Sea beetroot is the wild ancestor of beetroot, leaf beet and Swiss chard. It thrives along shores and estuaries, growing to a height of 1.2m (4 ft). The leaves are glossy with wavyedges and young ones make good eating. These can be picked in early spring. As with chard, these are best stripped off the ribs and then briefly steamed. The plant is adapted to grow in soils with a high concentration of salt but will also grow in rich, free-draining garden soils.
