▁is ▁similar ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁coast al ▁Chile ▁where ▁the ▁c rop ▁has ▁been ▁grown ▁for ▁centuries . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁short ▁growing ▁season , ▁North ▁American ▁cultiv ation ▁requires ▁short - m atur ity ▁vari eties , ▁typically ▁of ▁Boliv ian ▁origin . ▁Qu ino a ▁is ▁plant ed ▁in ▁Id aho ▁where ▁a ▁variety ▁developed ▁and ▁b red ▁specifically ▁for ▁the ▁high - alt itude ▁S nake ▁River ▁P lain ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁plant ed ▁variety ▁in ▁North ▁America . ▁ ▁Europe ▁ ▁Several ▁countries ▁within ▁Europe ▁have ▁successfully ▁grown ▁qu ino a ▁on ▁a ▁commercial ▁scale . ▁ ▁S ow ing ▁Qu ino a ▁plants ▁do ▁best ▁in ▁sand y , ▁well - dra ined ▁so ils ▁with ▁a ▁low ▁nut ri ent ▁content , ▁moder ate ▁sal inity , ▁and ▁a ▁soil ▁p H ▁of ▁ 6 ▁to   8 . 5 . ▁The ▁seed bed ▁must ▁be ▁well ▁prepared ▁and ▁dra ined ▁to ▁avoid ▁water logging . ▁ ▁So il ▁and ▁p ests ▁Qu ino a ▁has ▁gained ▁attention ▁for ▁its ▁adapt ability ▁to ▁contrast ing ▁environments ▁such ▁as ▁sal ine ▁so ils , ▁nut ri ent - po or ▁so ils ▁and ▁dr ought ▁str essed ▁marg inal ▁ag ro ec os ystem s . ▁Y ield s ▁are ▁maxim ised ▁when ▁ ▁of ▁nit ro gen ▁is ▁available . ▁The ▁addition ▁of ▁ph osph orus ▁does ▁not ▁improve ▁yield . ▁In ▁eastern ▁North ▁America , ▁it ▁is ▁sus cept ible ▁to ▁a ▁leaf ▁min er ▁that