Kochia scoparia seed Burning Bush

LATIN NAME: Kochia scoparia

COMMON NAME: Burning Bush

The burning bush rounds into the neat, oval mound of the fine, thread-like leaves, the whole plant turning scarlet and crimson with the first cool nights, and the whole shrub carrying the fine, fiery look of the autumn verge. The hardy, annual herb carries the narrow, linear, thread-like leaves along the erect, much-branched stems, and the small, greenish flowers in the little clusters in the leaf axils through the late summer, one of the fiery, quiet sights of the autumn verge, drawing the bees, to be followed by the small, flat, brownish seeds. The crimson mound has a very long record as the fine, autumn shrub of the old farmyards, and the plant is a historic presence of the autumn verge. It is a plant of the open, sunny, light, well-drained ground.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The burning bush is a historic subject of the plant science, and the crimson mound keep showing up in the work on the colour-change plants. The way the fine, thread-like leaves turn from green to scarlet and crimson with the cool nights has been studied closely, and it keeps appearing in the studies of the colour-change plants, the thread-like leaves and the members of the amaranth family. The autumn colour and the tidy habit have also made it a fine study plant, and the burning bush is a regular subject of the work on the crimson mounds of the cool world.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

The burning bush is a fiery, useful plant of the autumn verge and the study collection. The narrow, linear, thread-like leaves along the erect, much-branched stems carry the fiery look of the autumn verge, one of the fiery, quiet sights of the autumn verge, drawing the bees, and the crimson mound has a very long record as the fine, autumn shrub of the old farmyards, the dried, branched stems coming to the fine, sturdy brooms and the steady work of the old farmyards, while the small, greenish flowers in the little clusters in the leaf axils open through the late summer, to be followed by the small, flat, brownish seeds. It is one of the fine choices for the autumn verge, the annual border and the study collection, and it has been written about in the horticultural and the botanical papers for the crimson mound and the very long history. It is a fiery, useful plant of the open, sunny, light, well-drained garden.

The burning bush seeds start well in a light, sandy mix on a bright sill. The young plants are quick and tough, and they take the open, sunny ground well, the crimson colour coming on with the cool nights.

To grow the burning bush from seed, sow the tiny, brown seeds over the surface of the seed tray of light, sandy soil, water gently, then keep the tray in a bright, open spot. The seedlings appear within a couple of weeks, and they grow on steadily. With the sun and the light, well-drained ground, the crimson mounds will flare over the cool nights.

Bassia scoparia seeds

Division:  Angiospermae

Family:  Amaranthaceae

Subfamily:  Chenopodioideae

Genus:  Kochia

Species:  Kochia scoparia

Uses of Kochia scoparia include human food and traditional medicine, forage for livestock, and erosion control.

The seeds of Kochia scoparia are eaten as a food garnish called tonburi (とんぶり?)  (Japanese). Its texture is similar to caviar, and it also is called “land caviar”, “field caviar” and “mountain caviar”. In Japan, tonburi is a delicacy (chinmi) of Akita prefecture. After harvesting the seeds are dried. To prepare them, the seeds are boiled and soaked in cold water for about a day, then rubbed by hand to remove the outer skin. The seeds are 1-2 mm in diameter, glossy with a black-green color.

Tonburi also is used in traditional Chinese medicine. It may prevent metabolic disorders such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity and atherosclerosis. In a study of mice fed a high-fat diet, an extract of tonburi did limit obesity.