Good King Henry is a perennial that most gardeners grow from a single strain passed down or bought once, which makes crossing largely a non-issue in practice -- the real task is simply harvesting the wind-pollinated seed heads before birds or weather scatter them.
New to terms like isolation distance or outcrossing? See the Seed-Saving Glossary.
Seed-Saving Difficulty
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Moderate Difficulty
Moderate crossing risk.
How It's Pollinated
Wind-pollinated
(Moderate crossing risk)
Scientific name: Blitum bonus-henricus
Domestic Crops It Can Cross With
- Other Good King Henry plants, if more than one variety is grown -- uncommon since most gardeners grow a single unnamed strain
Wild Relatives & Feral Species
- Related wild Chenopodium-family weeds exist but are typically different enough not to cross reliably
Separation Distances Required
Minimum: 50m as good practice
Recommended: 100m for extra security
Strict: Not usually needed
Seed-Saving Strategies
- Perennial -- established plants flower reliably once mature
- Allow seed heads to dry and turn brown on the plant
- Strip seed clusters by hand once dry
- Store dry -- viable 3-4 years