good-king-henry: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical/Botanical/Horticultural/Historical
Quick answer
What does “good-king-henry” mean?
A perennial edible plant (Blitum bonus-henricus), related to spinach, with triangular leaves and small greenish flowers.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A perennial edible plant (Blitum bonus-henricus), related to spinach, with triangular leaves and small greenish flowers.
A wild leafy vegetable, also known as poor man's asparagus or Lincolnshire spinach, traditionally foraged and eaten as a pot herb.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily a British term. In North America, the plant is less common and may be referred to by its Latin name or as 'wild spinach', if known at all.
Connotations
In the UK, it has connotations of traditional foraging, cottage gardening, and historical subsistence. In the US, it is largely unknown outside specialized botanical or permaculture contexts.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both regions, but significantly higher in UK gardening and foraging texts compared to US usage.
Grammar
How to Use “good-king-henry” in a Sentence
[to eat] good-king-henrygood-king-henry [grows wild]good-king-henry [is related to] spinachVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “good-king-henry” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- You can good-king-henry those young shoots like asparagus. (informal/rare conversion)
American English
- Not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not used.
American English
- Not used.
adjective
British English
- A good-king-henry patch had established itself by the compost heap.
American English
- The good-king-henry greens were surprisingly tender. (if used at all)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in botanical, historical, and ethnobotanical papers discussing traditional food plants.
Everyday
Rare. Used by gardeners, foragers, and in contexts discussing traditional British cuisine or wild foods.
Technical
Used in horticulture, permaculture design, and foraging guides as a specific plant identifier.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “good-king-henry”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “good-king-henry”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “good-king-henry”
- Capitalizing incorrectly (e.g., 'Good King Henry'). While historically capitalized, modern botanical usage often hyphenates and lowercases. Using it as a countable noun without 'plant' or 'leaves' (e.g., 'I picked three good-king-henries').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is in the same family (Amaranthaceae) as spinach and is used culinarily in similar ways.
The etymology is uncertain. It's folkloric, possibly named whimsically after a 'good' historical figure to distinguish it from a similar 'bad' plant, or from the German 'Guter Heinrich'.
It is very rarely sold commercially. It is mainly known as a garden plant or foraged wild edible.
Yes, when correctly identified. However, as with all foraging, proper identification is crucial to avoid toxic look-alikes.
A perennial edible plant (Blitum bonus-henricus), related to spinach, with triangular leaves and small greenish flowers.
Good-king-henry is usually technical/botanical/horticultural/historical in register.
Good-king-henry: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡʊd ˌkɪŋ ˈhen.ri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡʊd ˌkɪŋ ˈhen.ri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be as common as good-king-henry (archaic, meaning widespread).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: The 'GOOD KING' HENRY (the historical figure) might have enjoyed this 'HENRY' plant on his plate.
Conceptual Metaphor
PLANT IS A HISTORICAL PERSONAGE (folk-etymological personification).
Practice
Quiz
What is 'good-king-henry' primarily classified as?