New Zealand Spinach – 20 Seeds

New Zealand Spinach Seeds. Tetragonia tetragonioides is a leafy groundcover also known as New Zealand spinach, Warrigal greens, kōkihi (Māori language), sea spinach, Botany Bay spinach, tetragon and Cook’s cabbage. It is native to New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Chile and Argentina.

The species prefers a moist environment for growth. The plant has a trailing habit, and will form a thick carpet on the ground or climb though other vegetation and hang downwards. The leaves of the plant are 3–15 cm long, triangular in shape, and bright green. The leaves are thick, and covered with tiny papillae that look like water drops on the top and bottom of the leaves. The flowers of the plant are yellow, and the fruit is a small, hard pod covered with small horns. The plant is a halophyte and grows well in saline ground.

This is a perfect spinach type of plant, to grow in south Africa’s hot weather. Few insects will bother it, not even slugs and snails. The plant can be quite invasive, so if you do not want to grow it as a ground cover, then growing it inside a pot or planter to contain it, will be the way to go. It can be grown as a perennial in hot climates where the winters are warm. In South Africa it grows as an annual, but it does reseeds readily, so you only need to plant it once.

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New Zealand Spinach Culinary Uses

• Sautéed and Stir-fried: Excellent when stir-fried with garlic, ginger, chilli, or Asian sauces, as they maintain their structure under high heat.
• Savory Fillings & Pastries: Frequently used in quiches, frittatas, savory pastries, dumplings, and pies (often combined with feta, ricotta, or parmesan).
• Soups and Stews: Can be added to stews or wilted into soups just before serving.
• Pesto: Blanched leaves can be blended into a unique pesto.
• Steamed Side Dish: Simply steamed and served as a nutritious green, often finished with butter or lemon juice.
• Fusion Dishes: Used on pizzas, in risottos, or as a component in modern Australian “bush tucker” cooking.

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Medicinal Uses

• Gastrointestinal Health: Traditionally used to treat dyspepsia, gastric ulcers, gastritis, and gastric hypersecretion.
• Anti-inflammatory & Antioxidant: Research indicates the presence of 6-methoxyflavonols, which provide significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, potentially inhibiting inflammation.
• Metabolic Benefits: Studies suggest it may have anti-obesity and anti-hyperuricemic (lowers uric acid) effects, as shown in studies on high-fat diet mice.
• Immune System & Other: Used in some traditional practices as a blood tonic, to treat menstrual pain, or to combat cold and flu symptoms.

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Growing New Zealand Spinach

Indoor Sowing: Not Recommended.

Direct Sowing: Spring and Early Summer.

• Scarifying the top of the seeds first, helps with the germination rate.
• The seeds should be soaked for 12 hours in cold water, or 3 hours in warm water, before planting.
• Sow the seeds in spring and early summer.
• Seeds should be planted 5 to 10 mm deep, and spaced 15 to 30 cm apart.
• The plant does not transplant well, so sow the seeds where it is to grow.
• Can be grown in full sun, provided that you water it regularly, as the plant prefers moist soil. Grows well in partial shade.