Synonyms: Kochia alata, Kochia sieversiana, Kochia trichophila, Chenopodium scoparia, Bassia scoparia, Bassia sieversiana

Common Names: Firebush, Kochia, Common Kochia, Summer-Cypress, Burning Bush, Mexican-fireweed

Kochia is native to southern and eastern Russia, Europe and Asia. It is now naturalised across the northern half of the United States and is spreading westward, and is found in many other areas of the world. Kochia is a major source of pollen

Kochia is an erect annual with much-branched stems, usually from the base, 1m to 2m long, and the bush growing from 50 to 150 cm in height. The main stem is often tinged with red. The plant has a deep taproot, up to 5 m. The 2 - 5 cm long narrow leaves are stalkless, pubescent to nearly glabrous, lance-like in shape with hairy margins, often turning a red to purple in autumn. Seedlings emerge in spring and have thick, dull green leaves above and magenta undersides.

Kochia flowers in midsummer. The inconspicuous green flowers lack petals and are borne in clusters at the ends of branches and bases of leaves, surrounded by a cluster of long hairs. Kochia may be called "burning bush" for its reddish-purple colour. Kochia usually flowers in late summer but there is a high variation in the flowering time of populations of Kochia. Brown flattened seeds are produced and are approximately 1-2mm long and grooved on each side. Like many other species of the Chenopodiaceae, it becomes a tumbleweed when mature.

Kochia is difficult to differentiate from Fivehook Bassia. Unlike Kochia, which is usually branched from the base, Fivehook Bassia's branching is along the main stem.

Kochia is a highly aggressive and serious weed affecting crop production in many parts of the world, in particular with cereal production. Kochia is highly adaptable. It is very drought tolerant and is found commonly found on saline soils, deserts, and coastal growing areas. It is found on pasture, rangeland, roadsides, ditch banks, wastelands, and cultivated fields. Kochia is often cultivated as a bedding plant or as an ornamental hedge.

The fruit of this plant contains triterpenoid glycosides (Wen 1995 ref.4933 3) and alkaloids. (Drost-Karbowska 1978 ref.4936 4)

Adverse Reactions:

IGE AND IMMUNE:
Asthma, hayfever and allergic rhinitis.

In this study in Thailand, Kochia was shown to be the second most important weed aeroallergen with 14% of 100 patients with allergic rhinitis sensitised to it. (Pumhirun 1997 ref.2256 3)

In 1,159 patients attending an Allergy Clinic in Saudi Arabia, 51% of Saudi Arab patients and 28% of North American expatriates living in the area were sensitised to Kochia. This weed’s pollen was the 2nd and 7th most prevalent allergen resulting in sensitisation in the respective groups. (Suliaman 1997 ref.3258 3)

This weed is common cause of sensitisation in the St. Louis, Missouri, USA area. (Lewis 1975 ref.4894 5)

Cross-reactivity is shown between Firebush and Goosefoot (w10).

NON IMMUNE:
The methanolic extract of the food garnish "Tonburi", the fruit of Japanese kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad., potently inhibits glucose and ethanol absorption in rats. (Yoshikawa 1997 ref.4931 6)