Spinacia oleracea Seeds | Oleracia
LATIN NAME: Spinacia oleracea
COMMON NAME: Spinach
Plant Profile
Spinacia oleracea, better known as Spinach, is an annual in the amaranth family. Spinach spreads its dark, smooth leaves in cool rows, and small, green flowers rise in dense spikes. It is a plant of open, sunny, deep, moist, rich ground. For the gardener, the sum of these traits is a plant that is easy to live with.
Science & Biotechnology
Within the amaranth family, Spinacia oleracea is of continuing interest to researchers working on plant diversity, seed biology and the selection of improved garden forms. With present-day seed handling, raising this species well within the reach of any careful grower.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Spinach earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. Spinach is a fine, steady plant of cool kitchen garden. It is a fine, steady plant of open, sunny, deep, moist, rich garden. Sow in early spring or autumn for cool row, and leaves will come fast. It establishes readily and then requires nothing out of the ordinary.
Spinach is the iron-and-folate leaf of legend, and though the Popeye numbers were overstated, its lutein, nitrates and vitamin K make it a genuinely functional green.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed of Spinach under ordinary good conditions. Broadcast the seed thinly over a fine, free-draining compost, sieve a little more compost on top, and water with a fine rose. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
Few garden plants carry such a documented history of use as this one does. Spinach is the kind of plant that rewards a permanent spot. Fresh seed sown into evenly moist compost is most of the battle won.
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