Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Blitum virgatum

Strawberry Goosefoot · Leafy Goosefoot

Family AmaranthaceaeGenus Blitum

Bright red knobbly fruits clustered along a stem among deeply toothed arrow-shaped leaves
FruitWildBoarPublic domain

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
annual or subshrubPlants of the World Online
Flower
Reddish-greenWikipedia
Native range
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Altay, Austria, Bulgaria and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • The leaves and flower heads of leafy goosefoot are edible and resemble spinach. It was once grown as a leaf vegetable in Europe, and there is some recent interest in growing it again. Wikipedia: Blitum virgatum

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

67% germination in 7–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Morocarpus p. 179Public domain
Show the original text
Morocarpus (Chaenopodiaceae). M. foliosus germ. 70(8/12 in 1-4 w) and 40(4/12)-70(5/12).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Morocarpus p. 179. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 15, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    4/12 germinated in this phase.

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

42% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Morocarpus p. 179Public domain
Show the original text
Morocarpus (Chaenopodiaceae). M. foliosus germ. 70(8/12 in 1-4 w) and 40(4/12)-70(5/12).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Morocarpus p. 179. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

Add to My Garden

View species page