It is Eurasian, native to Asia and Europe, and widely naturalized in Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

The leaves are variously shaped, but somewhat oblong, comparatively thin, and slightly acidic to the taste.

The flowers are small and obscure, greenish or reddish, corresponding to a degree with the color of the foliage of the plant.

[19] It was commonly grown in Mediterranean regions from early times, until spinach became the more favored leaf vegetable.

It is commonly grown as a warm-weather alternative to spinach because it is more tolerant of heat and slower to bolt in warm weather.