Perpetual Spinach or NZ Spinach?

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Cleo1717 Knoxville, TN(Zone 7a) Feb 26, 2007

I'm trying to decide which would be the best warm weather spinach substitute. I've grown Malabar Spinach in the past and while it's a very pretty plant, I think it's a poor replacement for actual spinach. I guess I should clarify exactly what I mean by Perpetual Spinach because I'm sure there are several things called that. I'm looking at this at Sand Hill Preservation Center:

Gold Glebe: 65 days. Shades of yellow, smooth ribbed stalk, very mild and productive. Closely resembles the old variety called Perpetual Spinach. Very low growing with lots of leaves and small stems. (It's listed under Swiss Chard)

I would mainly be using it in salads but would love it if I could steam it as well. Thanks for the help!

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Zeppy Shenandoah Valley, VA(Zone 6b) Feb 26, 2007

I'll be interested to hear responses too. Do look at some of the amaranths: I hear their leaves are very nice steamed and much like spinach.

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cottonpicker Audubon, PA(Zone 6b) Feb 26, 2007

cleo.... I grow Perpetual Spinach almost every year. Very closely resembles Swiss Chard in habit & flavor. Not at all like spinach. It produces fresh greens all summer... just cut & it grows back. We like it. Have also grown Amaranth a few times--- it is more spinach-like except it thrives in HOT weather. It's not a cool weather plant like spinach. Hope this helps...
LD

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cyndiehook Central, ME(Zone 5a) Feb 27, 2007

Hi Cleo, I ordered the Perpetual this year as I have not been successful in growing spinach. The weather can go from cold to hot so fast I can't get the timing down. I had Perpetual in the Dominican Republic a lot last year and decided to track it down. They put it in a great stir fry with chicken. It has a mild flavor and the green leaf like spinach, but I think it is part of the chard family. Called Leaf Beet in Europe. It doesn't bolt in hot weather like spinach and has a great taste. It's supposed to be cut and come again. Tastes great. Cyndie

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VEGGIEHAPPY New Braunfels, TX(Zone 8b) Mar 01, 2007

Amaranth rocks - you can eat the leaves and harvest the grain later - Yay!!

I'm doing Malabar and New Zealand spinach for the first time this year. Not sure how they'll do - our summers are way hot here in Texas.

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jenhillphoto Danbury, CT(Zone 6a) Mar 01, 2007

So what does New Zealand spinach taste like? I bought some seeds to try this summer. I've never eaten it. Does it taste like standard spinach?

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Lettuceman Dayton, WA Mar 01, 2007

New Zealand Spinach raw has a slight citrus taste to it. I've never eaten it cooked. The leaves are much thicker and meatier than regular spinach.

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jenhillphoto Danbury, CT(Zone 6a) Mar 01, 2007

I like citrus. I'm looking forward to it. Thanks for the description lettuceman.

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