Strawberry blite facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Strawberry blite
Scientific classification
Genus:	Blitum
Species:	capitatum

Strawberry blite (Blitum capitatum) is a cool plant that you can actually eat! It's also known by other fun names like strawberry spinach or Indian paint. This plant grows for just one year and is famous for its bright red, berry-like fruits that look a lot like tiny strawberries.

Where Strawberry Blite Grows

Strawberry blite is originally from most of North America. You can find it all over the United States and Canada, even in the northern parts. Sadly, it's considered an endangered plant in Ohio. It also grows in some areas of Europe and New Zealand. This plant likes to grow in damp places, especially in mountain valleys.

What Strawberry Blite Looks Like

The most exciting part of the strawberry blite plant is its fruit! They are small, soft, and a bright red color. They really do look like tiny strawberries, even though they are not true berries. Inside these fruits, you'll find small, black, flat seeds. These seeds are about the size of a pinhead.

How People Use Strawberry Blite

The bright red juice from the fruits was used by native North Americans as a red dye. They could use it to color things like clothes or baskets.

The leaves of the strawberry blite plant are also edible. You can eat them raw, like spinach in a salad. Or, you can cook them like other leafy greens. However, if you eat the leaves raw, it's best to eat them in small amounts. This is because they contain natural substances called oxalates. Eating too many oxalates can sometimes make you feel a bit funny. The seeds of the plant might also be unsafe to eat in large amounts.