New Zealand spinach

New Zealand spinach Care

Tetragonia tetragonioides

What is the plant

Tetragonia tetragonoides, commonly called New Zealand spinach, is a flowering plant in the fig-marigold family. It is often cultivated as a leafy vegetable. It is a widespread species, native to eastern Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

New Zealand spinach is a perennial vegetable grown as a tender annual. It is a low-growing, weak-stemmed leafy plant that can spread several feet wide and grow to one foot tall. It has succulent, triangular- to oval-shaped leaves that are pale to dark green and grow from 2 to 4 inches long. The leaves of New Zealand spinach are smaller and fuzzier than those of regular spinach. New Zealand spinach has small yellow flowers and conical capsules. The plant has been introduced and is an invasive species in many parts of Africa, Europe, North America, and South America. Its natural habitat is sandy shorelines and bluffs, often in disturbed areas. It is a halophyte and grows well in saline ground. It's invasive in coastal habitats in Chile, Hawaii, Florida and California.

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Lighting

Full Sun

Hardiness zone

9a - 12

Difficulty

Easy

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Keep New Zealand spinach evenly moist; water regularly for rapid, full growth. Do not let the soil dry out. New Zealand spinach is drought tolerant once established but leaves will not be as tender or flavorful.
Fertilizer
Prepare planting beds with aged compost. Side dress plants with aged compost at midseason.
Sunlight
Plant New Zealand spinach in full sun. Where summer heat is intense, plant New Zealand spinach where it will get partial shade in the afternoon.

Disease diagnosis

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Soil
New Zealand spinach prefers moisture-retentive, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. The plant prefers a soil pH of 6.8 to 7.0. Prepare planting beds with well-aged compost. Mulch to retain soil moisture.
Temperature
New Zealand spinach grows best as a warm-weather annual in temperatures ranging from 60° to 75°F. Sow New Zealand spinach in the garden about the date of the average last frost in spring or later. New Zealand spinach is not frost hardy like true spinach.
Container
The herb can be grown in containers. Choose a pot with enough drainage holes.