Plant Details

Chenapodium bonus henricus

Good King Henry

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Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Chenapodium bonus henricus.

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Common names

3 names · 3 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Good King Henry
Other languages (2)
Dutch
  • Brave Hendrik
French
  • Chénopode Bon-Henri
Sources & name notes

Names recorded in our plant catalogue, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

General information

Scientific name: Chenapodium bonus henricus
Reviewed spelling and synonym (Kew): Blitum bonus-henricus (L.) Rchb. View name reference ↗

The original Chenopodium bonus-henricus source link and Good King Henry common name resolve the catalogue spelling. Kew places the correctly spelled Chenopodium name under Blitum bonus-henricus.

Sources [2] [3]
Botanical family: Amaranthaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Chenopodium (WCVP v16). This genus reference retains the original catalogue name above.

Sources [1]
Also known as: Good King Henry
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous, Vegetable
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.30 m
Spread: 0.30 m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4-8
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Flowers, Seed
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Dye, Carbon farming

Description

Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. They wilt quickly after picking and should therefore be used immediately after harvesting. The leaves are best in spring and early summer; older leaves become tough and bitter. When eaten raw, they should only be consumed in small quantities due to potential toxicity. Young leaves can be finely chopped and added to mixed salads. Cooked leaves are a good substitute for spinach, especially when mixed with softer leaves. They are rich in iron. Young flowering shoots can be cooked and eaten, and are suitable as asparagus when they are thick enough. They can be blanched for a juicier shoot, although this may reduce the vitamins. Young flower buds are also edible after cooking, but it takes time to harvest enough due to their small size. The seeds can be ground and mixed with flour to make bread. They are small and difficult to harvest, but can be used to remove saponins after soaking overnight and thoroughly rinsing.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/05
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1323916; name ID 2716928; Chenopodium L.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Blitum bonus-henricus (L.) Rchb.
    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Name heading and taxonomic status; The original Chenopodium bonus-henricus source link and Good King Henry common name resolve the catalogue spelling. Kew places the correctly spelled Chenopodium name under Blitum bonus-henricus.

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Chenopodium bonus-henricus L.
    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Taxonomic synonyms or horticultural name section. The original Chenopodium bonus-henricus source link and Good King Henry common name resolve the catalogue spelling. Kew places the correctly spelled Chenopodium name under Blitum bonus-henricus.

    Source checked on .