Garden and Flowers

MALABAR SPINACH

The western species of spinach would run to seed prematurely in the tropics, but inhabitants of Africa and Asia have an alternative, Malabar spinach, named by the British after the Indian district where the vegetable is still cultivated. The plant grows there as a perennial climber, but in cooler climates it must be cultivated as an annual by sowing it indoors at about 68 °F and growing the plants on until they can be put out-of-doors at the end of May. They may be planted in a large pot to climb up a trellis or cover a pergola. It is important,  though,  to stand  the  plants  in a warm place and to give them plenty of water and plant food.

The seeds and plants available in temperate climates are usually those with foliage and stems tinged with red, including Baselle alba ‘Rosebud,’ Basella alba ‘Rubra’, and Basella  rubra ‘Select Red.’ They, too, have leaves and stems which are edible after braising or stirfrying. The plants flower unontrusively in August-September,  after which the juicy fruits holding the seeds are formed.

Basella alba is a fast-growing, soft-stemmed vine, reaching 10 m in length. Its thick, semi-succulent, heart-shaped leaves have a mild flavour and mucilaginous texture. The stalk is often purple. The vegetable is used in Chinese cuisine. Its many names include flowing water vegetable. Typical of leaf vegetables, it is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium. It is low in calories by volume, and high in protein per calorie. The succulent mucilage is a particularly rich source of soluble fiber, thought to remove mucus and toxins from the body. The plant is also a rich source of chlorophyll.