New Zealand spinach

Also known as warrigal greens, botany bay spinach, Cook's cabbage, the New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides, sometimes classified as Tetragonia expansa) was discovered by Captain Cook on the shores of New Zealand. It was immediately picked, cooked, and pickled to help fight scurvy, and taken with the crew. It spread when the explorer and botanist Joseph Banks took a viable plant back to London during the latter half of the 19th century.

The New Zealand Spinach is native to the continent of Australia, and prefers a moist environment for growth. It is grown for the edible leaves. The plant grows flat on the ground, and can be used as food or ornamental ground cover. As its name signifies, it has similar flavor and texture properties to ordinary spinach, and is cooked like spinach. It can be found in temperate climates as an invasive plant in North and South America, and has been cultivated along the East Asian rim. It thrives in hot weather, and is considered an heirloom vegetable .

The leaves of the plant are 1" to 6" long, triangular in shape and bright green. The leaves are thick, and covered with tiny papillae that look like waterdrops on the top and bottom of the leaves. The flowers of the plant are yellow, and the fruit is a small, hard pod covered with small horns. The plant is a halophyte and grows well in saline-rich ground. It will continue to produce greens from May to October. Few insects will bother New Zealand spinach, even slugs and snails do not seem to bother it.

Growing

The thick, irregularly-shaped seeds should be planted just after the last spring frost. Before planting, the seeds should be soaked for 12 hours in cold water, or 3 hours in warm water. Seeds should be planted 1/4 inches deep, and spaced 6-12 inches apart. Sprouts will emerge in 10-20 days.