Good King Henry
Chenopodium bonus-henricus — Amaranthaceae
Italiano: Enrico buono — Erbone
Description
Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henricus) belongs to the Amaranthaceae family and is native to Europe. It thrives in Village edges, Old gardens, Ruderal, Nitrogen rich environments across regions including Central Europe, UK, France, Alps. Botanically, Good King Henry is ancient European leafy green cultivated centuries. Spinach substitute perennial.. It is also known locally as Erbone. The edible parts include Leaves, Shoots, Seeds. With an edibility rating of 8/10, it ranks as an excellent wild food source. Harvesting is best done during April, August, July, June and May. Nutritionally, Good King Henry stands out for its Vitamin K (100.0mg, 83% DV), Vitamin A (330.0mg, 37% DV) and Vitamin C (25.0mg, 28% DV). It also provides 4.3g protein and 4.3g dietary fiber per 100g serving. In the kitchen, Good King Henry offers a Spinach mild flavor profile. Raw young cooked older seeds. Common culinary applications include raw salad, cooked greens, seed flour. Popular preparations include Good King Henry salad, GKH greens, Toasted seed snack, Seed flour bread. For storage, fresh 2d. Safety note: No toxicity. Antinutrient content is oxalates moderate. Safe lookalike species include Spinach. Always verify identification with at least three independent botanical sources before consumption.
🌿 Foraging Tips
🍳 Recipe: Good King Henry salad
This is one of the traditional ways to prepare this wild edible plant. Always ensure proper plant identification before cooking.
Edibility
Harvest Calendar
Nutrition (per 100g)
Culinary Uses: raw salad, cooked greens, seed flour Storage: Fresh 2d
Recipes
- Good King Henry salad
- GKH greens
- Toasted seed snack
- Seed flour bread
- Seed dressing granola
- Wild winter pesto made from Good King Henry
- Traditional Good King Henry soup
- Good King Henry and potato frittata
