This is the fourth year we’ve grown malabar spinach. We love it!
I can’t remember where I first learned about the plant, but it was online somewhere. I was really interested from the start. We love most greens and having one that can stand up to the heat of summer is amazing.
The plant is very vigorous. It grows into a thick mass that covers our arched trellis before summer’s end.
The green heart shaped leaves are more tender when they are smaller. If allowed to grow the leaves get larger than my hand. The plant is constantly putting out new shoots so there’s always smaller leaves to harvest.
All parts of the plant are edible, but we only harvest the leaves. According to this website malabar spinach is: “vitamin-rich and packed with nutrients. It’s a treasure trove of calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C…”
The flavor is akin to regular spinach, but there is a different mouth feel. Malabar spinach is similar to succulents and has mucilage like okra. Once malabar spinach is cooked the sliminess disappears.
I don’t mind the mucilage and often eat the leaves in salad. The Deer Hunter’s favorite way to eat malabar spinach is creamed.
If you like malabar spinach one of the best things about growing it is it reseeds itself. I can’t remember if I planted a few seeds the second year we grew it or not, but I know that I’ve not planted any seeds since then.
Malabar spinach grows so well here that it tries to spread, but it is easily pulled up and the chickens like it too.
While the lack of adequate rain has affected other parts of our garden, our malabar spinach hasn’t minded the dry weather.
Last night’s video: First Cool Mornings – Celebrating a Taste of Fall of the Year.
Tipper
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We tried it this year…I LOVE IT!!!!!
Autocorrect did it again I guess. 🙂 I was trying to say do you know what it is.
I meant to say so you know what it is? 🙂
Tipper, I went and looked on your post about creamed spinach and when I was reading through the comments Miss Cindy mentioned creases. I’ve never heard of that. So you know what it is?
Regina-they grow wild 🙂 you can learn more here: https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/news/2024/03/01/creasy-greens
I’d never heard of Malibar spinach until you mentioned it in a video or blog some time back. I’m going to try and grow some next spring.
You have always spoken so highly of the malabar spinach that I would like to try it too. Thank you for explaining all about it here as well as in your videos and how easy it seems to be a hearty plant in your area. We often buy spinach to add to salads or eggs or cooked down as a side dish. I have had creamed spinach before but not sure if it was canned or made fresh, it sounds like something I would like. If we can figure out where we could plant some here I will plan to plant some of these seeds and try it too. I especially like the fact that it reseeds itself and comes back on its own each year, unless the plant is not as favorable to our yard/area but I would like to give it a try.
I have never heard of Malabar spinach but I’m going to see if it grows well here. It sounds up my alley!
We love it. It even grows well in Florida.
Mom never had a problem getting any of us to eat spinach. She would dab a little bacon grease into the pot as her “secret weapon”. That’s how she was able to get us kids to eat veg. She kept an aluminum canister of bacon grease on the counter and used it prodigiously to encourage the particular and the precious eaters to finish off their plates. I think she would have put it on ice cream if someone refused to eat.
I don’t know if I have had Malabar spinach or not, but I do like spinach just about any way it can be prepared. My favorite spinach dish is Spinach Maria.
I don’t think I have ever had Malabar Spinach unless it’s been in a store bought spring salad mix or it’s in frozen spinach. I do like spinach, but just don’t eat it very often. My husband or daughter won’t eat it, so I just don’t grow it. When I do eat spinach it’s either in a fresh salad or it’s cooked to make Spinach Dip. I actually use frozen spinach when I make the dip. Spinach Dip with crackers or chips is the best! I’ve made it for reunions or church get togethers because I know it will get eaten up and I get to enjoy it too.
Morning everyone. I have not grown spinach. A fear of bugs in the leaves. But I do love spinach any way you can cook it. Growing up, mama only made it creamed. I Have enjoyed the cool weather the last 2 days. I can stand and look at all the birds and trees, never mind the occasional cars. The hot days are coming back, UGH. Hope everyone is well. Anna from Arkansas.
I learned about Malabar spinach from you. My family doesn’t eat it but I love it. I’ve tried it creamed and sometimes I just pick a leaf off and pop it in my mouth as I pass by.
I am actually in awe of the beautiful photograph you share of mail at spinach! Its red vein vine and lovely heart shaped leaves are most beautiful to look at! I’m certain it must be delicious for you and the deer Hunter both to like it different ways. If it’s heat tolerant and reseeds itself, what cannot be to love about this magnificent nutritious spinach! Since I throw blood clots easily, my spinach time must be cut to minimal, but I do like it. I was talking to a feller in GA on Tik Tok yesterday and he showed a picture of the GOAT MAN. Lol ain’t it a small world though??? I canned 16 pints and 3 half pints of tomatoes yesterday. I’m a bit pooped out and today just plan to string and snap beans and get them ready to can. I cleaned up quite a bit yesterday too, picking beans, removing flowers and seed, emptying spent pots and moving pots onto my back patio where it’s not too far to the compost heap!!! I see next week it says back to the 80’s. There’s nothing like SCHIZOPHRENIC WEATHER!!! Enjoy it and praise the Lord for another day of LIFE!!!! God bless you!
Common spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and Malabar spinach (Basella alba) are not in the same family. I’m not saying that Malabar spinach will not exacerbate your medical issues, just that it might be worth looking in to.
I love spinach but I have chronic kidney problems, and it is one of the foods that cause kidney stones, so I don’t eat much of it. When I was a young child in elementary school I traded my cookie for spinach. The lunch lady who roamed around the cafeteria helping us young ones when needed was amazed that I traded my cookie for spinach. They also had cruets of vinegar which made the spinach taste even better. My husband won’t eat it so we don’t buy or grow it, but this hardy plant would be an excellent one to grow for our neck of the woods.
Common spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and Malabar spinach (Basella alba) are not in the same family. I’m not saying that Malabar spinach will not exacerbate your kidney problems, just that it might be worth looking in to.
eaa, it’s the oxalate (oxalic acid) in spinach that affects the kidneys. There is not as much in Malabar spinach, but it can still bind to calcium and minerals like iron thus forming kidney stones. The physicians advise us with kidney problems not to eat it or eat it once in a great while. I eat it once in a while but it’s still not something you should not eat regularly if you have renal problems. I had kidney surgery five years ago and I also have an auto-immune disease and take medications to keep my immune system down so I’m careful about what I ingest.
Don’t think I’ve had malabar spinach but I do like spinach in salads. Happy to hear it stood up to the dry weather. Sounds like it’s a hearty plant.
I love spinach salad so I know I would love this too.
I am not like Popeye, I do not eat spinach. The last days and nights have been a little cooler with lower humidity and sure have me looking forward to Fall – my favorite season of the year. After today according to the weather forecast, it will be heating back up into the 90’s with a couple of 95 degree days next week with a very small chance of rain.