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Plants of Saudi Arabia

SA · 23.89°, 45.08°

We catalogue 62 plants documented in Saudi Arabia — 25 native and 37 introduced. Of these, 62 are edible and 17 have medicinal uses.

I

Native species

13

Species naturally occurring in Saudi Arabia — best adapted to local climate and soil.

Alhagi mannifera
Alhagi mannifera
Alhagi mannifera
Fabaceaeedible
Anthriscus cerefolium
Anthriscus cerefolium
Anthriscus cerefolium
edible
Bugle
Bugle
Ajuga reptans
ediblemedicinal
Canary Grass
Canary Grass
Phalaris canariensis
edible
Charlock
Charlock
Sinapis arvensis
edible
Guinea grass Green panic grass
Guinea grass Green panic grass
Panicum maximum
edible
Hordeum intermedium
Hordeum intermedium
Hordeum intermedium
Poaceaeedible
Indigo
Indigo
Indigofera tinctoria
Fabaceaeedible
Italian Corn Salad
Italian Corn Salad
Valerianella eriocarpa
edible
Jersey Cudweed
Jersey Cudweed
Gnaphalium luteoalbum
edible
Joint Weed
Joint Weed
Polygonum barbatum
ediblemedicinal
Knotweed
Knotweed
Polygonum salicifolium
Polygonaceaeediblemedicinal
Limonium thouinii
Limonium thouinii
Limonium thouinii
edible
II

Edible for food + foraging

50

Plants with edible parts documented in Saudi Arabia. Always identify positively before harvest.

Amaranthus campestris
Amaranthus campestris
Amaranthus campestris
edible
Amaranthus graecizans
Amaranthus graecizans
Amaranthus graecizans
Amaranthaceaeediblemedicinal
Amaranthus polygamus
Amaranthus polygamus
Amaranthus polygamus
edible
Amaranthus polystachyus
Amaranthus polystachyus
Amaranthus polystachyus
edible
Amaranthus tenuifolius
Amaranthus tenuifolius
Amaranthus tenuifolius
Amaranthaceaeedible
Barnyard Millet
Barnyard Millet
Echinochloa crus-galli
Poaceaeedible
Campanula edulis
Campanula edulis
Campanula edulis
Lamiaceaeedible
Cheat Grass
Cheat Grass
Bromus tectorum
Poaceaeedible
Chinese Artichoke
Chinese Artichoke
Stachys affinis
Lamiaceaeediblemedicinal
Common Vetch
Vicia sativa
Fabaceaeediblemedicinal
Crowfoot
Crowfoot
Coronopus squamatus
ediblemedicinal
Darnel
Darnel
Lolium temulentum
Poaceaeedible
Desert Goosefoot
Desert Goosefoot
Chenopodium pratericola
edible
Dillen prickly pear
Dillen prickly pear
Opuntia dillenii
Cactaceaeedible
Eastern Prickly Pear
Eastern Prickly Pear
Opuntia compressa
Cactaceaeedible
Fig
Fig
Ficus carica
Moraceaeedible
Gum Arabic Tree
Vachellia nilotica
Fabaceaeedible
Herb of Grace
Herb of Grace
Bacopa monnieri
Scrophulariaceaeediblemedicinal
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle
Lonicera periclymenum
Caprifoliaceaeedible
Italian Honeysuckle
Italian Honeysuckle
Lonicera caprifolium
edible
Lepidium iberis
Lepidium iberis
Lepidium iberis
Brassicaceaeedible
Liquorice
Liquorice
Glycyrrhiza glabra
ediblemedicinal
Lycium arabicum
Lycium arabicum
Lycium arabicum
Solanaceaeediblemedicinal
Nuttall's Saltbush
Nuttall's Saltbush
Atriplex nuttallii
edible
Radish
Radish
Raphanus sativus
ediblemedicinal
Red Dead Nettle
Red Dead Nettle
Lamium purpureum
Lamiaceaeediblemedicinal
River Club-Rush
River Club-Rush
Scirpus validus
edible
Salix aegyptiaca
Salix aegyptiaca
Salix aegyptiaca
Salicaceaeediblemedicinal
Saw Grass
Saw Grass
Cladium mariscus
Cyperaceaeedible
Shittim Wood
Vachellia seyal
Fabaceaeedible
Sunberry
Sunberry
Physalis minima
Solanaceaeedible
Swamp Morning Glory
Swamp Morning Glory
Ipomoea aquatica
Convolvulaceaeedible
Toothed Bur-Clover
Toothed Bur-Clover
Medicago polymorpha
ediblemedicinal
Water Milfoil
Water Milfoil
Myriophyllum spicatum
Haloragaceaeedible
White Melilot
White Melilot
Melilotus albus
ediblemedicinal
Wild Oats
Wild Oats
Avena fatua
Poaceaeedible
Yellow Bristle Grass
Yellow Bristle Grass
Setaria pumila
Poaceaeedible
Alhagi mannifera
Alhagi mannifera
Alhagi mannifera
Fabaceaeedible
Anthriscus cerefolium
Anthriscus cerefolium
Anthriscus cerefolium
edible
Bugle
Bugle
Ajuga reptans
ediblemedicinal
Canary Grass
Canary Grass
Phalaris canariensis
edible
Charlock
Charlock
Sinapis arvensis
edible
Guinea grass Green panic grass
Guinea grass Green panic grass
Panicum maximum
edible
Hordeum intermedium
Hordeum intermedium
Hordeum intermedium
Poaceaeedible
Indigo
Indigo
Indigofera tinctoria
Fabaceaeedible
Italian Corn Salad
Italian Corn Salad
Valerianella eriocarpa
edible
Jersey Cudweed
Jersey Cudweed
Gnaphalium luteoalbum
edible
Joint Weed
Joint Weed
Polygonum barbatum
ediblemedicinal
Knotweed
Knotweed
Polygonum salicifolium
Polygonaceaeediblemedicinal
Limonium thouinii
Limonium thouinii
Limonium thouinii
edible
III

Medicinal traditional + clinical

15

Species with documented medicinal applications. See individual plant profiles for evidence + safety.

Amaranthus graecizans
Amaranthus graecizans
Amaranthus graecizans
Amaranthaceaeediblemedicinal
Chinese Artichoke
Chinese Artichoke
Stachys affinis
Lamiaceaeediblemedicinal
Common Vetch
Vicia sativa
Fabaceaeediblemedicinal
Crowfoot
Crowfoot
Coronopus squamatus
ediblemedicinal
Herb of Grace
Herb of Grace
Bacopa monnieri
Scrophulariaceaeediblemedicinal
Liquorice
Liquorice
Glycyrrhiza glabra
ediblemedicinal
Lycium arabicum
Lycium arabicum
Lycium arabicum
Solanaceaeediblemedicinal
Radish
Radish
Raphanus sativus
ediblemedicinal
Red Dead Nettle
Red Dead Nettle
Lamium purpureum
Lamiaceaeediblemedicinal
Salix aegyptiaca
Salix aegyptiaca
Salix aegyptiaca
Salicaceaeediblemedicinal
Toothed Bur-Clover
Toothed Bur-Clover
Medicago polymorpha
ediblemedicinal
White Melilot
White Melilot
Melilotus albus
ediblemedicinal
Bugle
Bugle
Ajuga reptans
ediblemedicinal
Joint Weed
Joint Weed
Polygonum barbatum
ediblemedicinal
Knotweed
Knotweed
Polygonum salicifolium
Polygonaceaeediblemedicinal
IV

Introduced naturalized + cultivated

37

Non-native species established in Saudi Arabia. Some are valuable; some are invasive. Check each plant's notes.

Amaranthus campestris
Amaranthus campestris
Amaranthus campestris
edible
Amaranthus graecizans
Amaranthus graecizans
Amaranthus graecizans
Amaranthaceaeediblemedicinal
Amaranthus polygamus
Amaranthus polygamus
Amaranthus polygamus
edible
Amaranthus polystachyus
Amaranthus polystachyus
Amaranthus polystachyus
edible
Amaranthus tenuifolius
Amaranthus tenuifolius
Amaranthus tenuifolius
Amaranthaceaeedible
Barnyard Millet
Barnyard Millet
Echinochloa crus-galli
Poaceaeedible
Campanula edulis
Campanula edulis
Campanula edulis
Lamiaceaeedible
Cheat Grass
Cheat Grass
Bromus tectorum
Poaceaeedible
Chinese Artichoke
Chinese Artichoke
Stachys affinis
Lamiaceaeediblemedicinal
Common Vetch
Vicia sativa
Fabaceaeediblemedicinal
Crowfoot
Crowfoot
Coronopus squamatus
ediblemedicinal
Darnel
Darnel
Lolium temulentum
Poaceaeedible
Desert Goosefoot
Desert Goosefoot
Chenopodium pratericola
edible
Dillen prickly pear
Dillen prickly pear
Opuntia dillenii
Cactaceaeedible
Eastern Prickly Pear
Eastern Prickly Pear
Opuntia compressa
Cactaceaeedible
Fig
Fig
Ficus carica
Moraceaeedible
Gum Arabic Tree
Vachellia nilotica
Fabaceaeedible
Herb of Grace
Herb of Grace
Bacopa monnieri
Scrophulariaceaeediblemedicinal
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle
Lonicera periclymenum
Caprifoliaceaeedible
Italian Honeysuckle
Italian Honeysuckle
Lonicera caprifolium
edible
Lepidium iberis
Lepidium iberis
Lepidium iberis
Brassicaceaeedible
Liquorice
Liquorice
Glycyrrhiza glabra
ediblemedicinal
Lycium arabicum
Lycium arabicum
Lycium arabicum
Solanaceaeediblemedicinal
Nuttall's Saltbush
Nuttall's Saltbush
Atriplex nuttallii
edible
Radish
Radish
Raphanus sativus
ediblemedicinal
Red Dead Nettle
Red Dead Nettle
Lamium purpureum
Lamiaceaeediblemedicinal
River Club-Rush
River Club-Rush
Scirpus validus
edible
Salix aegyptiaca
Salix aegyptiaca
Salix aegyptiaca
Salicaceaeediblemedicinal
Saw Grass
Saw Grass
Cladium mariscus
Cyperaceaeedible
Shittim Wood
Vachellia seyal
Fabaceaeedible
Sunberry
Sunberry
Physalis minima
Solanaceaeedible
Swamp Morning Glory
Swamp Morning Glory
Ipomoea aquatica
Convolvulaceaeedible
Toothed Bur-Clover
Toothed Bur-Clover
Medicago polymorpha
ediblemedicinal
Water Milfoil
Water Milfoil
Myriophyllum spicatum
Haloragaceaeedible
White Melilot
White Melilot
Melilotus albus
ediblemedicinal
Wild Oats
Wild Oats
Avena fatua
Poaceaeedible
Yellow Bristle Grass
Yellow Bristle Grass
Setaria pumila
Poaceaeedible
V

Frequently asked

How many plants are documented in Saudi Arabia?

62 speciess — 25 native and 37 introduced. Of these, 62 are edible and 17 have medicinal uses.

What edible plants grow wild in Saudi Arabia?

Common edible species include Amaranthus campestris, Amaranthus graecizans, Amaranthus polygamus, Amaranthus polystachyus, Amaranthus tenuifolius. See the Edible section above for the full list.

What medicinal plants grow in Saudi Arabia?

17 medicinal plants catalogued for Saudi Arabia, including Amaranthus graecizans, Chinese Artichoke, Common Vetch, Crowfoot, Herb of Grace.

How is "native" vs "introduced" determined?

Status comes from TDWG botanical regions via Trefle. Native = naturally occurring there; introduced = brought in by humans, sometimes invasive. Both can be useful, but native species are typically the best fit for local conditions.

VI

Other asia

Georgia
GE
Turkey
TR
United Arab Emirates
AE
Afghanistan
AF
Armenia
AM
Azerbaijan
AZ
Bangladesh
BD
Bahrain
BH
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