Atriplex littoralis aka Narrow Leaf Atriplex

Atriplex littoralis is known as grass-leaved orache. It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family. Older classifications placed its genus in the Chenopodiaceae family. It is native to Britain and Ireland. Its wider range covers much of Europe and northern Asia. It also reaches North Africa and parts of western Asia. Records extend east to Japan and the Russian Far East.

This upright plant has a branched stem and grows fast. Plants For A Future gives its height as 0.8–2.5 feet [0.25–0.75 metres]. A separate size entry gives 2.3 feet [0.7 metres]. That entry lists a spread of 1 foot [0.3 metres]. The source disagrees with itself about the plant's life cycle. Its summary calls it annual, while another entry calls it biennial. The supplied species accounts give little detail about leaf form. They also lack descriptions of flower colour or fruit shape.

In northern Europe, flowers appear from July to September. Wind carries the pollen between flowers. The plant grows on sea coasts and beside rivers. It also occurs on sandy ground that contains salt. Some plants grow as weeds in cultivated land. These habitats help explain its tolerance of salt in soil. Its native range includes both coastal and inland regions.

For cultivation, it needs sun and does not grow in shade. It accepts sandy soil, loam, and clay when drainage is good. It can grow in poor soil without rich feeding. Suitable soils range from mildly acid to strongly alkaline. It prefers dry or moist ground and can withstand drought. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 4–11. Sow seed where plants will grow in mid-spring. The source reports that seeds tend to sprout quickly.

People sometimes gather this plant from the wild for food. Cooked leaves serve as a vegetable. The source also lists unripe fruits as edible. It gives the plant an edible-use score of two out of five. It records no known hazards, but this is not a full safety assessment. No medicinal uses or other uses are recorded. The supplied accounts name no specific pests or diseases. They give no clear account of its value in ornamental planting.