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Orach is usually grown in the vegetable garden for its tender, spinachlike leaves, but some gardeners know it as a colorful foliage plant in the flower bed. There are several varieties and cultivars; some produce flower stalks up to 6 ft (1.8 m) tall, and others stay less than 2 ft (0.6 m) tall at maturity. The leaves can be green, yellowish-green, red or purple, with matching, usually unbranched, stems. The leaves are triangular or arrowhead shaped, 5-7 in (13-18 cm) long and some forms have marginal teeth. As the days begin to lengthen in summer, orach bolts, producing an erect, branched stalk the bears many tiny inconspicuous, petal-less, wind pollinated flowers. These give way to flattened, papery husklike bracts about a quarter-inch across, each of which encloses a seed. Cornucopia II lists 10 cultivars available from American seed companies. The Plume types have been selected for use as ornamentals.
Location
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Harvest orach leaves as needed, beginning a month or two after planting. Cook orach like spinach (Spinacea oleracea) - that is very briefly!. The taste is similar, but the texture is a little less succulent and mucilaginous. The French traditionally mix orach with sorrel, which by itself is too sour for most tastes. The colorful leaves of the red and purple varieties brighten up fresh garden salads. Use the red and purple varieties in annual flower beds and borders.
Features Steve Christman 5/27/00; updated 9/21/03
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