Beta trigyna aka Caucasian Beet

Beta trigyna, or Caucasian beet, is a perennial in the Amaranthaceae family. Kew places its native range from southeastern Europe to Iran. Records include Turkey, the Caucasus, Ukraine, and parts of the Balkans. Plants For A Future questions the record from Iran. Some plants recorded there may belong to another species. This beet is not native to Britain or Ireland. It grows in temperate regions, including steppe, roadside grass, and coastal sites.

The plant reaches about 3 feet [0.9 metres] tall. Its spread is about 1.6 feet [0.5 metres]. It grows in grassy places and on cultivated ground in Turkey. Plants sometimes persist in British fields, too. It flowers from June to July. Each flower has both male and female organs. Wind carries the pollen. Seeds ripen from August to September. These dates give a guide to its flowering and seed season.

Choose an open, sunny site rather than a shaded bed. This species needs moist soil with good drainage. It accepts sand, loam, and clay, though it prefers lighter soil. It grows in mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline ground. Neutral to alkaline soil suits it best. It can also grow in saline soil. Plants For A Future reports that it withstands frost. Its Cornwall trial plants survived neglect, even among dense grass. That trial suggests it can cope with some competition from grass.

Cultivated beds provide one garden setting for this beet. Its reported food use centres on the leaves and root. Plants For A Future describes its leaves as an acceptable spinach substitute. Leaves may be eaten raw or cooked, according to that source. Evidence for eating the root is less firm. The source describes it as possibly edible rather than clearly established food. It lists no known hazards, but this does not prove complete safety. It records no medicinal use or other use beyond food.

Raise plants from seed in spring under a cold frame. At 59°F [15°C], seeds usually sprout within two to three weeks. Move seedlings into separate pots once large enough to handle. Plant them in their final site during summer. With enough seed, direct sowing is another option. Sow outdoors where plants will grow, in mid to late spring. Plants For A Future does not flag this species as weedy.