Growing Malabar Spinach: Why I chose this for My Texas Garden

Malabar Spinach

Malabar - an excellent source of calcium and iron; good source of vitamins A, B, and C, with a high roughage value.

I got my Malabar seeds today from eBay. I planted 4 seedlings and sent my mother 10. This is a decorative and edible spinach plant that grows to a height of 8' to 10' and blooms summer to fall.

 

Spinach seeds

Plant in sun, and preferably next to a trellis. Germination takes 10 - 15 days.

Today, I also picked up two containers of Horsetail.

 

Horsetail plant

Long ago, the Horsetail (Scouring Rush) was food for dinosaurs. Pioneers used to grab fistfulls of horsetail (which grew in abundance near the streams) to clean and scrub their cooking utensils.

 

Love these Horsetail plants

I purchased two plants - one for indoors and another for a decorative pot on the porch. Beware, they tend to take over a garden as they have an underground fleshy stem called rhizomes. What attracted me to these plants is that they look like miniature bamboo.

Why I Keep Growing Malabar Spinach

One of the reasons I continue growing Malabar spinach year after year isn't just because it thrives during our hot Texas summers—it's because it's incredibly nutritious.

Unlike traditional spinach, which quickly wilts once temperatures climb, Malabar spinach keeps producing tender leaves throughout the hottest part of the season. That means fresh greens are still available long after many spring vegetables have stopped producing.

The leaves are naturally rich in vitamin A, which supports healthy vision and the immune system, vitamin C for healthy skin and immune function, and several B vitamins that help convert food into energy. Malabar spinach is also a good source of calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium, along with dietary fiber and antioxidants.

A one-cup serving of fresh Malabar spinach contains only about 15–20 calories, making it an easy way to add nutrients to everyday meals without adding many calories.

What Does It Taste Like?

The leaves have a mild flavor similar to traditional spinach but are slightly thicker and more succulent.

Young leaves are tender enough to eat fresh, while mature leaves become a little heartier and hold up well during cooking.

My Favorite Ways to Use It

One thing I enjoy most about Malabar spinach is its versatility.

Fresh leaves are delicious:

• tossed into green salads
• layered on sandwiches and wraps
• chopped into pasta salads
• blended into green smoothies

It also cooks beautifully in:

• omelets and scrambled eggs
• soups and stews
• stir-fries
• casseroles
• lasagna
• quiche
• homemade vegetable soups
• curries
• sautéed with garlic and butter

The thicker leaves become slightly silky when cooked, making them excellent for soups and stir-fries where ordinary spinach often disappears.

A Perfect Homestead Vegetable

For anyone interested in homesteading or growing more of their own food, Malabar spinach is one of the easiest vegetables to recommend.

A single healthy vine can continue producing leaves for months with very little care, making it an excellent crop for gardeners who want dependable summer greens. Since it grows vertically on a trellis, it also saves valuable garden space while producing an abundant harvest.

That's one reason it has remained one of my favorite vegetables to grow, even after all these years.

If this is your first time hearing about Malabar spinach, be sure to check out my complete growing guide, where I share planting tips, trellis ideas, harvesting advice, and photos showing how these tiny seedlings eventually grew into towering vines over eight feet tall.

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