New Zealand spinach

Sun

Full sun; light afternoon shade is helpful in very hot climates.

Water

Water regularly for tender leaves, allowing the soil surface to dry slightly between waterings. Established plants tolerate short dry spells but become less productive.

Soil

Well-drained soil enriched with compost; tolerates sandy soils and some coastal salt exposure, but not prolonged waterlogging.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

2-4 ft (0.6-1.2 m)

Foliage

Fleshy, triangular to diamond-shaped green leaves with a slightly crystalline-looking surface, carried on branching, spreading stems.

Growth

Fast once established in warm soil; slow in cool weather.

Care needed

Low

• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Invasive in

the US

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant out after frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed; space plants about 2 ft (0.6 m) apart.
• Water at soil level during dry weather to keep new growth tender.
• Work compost into the bed before planting; feed lightly if growth becomes pale or weak.
• Mulch after the soil warms to conserve moisture and keep trailing shoots clean.
• Remove unwanted seedlings and prevent seed formation where the plant could escape into coastal habitats.

Pruning. Pinch out growing tips once plants are established to encourage branching. During the growing season, shorten sprawling stems just above a leaf joint, leaving plenty of leafy growth for regrowth.

Pick tender shoot tips and young leaves once plants are well branched, usually about 6-8 weeks after planting out in warm conditions. Harvest little and often, leaving the lower leaves and stems to regrow. Blanch the greens in boiling water and discard the water before further cooking to reduce soluble oxalates.

Early spring

In short-summer areas, soak the hard seed units in warm water for 12-24 hours, then sow indoors in warmth.

Late spring

Harden off seedlings and plant outside after the last frost, once soil is consistently warm.

Early summer

Mulch, water during dry spells and pinch growing tips to encourage branching.

Summer

Harvest young leaves and shoot tips regularly; check sheltered growth for slugs and snails.

Early autumn

Remove developing seed units if self-seeding is unwanted, or save fully mature brown ones for sowing.

Late autumn

In frosty climates, clear plants after frost kills the shoots.

• Plant along the sunny edge of a vegetable bed, allowing stems to trail into a clear path margin.
• Grow in a large container or raised bed where the leafy stems can spill over the sides.
• Use as a seasonal edible groundcover beneath widely spaced, upright vegetables without crowding their stems.
• Include in a coastal kitchen garden for summer greens where ordinary spinach struggles with heat.

Garden styles it suits: Potager (kitchen garden), Edible landscape, Homestead, Coastal, Cottage garden and Australian native.

Plant it with: Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplants, Basil, Spring onions and Marigolds.

Wildlife: The small yellow flowers may attract small insects, but this is primarily a food crop rather than a major nectar plant. Dense growth provides shelter for ground-dwelling invertebrates.

• Slow or uneven germination: soak seed units before sowing, keep the compost warm and evenly moist, and allow several weeks for emergence.
• Slugs and snails eating seedlings: check after dark, remove hiding places and use an appropriate labelled control if needed.
• Coarse leaves and weak regrowth during drought: water deeply and harvest younger shoots rather than old leaves.
• Rotting roots or stem bases in wet soil: improve drainage and avoid frequent watering while the soil remains saturated.

The edible leaves and stems contain oxalates; large quantities, especially raw, can be harmful to people and may be unsuitable for anyone advised to restrict dietary oxalates. Blanching and discarding the water reduces soluble oxalates but does not remove them completely. Reliable species-specific toxicity information for cats, dogs and horses is limited; do not assume it is safe forage, and prevent substantial consumption.

Where it spreads. It can self-seed freely in mild coastal climates and is listed as invasive in California, where it can spread into coastal dunes and bluffs. Keep it contained near natural coastal vegetation and check local guidance before planting.

• Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)

  Ordinary spinach forms an upright rosette of thinner leaves and prefers cool weather; New Zealand spinach has fleshy triangular leaves on spreading, branching stems.

• Warrigal cabbage (Tetragonia implexicoma)

  This related coastal plant has a scrambling, often woody habit and produces fleshy red or orange fruits; New Zealand spinach produces dry, hard, horned fruit units.

Tetragonia refers to the four-angled fruit, while New Zealand spinach names its use as a spinach substitute and its association with New Zealand.

Propagation. Grow from seed, usually sold as hard, horned fruit units that can contain several seeds. Soak for 12-24 hours before sowing in warm conditions; germination can be slow and uneven. Thin clustered seedlings and transplant carefully while young.

Accepted botanical name

Tetragonia tetragonioides

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Hawaii, the lower 48 states, Pacific Basin and Puerto Rico.

Measured

Average height 24 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.