Lesson 6.22.0 BRAZILIAN GROUND COVER SPINACH - Althernanthera triandra sp.

 

FOOD FOREST COURSE

AGRO-ECONOMY

Lesson 6.22.0 BRAZILIAN GROUND COVER SPINACH - Althernanthera triandra sp.

 

Also known as South American crinkle salad, sissoo spinach or poor man’s spinach.

 

The first time I saw the Brazilian spinach I was intrigued.  It was supposed to come straight over from South America, and we did not ask any questions but gratefully accepted this very attractive curly leaved piece of cutting.  I found it very easy to strike and grow in our Permaculture gardens.  I have found no background information on this prostrate ground cover, but personal experience has found it to be a very useful source of greens for the salad bowl and also as a spinach.

 

It probably originated in South America and its drought hardiness suggests it might be a useful roadside plant, as once it is established in the garden it never seems to fade away as drought does not seem to deter this plant.  There seems to be no specific conditions necessary to have this plant become productive but excess shade will set it back to the point of it being shaded out of existence.  An average rainfall will be enough to encourage new, quick, succulent leaves to regrow with regular picking of the leaves during the growing season.  This plant will come into its own as the main greens for the salad bowl.  I find that it combines well with young hibiscus manihot leaves and Lebanese cress.  This combination works well, as these three will easily keep producing lush foliage all through the hot summer months.

 

Brazilian ground cover spinach grows prostrate on the ground but grows from a main stem that throws many branches onto the ground and it will cover an area up to about a metre wide.  Planted close together they will form a solid border along the edge of the garden where they are easy to reach for daily picking.  During the wet season the plant will form many rootlets on the side branches, and these can be broken off and be transplanted elsewhere in the garden with a minimum of fuss.  Cuttings can be taken at any time of the growing season as long as the weather and the soil are warm.  The cuttings can be planted in pots or stood in a container of water for about a week to encourage root growth but only in the summer months.  At the end of the growing season tiny white flowers can be seen on the plants and at this stage the succulent leaves will turn a bit papery and are only suitable for cooking.

Text from the roots, Elisabeth Ferkonia (Aus.) PDC studied with Bill Mollison.

 

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