Spinach
(Basella alba)
Spinach
Spinach
Selection
Pick young leaves and shoots near the growing point, leaving roots to grow.
Storage
Cover loosely in a plastic bag or perforated bag and refrigerate. Can be frozen for longer storage.
Preparation
- Wash plants well before eating.
- Young leaves and stems can be eaten fresh as a salad or cooked in soups and stews as a green vegetable.
- (Bailey, 1992)
Photo Source
NIH
Spinach
There are many different types of spinach that are eaten in the Pacific Islands. They generally have stand-up stems and spikes of flowers that grow best in a garden environment with plenty of water and well-cultivated soil. Ceylon or malabar spinach is a climbing plant with oval, round leaves an dark green color. The flesh of the leaves is thick and somewhat sticky. The vines bear jet-black berries, but they are not eaten (Bailey, 1992).
Traditional Names
- Hawaiian – ʻīnika
- Kosraean – spinach
- Marshallese – spinach