Tree Spinach – Nutritional Value, Health Benefits, Recipes

It is a leafy green that tastes very much like chard or spinach with a hint of asparagus when cooked. The best-tasting parts of the plant are the tender growing tips, which can be harvested continuously. Since the plant contains oxalic acid, it should be cooked in a steel pan, not in aluminum. This plant has edible seeds which can be cooked or ground into flour. The plant contains vitamins A, C, and K, and calcium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium. The plant grows well in full sun or partial shade. It is resistant to many pests and is easy to grow.

Tree Spinach Facts

Plant Description

Tree Spinach is a large, annual, upright many-branched, leafy shrub that grows to a height of up to 3 m with a stem diameter of up to 5 cm at the base. The stem is erect, much-branched above, stout, reddish-green or reddish-purple striped, ribbed, base up to 5 cm in diam. The plant is found growing in weed-infested places. It grows well in a Mediterranean environment but needs full or partial shade. Chenopodium giganteum does not have high requirements on soil quality. Furthermore, it shows weedy characteristics such as fast growth and rapid spreading.

Leaves

The younger leaves of Chenopodium giganteum are hairy with a magenta color and the older ones become green. Leaf-blade is light green below and dark green above, rhombic to ovate, up to 20 cm long and 16 cm wide, one-half or twice as long as leaf-stalk, below powdery or becoming hairless, above not powdery, base broadly wedge-shaped, the margin is irregularly wavy saw-toothed. The tip is usually blunt; upper leaf blades gradually becoming smaller, ovate to ovate-lance shaped, reddish or golden yellow vesicular hairy when young, margin saw-toothed or entire.

Flower

The inflorescence consists of terminal panicles with hermaphrodite (both male and female) flowers, which are pollinated by the wind. The flowers contain 5 perianth leaves and 5 stamens. Tepals are 5, green or dark purple, ovate, margin membranous. Stamens are 5. The utricle is lenticular and pericarp membranous. The flowering period starts in mid-summer; from July to September.

Fruits

Fertile flowers are followed by fruits that have seeds of about 1.5 mm in diameter.

Culinary uses of Tree Spinach

• Leaves can be consumed after being cooked.
• Leaves are a spinach substitute.
• The raw leaves should only be eaten in small quantities.
• The seeds can be cooked or ground into a powder and mixed with wheat and other cereals to make bread.
• The seed is small and fiddly; it should be soaked in water overnight and thoroughly rinsed before it is used in order to remove any saponins.
• The young shoots and tender leaves are cooked and eaten like spinach.

Other Facts

• Gold/green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant.
• Due to the partially pink-colored leaves, Chenopodium giganteum also has an ornamental value.
• The stems were used traditionally to make walking sticks.

Precautions

• People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones, or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.

References