottle regularly.
Covering the punnet with a clear plastic cover will help to maintain necessary consistent moisture.
Remove the clear covering once germination has commenced.

Seeds germinate in approx. 7-14 days.

Once the seedlings have developed their first true leaves, prick out of the punnet into small pots and grow on until planting out into the garden.
Or harvest for salad microgreens.

Or direct sow in the garden from early spring into summer.

Seed Count: 50 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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