Bent Shed Produce

Different varieties have different common names. Varieties grown by Bent Shed are Old Man Saltbush, Ruby Saltbush, Running Saltbush, Creeping Saltbush (a creeper, oddly enough).

Latin name: Atriplex spp., although ruby saltbush is Enchylaena tomentose.

Eating

• Salty leaf, some with a sharp/bitter flavour.
• Can be used both fresh and dried.
• Very tasty deep-fried and added to dishes for texture and flavour.
• Some varieties are more tender than others - some can be very tough when fresh and are better dried and used as a herb.
• Very good dried and used as a salty, herby spice for meats and savoury dishes.

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Growing

• There are many varieties of saltbush, and most are edible to humans.
• At least one is indigenous to the ACT region - the ground-cover “running saltbush”. It has small, arrow-shaped leaves and tiny edible red berries in late Autumn.
• In general, saltbushes are very hardy and grow well in all climates and soils.
• Some plants can grow very large and tough.
• The taller plants hedge very well, such as “Old Man Saltbush”.
• Poultry eat some saltbushes but not all.
• Livestock do very well on most saltbushes and it can flavour the meat.