Suaeda glauca aka Asian Common Seepweed

Suaeda glauca is an annual plant. It belongs to the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. Its native range spans southern Siberia and temperate East Asia. Records place it in Mongolia, China, Korea, and Japan. They also list parts of Russia. It grows in a temperate climate across this broad range. Its group once belonged to Chenopodiaceae. That group now falls within the amaranth family.

The plant grows to about 2 feet [0.6 metres] tall. It grows in salt meadows and other salt-rich ground. It also grows on shores with sand or pebbles. Away from the coast, records list waste ground. They also list sites where people dump refuse. It thus grows both inland and near the sea. Plants For A Future also lists it for garden beds.

Plants For A Future lists flowers from July to September. Each flower has both male and female organs. Wind moves pollen from one flower to the next. Seeds ripen in the same period, from July to September. To grow new plants, the source says to sow seed in spring. Sow it where the plants will grow. Do this rather than move the young plants. The evidence gives no more details on how fruits or seeds look.

When grown in gardens, this plant needs sun and moist soil. The source says it does not grow in shade. It can grow in sand, loam, or clay. It accepts mildly acid soils and soils that are neutral. It also accepts mildly alkaline soils. It can grow in salty soil and stand coastal exposure. These traits fit its known shore and salt-meadow sites. How well it bears cold in Britain is not clear. Plants For A Future says it may grow outdoors in many areas. This view rests on its native range. The source gives no stated test of its hardiness.

In China, people grow the plant as a vegetable. People eat the young leaves and stems raw or cooked. They taste of salt and feel tender and crisp. Plants For A Future rates its food value one out of five. The seed also yields oil for use in industry. The source lists no medicinal use and no known hazards. This does not show that the plant is safe for pets. It lists no weed potential, though records place it on waste ground. The supplied evidence gives no details on pests or diseases.