Quinoa
Other names
Aztec Spinach
Growth habit
Grass/Sedge
Perennation
Annual
Native distribution
South America
Location
Source of plant
Nichols Garden Nursery
Description
an herbaceous annual of the goosefoot family that is native to the Andes Mountains in South America (Columbia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina). It is a somewhat weedy plant that typically matures in the wild to 3-6™ tall. Although its spinach-like leaves are sometimes eaten as a raw or cooked leaf vegetable or added to various food dishes as an herb flavoring, this plant is primarily grown today as a grain crop for harvest in fall of its tiny edible seeds which are often cooked (boiled) in somewhat the same manner as rice or ground up as flour. Quinoa is classified as a pseudocereal rather than a cereal because it is not a true grass. As a grain, it has a somewhat dull to nutty flavor.Quinoa leaves are medium green, alternate, broad, generally pubescent, smooth to lobed, and lanceolate to triangular. Young leaves may be steamed or saut©ed. Tiny, greenish, apetalous flowers bloom in summer in terminal and axillary racemes. Quinoa seeds mature in fall in indehiscent fruits (achenes). Fruits, depending on the cultivar or variety, often develop interesting colors ranging from white to red to black.Quinona is a nutrient-rich food. Seeds have respectable nutritional values, and have been an important part of the diet of Andean residents for at least the past 4,000 years. Seeds are a plant source for complete protein. Seeds also have respectable amounts of iron, calcium and phosphorus. Leaves are a rich source of potassium, niacin and pantothenic acid.
USDA Hardiness Zone
8
Special characteristics
food