Atriplex halimus: Sea Purslane, PFAF's Forgotten Plant

I don't quite remember how it entered my list. Perhaps from PFAF, Plants For A Future database, perhaps from a permaculture forum. But somehow it entered and I planted it. Now it has become a large shrub in my garden, presenting a very different appearance with those silvery blue leaves.

I researched it afterwards. Atriplex halimus is not just an attractive plant. Edible, salt-tolerant, drought-resistant, soil-holding, with properties related to nitrogen cycling, and also valuable for bees. I understood why PFAF recommends this plant.

Scientific Identity

Full name: Atriplex halimus. Family: Amaranthaceae (formerly Chenopodiaceae). Origin: Mediterranean basin, North Africa and Western Asia. Common names: Sea purslane, Mediterranean saltbush, Sea orache. Type: Evergreen or semi-deciduous large shrub. Height: 1-3 meters, larger in some conditions.

What is the PFAF System?

Plants For A Future is a database and research project founded by Robert Hart in 1989. Its aim is to document plants that can contribute to human nutrition and health, especially little-known and overlooked species.

In PFAF each plant is rated on criteria like edibility, medicinal value, ease of use and hardiness. Atriplex halimus is one of the little-known but highly valuable plants scoring highly in this system. Permaculture practitioners frequently use this database in plant selection.

Edible Properties

Atriplex halimus leaves are edible. Fresh leaves can be added to salads, giving a slightly salty and mineral taste. Can be used cooked like spinach. Eaten lightly blanched or sauteed in olive oil. Can be dried and used as a spice. Seeds are also edible and can be ground into flour.

Flavor profile: Slightly salty, mineral, herbal. There's a sea air quality to the taste. This saltiness comes from the plant's salt-accumulating properties.

Why a Permaculture Plant?

Atriplex halimus is highly valued by permaculture designers. Extremely drought tolerant, adapted to Mediterranean climate. Grows in salty soils, performing in areas where very few plants can grow. Erosion control: Deep and spreading root system holds soil. Nitrogen cycling: Some Atriplex species can accumulate nitrogen. Animal fodder: A valuable feed source for animals in arid lands. For bees: Important nectar source throughout flowering period. Leaf fall provides organic matter for soil.

Salt Tolerance: A Rare Quality

One of the most difficult conditions in gardening is saline soil. Very few plants survive in this environment. Atriplex halimus is one of these rare plants. It has special salt glands in its leaves that can accumulate salt. This allows it to grow comfortably even in salty soils. Can be used in coastal areas, soils affected by salt water, even seaside gardens.

Sea Purslane in Our Garden

The shrub in the photo is quite large and healthy. That silvery blue color comes from the fine hairs and salt glands on the leaves. It shimmers slightly in sunlight. It offers a very different color and texture in the garden, creating very noticeable contrast especially when compared to green-leaved plants.

I still don't quite know how it entered my list or why I planted it. But now I'm glad. It has a place in the garden, it's doing its job.

How to Grow It

Loves full sun, low shade tolerance. Very drought tolerant, needs no watering once established. Grows even in salty soils, high salt tolerance. Better performance in poor soils, rich soil produces more branches and less maturity. Moderate cold hardiness, down to -10 degrees. Pruning: Strong annual pruning makes it more compact and productive. Propagation: Can be propagated from seed or semi-ripe cuttings.

If you have a sunny, difficult corner in your garden, try Atriplex halimus. It grows in drought, salt and poor soil. And it's edible too. PFAF was right.