Ceylon Spinach Red Stem Vegetable Seeds

Ceylon (Malabar) Spinach Red Stem Vegetable Seeds

Botanical Name: Basella alba ‘Rubra’

Synonyms: Malabar Spinach; Vine Spinach

This is a green leaf – red stem version of the attractive climbing leafy green, rich in vitamins A and C, a perennial vine that will grow as an annual in cooler areas and is frost-tender. It can be eaten raw in salads or lightly cooked in stir-fries. It has a flavor similar to spinach. The older leaves develop a ‘slipperiness’; this mucilaginous property has been used traditionally as a thickening agent for soups and stews.

Plant Type: Warm season short-lived perennial

Plant Height: 1.5 – 2 m, requires a trellis

Sow When:

• Temperate Subtropical: Spring behind glass for extra heat, October – February
• Tropical: Late March – August

Germination: Germinate best at 22 – 27°C soil temp.

Depth: 20 mm deep

Position: Sun or semi-shade

Sow Where: Sow direct into warm soil

Soil Type: Rich, fertile, moist soil; pH 5.5 – 6.7

Spacing: 30 cm between plants

Details: Soaking seed before sowing improves germination; self-sows readily. 70 days to harvest; to harvest, tip-prune the vines, taking the young tender shoots and leaves to encourage branching.