Red Strawberry Goosefoot

Red strawberry goosefoot, like cloudberry spinach, is also a member of the Amaranth family (Amaranthaceae) just like spinach, garden spinach, sugar beet, fodder beet, beetroot, red beetroot, chard, brave Hendrik, Quinoa and Spurge. It is called spinach, because of its leaves vaguely reminiscent of spinach. This species is native to East Asia and is now found wild throughout Europe. Red strawberry goosefoot is so called because the plant develops red pseudo-fruits in the leaf axils. This species is found in the wild in chalky places in the Netherlands. This plant was used as a vegetable by the Romans. But over time it was replaced by the easier to grow and harvest Spinach. The red fruits appear in mid-summer and look a bit like small strawberries. These small red fruits are also edible. Red strawberry goosefoot differs from cloudberry spinach in that it has a different arrangement of red fruits. In red strawberry goosefoot, the fruits grow in the leaf axils, while in cloudberry spinach they grow on the stems.

The leaf can be boiled, boiled, stewed and steamed. The young leaves can also be used in salads. Furthermore, it can be used in casseroles, soups and sauces and it can be prepared like Spinach.The flavour is somewhat similar to hazelnuts.The fruits taste somewhat like red beets. Use the fruits in salads, fruit salads, in jams, sauces and as a healthy snack. This plant is very popular with bees, bumblebees, butterflies and hoverflies and other beneficial insects. Non hardy annual.