Japanese Malabar Spinach

Rob

"Malabar Spinach (110 days) Start this one indoors in the North. Transplant to a place where it can climb. The large meaty leaves are remarkably spinach-like in flavor. In fact Basella Rubra, this plant, is used very effectively in the agricultural display at the Epcot Center."

We grow it up string trellises in our grow beds. The smaller leaves are added into the salad mix we sell, and some left to grow larger for restaurant sales to use under entrees, etc. (they are beautiful spade shaped leaves, very thick when grown to 8" or larger). I also remember a wonderful dinner sometime in my youth (way too many years ago) when a group of us ate at a wonderful Japanese restaurant, and breaded and fried leaves were served as an appetizer.

Hope this helps, although I'm pretty certain my original seeds came from another supplier.

Water spinach seed is hard to get. I should have filled my pockets when I was in the Philippines. Water chestnut is usually grown from corms which you can get in the weird food department in large supermarkets, sold as food. Start them in pots and put them in shallow water when it has warmed up.

For Mother Earth Dan Hemenway
Yankee Permaculture Publications

Malabar spinach is a vining spinach (not true spinach). It's wonderful for spinach throughout the summer (and in a greenhouse that's too warm for standard spinaches). Red stemmed, "mild-flavored, thick, succulent, dark green leaves like spinach, yet it thrives in the heat of summer!....heat-loving, vigorous vines can be trained onto fence or trellis to a height of 6 feet or more". I must tell you that it will climb as tall as you allow. We have a 14' peak in our greenhouse, and the plants are grown in beds about 3' from floor level. I try to set up a "web" of strings to train the plants to grow where we need them.

Paula

Sorry to double post - found my Park Seed catalog (800-845-3366) and that's where my Malabar spinach seeds came from. It's wonderful for spinach throughout the summer (and in a greenhouse that's too warm for standard spinaches). Red stemmed, "mild-flavored, thick, succulent, dark green leaves like spinach, yet it thrives in the heat of summer!....heat-loving, vigorous vines can be trained onto fence or trellis to a height of 6 feet or more". I must tell you that it will climb at tall as you allow. We have a 14' peak in our greenhouse, and the plants are grown in beds about 3' from floor level.

Paula

Another great t'ing about the malabar is it's simplicity in rooting of the cuttings. Most of my originals came from cutting on other plants. Simply place them in soil and keep moist, or better yet, place them in your aquaponic system and within days roots will pop.

Glad you're back with the groups, Mike. Missed you while you were out.

Charlie

Here's a quick heads up:

Vine spinach is growing like mad in my plant trays. It roots easily from a cutting that is planted directly in the plant tray. The leaf has a strong, but not unpleasant taste. The fish readily eat it.

We're in South Texas so possibly the heat and humidity are required. Not sure about that part.

It's a bit hard to find. My local supplier only had five small plants with no info on the plant other than it was vine spinach, so I don't have a more scientific name for this plant. Sorry.. but if you can find some, give it a go. I'm real pleased with the results.

Happy growing, Mick