Good King Henry

Good King Henry is a traditional English perennial vegetable and herb that was once widely cultivated as a 'poor man's asparagus' or perennial spinach. It is a robust plant with large, triangular, succulent leaves that have a slightly mealy texture on the underside. It is perfectly adapted to the UK climate, being extremely hardy (H7) and flourishing in the cooler, damper conditions of Northern Europe. It grows into a substantial clump and produces spikes of small, greenish flowers. The young shoots can be harvested and cooked like asparagus, while the leaves are treated as spinach. It is an excellent addition to a 'forest garden' or a low-maintenance herb border. It prefers a rich, moist soil and a position in partial shade, though it will grow in sun if the soil doesn't dry out. While not as showy as Mediterranean herbs, its reliability and history make it a fascinating and practical addition to any garden. Frequent harvesting of leaves helps keep the plant productive.

Sun: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil: Rich, moist, fertile soil.

Hardiness: H7 — below −20°C.

Flowering: May, Jun, Jul.