Blitum bonus-henricus

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Good-King-Henry
Illustration Chenopodium bonus-henricus0.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae
Genus: Blitum
Species:
B. bonus-henricus
Binomial name
Blitum bonus-henricus
Synonyms

see text

Blitum bonus-henricus (syn. Chenopodium bonus-henricus), also called Good-King-Henry, [1] poor-man's asparagus, perennial goosefoot, Lincolnshire spinach, Markery, [2] English mercury, or mercury goosefoot, [3] is a species of goosefoot which is native to much of central and southern Europe.

Contents

Good-King-Henry has been grown as a vegetable in cottage gardens for hundreds of years, although this dual-purpose vegetable is now rarely grown and the species is more often considered a weed.

There have been several hypotheses concerning the naming of the plant. One is that the name originates from the German “Guter Heinrich” (Good Henry) to distinguish it from “Böser Heinrich” (Bad Henry) which is a poisonous plant and refers to Mercurialis perennis [4] In German culture the name Henry has often been given to elves, kobolds, or household spirits and was, therefore, often integrated into the name of crops in the garden. [5] The “King” was then added later on in English, but no clear association with any king has been demonstrated.

Description

It is an annual or perennial plant growing up to 60 centimetres (24 inches) tall. [6] The leaves are 5–10 cm (2–4 in) long and broad, triangular [6] to diamond-shaped, with a pair of broad pointed lobes near the base, with a slightly waxy, succulent texture. The flowers are produced in a tall, nearly leafless spike 10–30 cm (4–12 in) long; each flower is very small (3–5 millimetres or 1⁄8–3⁄16 inch in diameter), greenish, [6] with five sepals. The seeds are reddish-green, 2–3 mm in diameter.

Taxonomy

The species was described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus as Chenopodium bonus-henricus in Species Plantarum . [7] Until 2012, the species was usually included in genus Chenopodium , but molecular genetical research revealed that it does not really belong to this genus. It seems to be more closely related to the genus Spinacia , and is now placed in the genus Blitum in the tribe Anserineae. [8] [9] [10] The scientific name Blitum bonus-henricus was first used by Ludwig Reichenbach in 1832. [11]

Synonyms basing on the same type specimen are: Agathophytum bonus-henricus(L.) Moq., Anserina bonus-henricus(L.) Dumort., Atriplex bonus-henricus(L.) Crantz, Chenopodium bonus-henricusL., Orthospermum bonus-henricus(L.) Schur, and Orthosporum bonus-henricus(L.) T. Nees. [12] Heterotypic synonyms are: Blitum perenneBubani, Chenopodium hastatumSt.-Lag., Chenopodium ruderaleKit. ex Moq., Chenopodium ruderaleSt.-Lag., Chenopodium sagittatumLam., Chenopodium spinacifoliumStokes, Chenopodium triangulareDulac, Chenopodium triangularifoliaGilib., and Orthosporum unctuosumMontandon. [13]

Distribution and habitat

It can generally be found throughout Britain and Europe, except in the southeast. [6] Native to southern and middle Europe, Good-King-Henry originates from the Alps and later grew also into lowlands where it was cultivated on a small scale. Its distribution extends from the southern part of Scandinavia, to the eastern part of Russia and to the Mediterranean regions in the south. Outside Europe, it occurs as a neophyte in Morocco, North America, and New Zealand. [14] [15] However, it has been reported that more recently the natural occurrence in some countries, such as England or Germany, has declined. In certain parts of Germany, the wild form is found so rarely that the plant is considered an endangered species. In Germany, the plant is classified to occur naturally in two different nutrient-rich biotops; either in the alpine region or at ruderal sites, such as wall bases or corners of buildings. In these ruderal sites, the occurance has declined more than in alpine regions and there, the plant is, thus, considered to be more endangered. [16] [17]

Ecology

The plant is host to several moths. Moths that are often found in interaction with the plant are for example Pelurga comitata , commonly called dark spinach, or Eupithecia simpliciata , also called plain pug. Both moths belong to the family Geometridae. However, representatives of other families of moths, such as Noctuidae or Sphingidae have been spotted on the plant. [18] Being host plant to insects can have dual effects; on the one hand, the insects can act as pollinators and, thus, can be beneficial for the plant, on the other hand, the larva of some of these insects are known to feed on the plant. [16]

Nutritional Data

The plant naturally contains minor quantities of saponins and oxalic acid; compounds that are both considered to be antinutrients. [19] Saponins impart bitter taste, oxalic acid on the other hand, can promote the formation of kidney stones if it is in its soluble form and can therefore be absorbed by the body. [20] Oxalates can also be found in an insoluble form in which they chelate with minerals such as calcium, magnesium or iron. Therefore, it is beneficial to supplement diets containing high levels of oxalates with calcium to reduce intestinal available oxalate. [19] Furthermore, proper preparation helps reduce the concentrations of saponins and oxalic acid. Cooking breaks the two components down and soaking the seeds in water removes the saponins. [21] [22] This process is necessary because the saponins are water-soluble and will diffuse out, reducing any potential bitterness and making them ready for use. [22]

Similar to spinach, the leaves also contain iron. [22] [23] In comparison, both plants seem to contain equal levels of iron; in spinach it has been reported to be 27 mg/ kg fresh weight, [24] [25] while Good-King-Henry has a concentration of about 20 mg/ kg fresh weight. [26] However, since both plants are sources for non-heme iron, the bioavailability of the iron is quite low. [27]

Uses

Edible value

Good-King-Henry is usually cultivated due to its potential as an alternative food resource. Cropping can begin in spring. Some of the new shoots can be thinned out as they appear (usually from mid-spring to early summer) and cooked like asparagus. The shoots are cut just under the ground once they reach a height of 12 cm. [22]

All cutting should then cease so that shoots are allowed to develop. Only if the harvesting of the shoots stops after a few weeks, the plant can recover and form leaves, which is the part of the plant that is most traditionally used as a food supply. The succulent, triangular leaves may be harvested a few at a time until the end of August and eaten raw [6] or cooked like spinach. [28] They are best when they are young, as older foliage tends to become fibrous. Moreover, they may develop a more pronounced bitter taste, and the oxalic acid content of larger leaves that are in a later developmental stage is higher than in small, young leaves. [21]

The flower buds can be cooked as well. They are sometimes considered a gourmet delicacy, though they are quite small, making the collection of a significant quantity a time-consuming task. [22] Usually, they are steamed in a similar way to broccoli.

The rhizomes can be crushed and used to make confectionery that tastes like peanut butter. [29]

Though small, the seeds are relatively easy to collect from the mature plant. [22] Due to the saponin content in the seeds, Good-King-Henry has been used traditionally by hunting tribes to stun fish by placing it into streams or lakes. [22] However, after the soaking and rinsing process to remove saponins, the seeds are safe to use. They can be ground into a flour which can then be incorporated into bread.

Dye plant

Next to its use as food, the plant can also be used as a dye, producing some green/golden colours. [22]

Medicinal applications

Moreover, its potential in medicinal applications has also been investigated. More recently it has been shown that flavonoids derived from Good-King-Henry exhibit a neuroprotective effect. [30] [31] It is also potentially used as an emollient, vermifuge and gentle laxative. [22] In folk medicine the plant has been used to treat skin inflammations, abscesses but also anemia. [32] [33]

Cultivation

To ensure successful germination the seeds need a period of cold stratification. Usually 9 weeks at 4°C is sufficient. Once stratified they can be germinated at 20°C. For this reason, sowing in spring is recommended. [22] The difficulty of germination might be due to the thicker seed coat, which increases with higher altitudes. [34] While these plants thrive best in fertile, humus-rich ground, they are highly adaptable and will generally succeed in most soil types and conditions. However, they prefer partially shaded spots. If these conditions are met, it is assumed that thirty plants produce enough for four people. They are exceptionally easy to manage because they exhibit a clumping growth habit (meaning their spread is limited), and their root system consists of a deep, descending taproot similar to a carrot. Moreover, there are no pests known that cause considerable harm to the plant. [22] As it originates from the Alps, it can also tolerate very low temperatures. [4] Due to these reasons it is a promising crop for the future. Up to now, there are only a few cultivars available, since it is mostly grown for domestic use. Nevertheless, it has the potential to be grown in monocultures if the seed proves to have sufficient market value. [35] In this way the plant could contribute to integrate more perennial crops into agricultural systems which would lead to enhanced sustainability. [36]

Economical Aspects

Good-King-Henry has never been incorporated into large scale markets. Because of this, it would have difficulties finding a market niche that is not already occupied by other mass-produced leafy greens such as spinach. This difficulty has been documented in other leafy green alternative crops, such as Chaya. In Chaya the primary inhibiting factors towards market growth were low demand due to a lack of consumer awareness and low profitability over traditional crops. [37] These problems would be substantial hurdles for Good-King-Henry as well to ever reach wider markets.

Good-King-Henry could, however, contribute to small-scale local markets in the same way Chaya does. Good King Henry seeds can already be readily bought online, so while there is no mass market for it as a leafy green crop, there already is a smaller market invested in it as a garden plant.


References

  1. ↑ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  2. ↑ Great British Bites: Lincolnshire spinach Times Online, 13 May 2008 (registration required)
  3. ↑ Grieve, M. (2014). "Goosefoots". A Modern Herbal. Botanical.com. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  4. 1 2 April Plant Profile: Good King Henry accessed 2025-11-9
  5. ↑ Blitum bonus-henricus accessed 2025-11-9
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Francis-Baker, Tiffany (2021). Concise Foraging Guide. The Wildlife Trusts. London: Bloomsbury. p. 52. ISBN   978-1-4729-8474-6.
  7. ↑ Carl Linnaeus: Species Plantarum. Vol. 1, Impensis Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae 1753, p. 218.
  8. ↑ Susy Fuentes-Bazan, Pertti Uotila, Thomas Borsch: A novel phylogeny-based generic classification for Chenopodium sensu lato, and a tribal rearrangement of Chenopodioideae (Chenopodiaceae). In: Willdenowia. Vol. 42, No. 1, 2012, p. 18.
  9. ↑ "Blitum bonus-henricus". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 2016-11-04.
  10. ↑ Blitum bonus-henricus at National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), accessed 2014-11-26.
  11. ↑ Heinrich Gottlieb Ludwig Reichenbach: Flora Germanica excursoria. Vol. 2, Cnobloch, Leipzig, 1832, Vol 2, p. 582. online.
  12. ↑ "Chenopodium bonus-henricus". Tropicos . Missouri Botanical Garden . Retrieved 2014-11-25.
  13. ↑ "Chenopodium bonus-henricus". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2014-11-25– via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
  14. ↑ Uotila, P. (2011): Chenopodiaceae (pro parte majore). – In: Euro+Med Plantbase - the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity.
  15. ↑ Blitum bonus-henricus. In: POWO = Plants of the World Online von Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Kew Science accessed 2025-11-9
  16. 1 2 Chenopodium bonus-henricus L. (Guter Heinrich) accessed 2025-11-9
  17. ↑ Good-King-Henry Blitum bonus-henricus accessed 2025-11-9
  18. ↑ BRC Database of Insects and their Food Plants accessed 2025-11-9
  19. 1 2 Sood, P., Modgil, R., Sood, M., & Chuhan, P.K. (2012). "Anti-nutrient profile of different Chenopodium cultivars leaves." *Annals of Food Science and Technology, 13*, 68–74.httpI://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1678-457X.20416
  20. ↑ Noonan, S.C., & Savage, G.P. (1999). "Oxalate content of foods and its effect on humans." *Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 8*(1), 64–74. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-6047.1999.00038.x
  21. 1 2 Li, W., & Savage, G.P. (2015). "Oxalate content of the herb Good-King-Henry, Blitum bonus-henricus." *Foods, 4*(2), 140–147. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods4020140
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Chenopodium bonus-henricus" (Good King Henry) PFAF Plant Database. Retrieved from https://pfaf.org
  23. ↑ Milani, F., Bottoni, M., Giuliani, C., Colombo, L., Casiraghi, M.C., Colombo, P.S., Bruschi, P., Erba, D., Fico, G. (2023). "Alpine diet in Valmalenco (Lombardy, Italy): Nutritional features of spontaneous plants and traditional dishes." *Nutrients, 15*(8), 1988. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15081988
  24. ↑ U.S. Department of Agriculture: Spinach, raw accessed 2025-11-9
  25. ↑ Yadav, S.K., & Sehgal, S. (2002). "Effect of domestic processing and cooking methods on total, HCl extractable iron, and in vitro availability of iron in spinach and amaranth leaves." *Nutrition & Health, 16*(2), 113–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/026010600201600205
  26. ↑ Ravetto Enri, S., Falla, N.M., Demasi, S., Bianchi, D.M., Squadrone, S., Lombardi, G., & Scariot, V. (2024). "Exploring the potential of wild leafy vegetables widespread in the European Alps as functional food." *Journal of Agriculture and Food Research*.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2024.101368
  27. ↑ Zimmermann, M.B., & Hurrell, R.F. (2007). "Nutritional iron deficiency." *The Lancet, 370*(9586), 511–520. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61235-5
  28. ↑ Mabey, Richard (2012). Food for Free. London: Collins. p. 103. ISBN   978-000-743847-1.
  29. ↑ Düll, R., & Kutzelnigg, H. (2005). Taschenlexikon der Pflanzen Deutschlands. Ein botanisch-ökologischer Exkursionsbegleiter zu den wichtigsten Arten. 6., völlig neu bearbeitete Auflage. Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim. ISBN 3-494-01397-7. S. 128.
  30. ↑ Kokanova-Nedialkova, Z., Nedialkov, P., Kondeva-Burdina, M., Simeonova, R., Tzankova, V., & Aluani, D. (2017). "Chenopodium bonus-henricus L. – A source of hepatoprotective flavonoids." Fitoterapia, 118, 13–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2017.02.001. PMID: 28229939.
  31. ↑ Kokanova-Nedialkova, Z., Kondeva-Burdina, M., & Nedialkov, P.T. (2020). "Neuroprotective, anti-α-glucosidase and prolipase active flavonoids from Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henricus L.)." Natural Product Research, 35(23), 5484–5488. https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2020.1784172
  32. ↑ Pieroni, A., & Giusti, M.E. (2009). "Alpine ethnobotany in Italy: Traditional knowledge of gastronomic and medicinal plants among the Occitans of the upper Varaita Valley, Piedmont." Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 5, 32. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-5-32
  33. ↑ Guarrera, P.M., & Savo, V. (2013). "Perceived health properties of wild and cultivated food plants in local and popular traditions of Italy: A review." Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 146(3), 659–680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2013.01.036
  34. ↑ Dome, A.J. (1981). "Variation in seed germination inhibition of Chenopodium bonus-henricus in relation to altitude of plant growth." *Canadian Journal of Botany, 59*, 1893–1901. DOI: 10.1139/b81-249
  35. ↑ Björklund, J., Eksvärd, K., & Schaffer, C. (2018). "Exploring the potential of edible forest gardens: experiences from a participatory action research project in Sweden." *Agroforestry Systems, 93*, 1107–1118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-018-0208-8
  36. ↑ Chapman EA, Thomsen HC, Tulloch S, Correia PMP, Luo G, Najafi J, DeHaan LR, Crews TE, Olsson L, Lundquist P-O, Westerbergh A, Pedas PR, Knudsen S and Palmgren M (2022) Perennials as Future Grain Crops: Opportunities and Challenges. Front. Plant Sci. 13:898769. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.898769
  37. ↑ Amaya, N., Padulosi, S., & Meldrum, G. (2020). "Value Chain Analysis of Chaya (Mayan Spinach) in Guatemala." *Economic Botany, 74*, 100–114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-019-09483-y
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