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Home » Vegetables » Leafy Vegetables » Spinach » New Zealand Spinach

New Zealand Spinach

New Zealand Spinach resembles spinach and can be used like spinach, but is not actually related to spinach at all.

The plant grows up to over 2 feet (60 cm) tall, and spreads out 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 cm.)

The leaves grow 1 to 6 inches (2 ½ to 15 cm) long. They are dark-green, arrow-shaped, covered with small soft hairs, and are thick and meaty.

It is a pick and come again plant. You start harvesting as soon as it spreads out to a foot (30 cm) or so. You harvest by cutting off 2 or 3 inches (5 to 7 ½ cm) of the tips of the “branches.” You want the tips, because older leaves will have a more acrid taste. Commercial harvesting just cuts the small plants off their main stem when they are young; the plants grow back to make a second crop. There is not, however, a large commercial market for it.

Both the leaves and stems are cooked.

It can be grown as a perennial in warm climates.

Many people still prefer proper spinach over this one.

Nutrition

High in vitamin C.

Nutrition Facts

Per 1 cup (50 g)

Amount
Calories
8
Fat
0 g
Protein
1 g

Equivalents

1 cup, chopped, fresh = 50g

History Notes

New Zealand Spinach is native to Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South America.

Introduced into England in 1771 or 1772 by a Sir Joseph Banks.

Was not really eaten by the Maori in New Zealand to any great extent, no matter what you hear.

Other names

AKA: Botany Bay Spinach, Cook's Cabbage, Sea Spinach, Summer Spinach, Warrigal Greens
Scientific Name: Tetragonia expansa, Tetragonia tetragonioides
French: Tetragon
Chinese: Yeung poh tsoi

This page first published: Aug 12, 2004 · Updated: Jun 4, 2018.

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Tagged With: Spinach

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