Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus henrius)

A delightful lush plant for semi shaded areas. Very nutritious can be shoots can be eaten like asparagus and later leaves like spinach. Good King Henry is said to have even more nutrition than spinach. It is rich in iron, calcium, vitamin B, and vitamin C. The lush leaves make an attractive luxurious plant and it makes a good ground cover. Once established it takes little care provided it has sufficient water. Luscious leaves are of course just as attractive to animals as to us so protect from deer and rabbits. Pick your spot well as it does not like to be transplanted.

Description of Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henrius)
Perennial that looks similar to spinach but in many ways is much better. It has dark green fleshy leaves that are arrow shaped with almost smooth margin and slightly lighter colored veins. Leaves are numerous and arise from a stout fleshy, branching root-stock. Grows up to two feet in height and produces numerous small flower spikes of tiny yellowish green flowers. Grown mostly for its leaves which are edible and good, also as an ornamental since leaves are lush and attractive.

Location and care of Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henrius).
For best results this plant needs good rich soil with a lot of organic material to produce the lush green leaves. However will grow in most soil types and needs little care once established. Likes to have a moist soil that is well drained, cannot tolerate water logged soils
Prefers a semi shaded location, dappled shade under trees or at least shade from noon day sun is essential. Ideal for semi shaded areas where lush leaves bring an exotic look to the garden.
Water daily for the first year at least. A soaker hose is ideal providing a small amount of water without overuse. When there is no rain ensure that plants are watered daily during rainy periods water should not be needed. Little other care is needed and thrives well on neglect as long as it has enough water.
Be sure to pick your desired location as this plant does not take well to transplantation without considerable care.
Space plants 12-18" apart and rows at least 24" or more. Being a perennial it will produce a good crop of leaves for many years.
Allow plants to establish themselves during the first year, they wont produce much at this time and they need to settle in. Begin harvesting the leaves early spring of the second year. Zone 3-9

Growing of Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henrius) from seed.
Germination of Good King Henry can be erratic and slow. If you have a lot of seed then sowing outside in the fall for spring germination may be possible. However to ensure good results from smaller batches of seed indoor sowing is recommended.
Some sources claim that this seed is hard to germinate. It certainly does better if it has been stratified first all our seed has been cold-stratified.
Start seeds in plug cells, or small pots in mid to late winter in good potting soil and keep moist until seeds germinate. As stated germination can be slow so some plants may germinate rapidly others can take up to 180 days to germinate so be patient and don't throw out the pots too soon.
Once seedlings have germinated transplant to small pots (if not already sown in them) and grow on to small plants. Harden off outside. Wait until roots can be seen just growing from the bottom of the pot before transplanting. This ensures that as little root disturbance as possible will take place when planting. Tap pot and try to remove soil whole and just place in the ground. This plant does not like to be transplanted so as little change as possible is required.

Harvesting of Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henrius)
This plant is one of the first to produce edible shoots in spring and one of the last in the fall. Do not harvest in the first year, allow the plant to establish itself.
In early spring allow the first few leaves to develop to ensure that the plant can survive well. Shoots can be gathered, pealed and used like asparagus. After June leave the shoots to develop, eat the succulent young leaves and flowering stems in salads or cooked like spinach. The flowers can be sautéed in butter. Seed can be ground and mixed with flour then used in making bread.
Pick and use straight away, it doesn't store well in the fridge, but can be stored in the freezer.

Edible uses of Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henrius)
The succulent young leaves and flowering stems can be either eaten in salads or cooked like spinach. The seed can be ground and mixed with flour then used in making bread. Known as 'poor man's asparagus', the growing shoots can be tie together in bundles, cooked and eaten like asparagus. Considered to be a gourmet food, young flower buds can be sautéed in butter. Good King Henry is said to have even more nutrition than spinach. It is rich in iron, calcium, vitamin B, and vitamin C.

Medical uses of Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henrius)
A poultice of Good King Henry leaves has been used to cleanse and heal chronic sores, boils and abscesses. The seed is a gentle laxative that is suitable for children. The Good King Henry plant can be used for indigestion and as a diuretic. This remedy should not be used by people suffering from kidney complaints or rheumatism

Other Uses:
Gold/green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant.
Chickens especially seem to have a special fondness for Good King Henry; one of its common names is "fat hen". The root is used as a cough remedy for livestock such as sheep and goats.

Other names
All Good, Common Orache, English Mercury, Fat Hen, Fette Henne. (German) , Goosefoot, Long-stalked Orache, Many-seeded Goosefoot, Markery, Mercury Goosefoot, Oak-leaved goosefoot, Perennial Goosefoot, Poor-man's Asparagus, Prickly Saltwort, Red Goosefoot, Shoemakers, Shoemakers' heels, Smearwort, Spear-leaved Orache, Tola Bona