Spinach(Part 1)

"Hi readers, Veins of Food is here with another informative a very versatile and popular food- spinach. Here is the part 1 which will enlighten you about the origin, discovery, types and varieties of spinach."

One of the wide spread veins in the culinary world is a green leafy vegetable called spinach. It has been around in the culinary world and in our diets since centuries.

‘Spinacia Oleracea’ is a dioecious (male and female flowers appear on separate unisexual plants) plant species that grows upto 30-60 cm high, has a smooth succulent stem and oval, triangular and long leaves. It bears small and yellow-green flowers and grows under a favourable temperature which is 60-70 degree celcius. Spinach is a member of the ‘Amaranthaceae’ family.

‘Aspanakh’ (translating to ‘green hand’ in Persian) or spinach, originated in Persia (now Iran) about 2000 years ago. This ‘Persian Green’ travelled from Nepal to India and China in 647 A.D. The first texts mentioning spinach were found from the Mediterranean region; a medical text and two agricultural texts written in the 10th century- then written by Rhazes in Western Mediterranean and latter two written by Ibn Washiyah and Qutus al-Rumi, in 11th century Ibn Hajjaj wrote a about spinach in his texts about vegetables and agriculture. When the Arabs invaded the Mediterranean in the 8th century, in the 12th century Arab agronomist Ibn-al-Awam referred to spinach as the ‘Chieftain of Vegetables’ or ‘Prince of Leafy Vegetables’ in his work.

The Europeans saw spinach in 827 A.D, when the Saracens and Moors (what Europeans refer to Arab invaders). Spinach reached Spain in the 12th century by the Arab invasion there. Germany was enlightened about a variant of spinach called prickly seed in the 13th century and smooth seed variant in the 16th century. Spinach came to England and France in the 14th century and became popular amongst the English as the ‘Spanish Vegetable’ as it came from Spain via the moors. Spinach spread amongst the French when in 1533, Catherine de Medici married King Henry II and became the queen of France and brought her cooks along with her to cook her favourite dishes mostly including spinach or ‘Florentine’ (named after her native city Florence).

(Note: Mediterranean countries-Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey.)

Spinach was discovered as spinach oleracea and spread across the globe while developing many types and variants.

Spinach has 3 main types-savoy, semi savoy and flat-leafed spinach.

Savoy spinach:

Savoy spinach spears to have dark crinkled leaves which have a length of 5 to 6 inches. They are bitter and earthy in taste, tender and juicy, hence are preferred cooked for consumption. A cold climate is suitable for growing this type of spinach. It is available around the year and mainly grown in its native land of Iran and also in the coastal areas of California. It is sold in fresh bunches. Spinach oleracea is a variety lying under savoy type of spinach. Savoy spinach is mostly cooked by sauteing and paired up with ingredients like garlic, onion, dried fruits, citrus flavours, pork and poultry. It is also used as a substitute for other leafy greens like kale, chard and collards.

Some examples of savoy type of spinach:

Bloomsdale spinach(botanically known as spinacia oleracea): Thick spade shaped leafed, medium dark green, succulent, tender, juicy, savoury. Grown in winters and early summer. It has fast bolting i.e. grows upwards and quickly and starts flowering as seeds develop, which also turns the leaves bitter. Bloomsdale longstanding is a variety bred with a monoecious spinach since 1847 A.D. in America

Growth rate: Medium rate.

Harvest: 45 days.

Hammerhead spinach: Dark green crinkled leaves on strong upright plants, elongated, round and cupped leaves, rich fibre, savoury. Grows in spring, fall and winter. It has a fast bolting.

Growth rate: Fast rate.

Harvest: 27 days.

Palco spinach: They have dark green deeply curled and cupped leaves. They are adaptive to cold and warm climates. They can be harvested at different stages for various uses, they can be harvested when young and used as baby spinach or can be harvested when completely matured. The plant can grow up to 3 to 6 inches in height when completely matured. Fast bolting and resistant to diseases like mildew (a thin whitish coating consisting of minute fungal hyphae growing on plants or damp material).

Growth rate: Medium rate.

Harvest: 38 days.

Regiment Spinach: They have a bunch of thick and broad leaves which are tender and curly with a deep green colour. They grow around spring and fall. It is a high-yielding plant with a slow bolt. They grow up to 3-6 inches tall. They preferred raw due to their delicate flavour and crunch. They are sometimes sauteed for making side dishes with breads or meats.

Growth rate: Fast.

Harvest: 37 days.

Semi savoy spinach:

The leaves of this type of spinach are less crinkly and grow upright compared to that of savoy spinach; due to which they are comparatively convenient to wash and handle than savoy spinach. But they have the same crisp texture as savoy spinach and sold in fresh bunches. They are more disease and bolt resistant than savoy type of spinach and hence are the top choice of home gardeners.

Some examples of semi savoy spinach are mentioned below:

Carmel spinach: They grow upright to be dark green in colour and uniform in shape. They have a fast bolting rate.

Growth rate: Medium rate.

Harvest: 25 days for baby leaves.

35 days for full maturity.

Emperor spinach: They have long stems, deep green leaves like any other semi-savoy type. It has resistance to mildew as well as other diseases. It is a slow bolting variety.

Growth rate: medium rate.

Harvest: 26 days.

Kookabura spinach: This variety of spinach has leaves which are deeply curved inwards and cupped, growing on long stems. It is an easy-to-grow variety and hence found commonly in home gardens. It has medium bolting rate.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 26 days for baby leaves.

37 days for fully matured leaves.

Acadia spinach: The leaves of this plant are oval in shape and have a glossy dark green colour. They have a medium bolt period and grow in spring and fall.

Growth rate: Medium growth.

Harvest: 27 days.

Tasman spinach: Tasman spinach has medium green leaves and a fast bolting rate. They are planted in spring as they have a fast bolt and can be harvested soon.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 28 days.

Reflect spinach: It bears moderately straight and oval leaves which carry a medium green colour. This variant has medium bolting rate.

Growth rate: Medium rate.

Harvest: 28 days.

Kolibri spinach: It has slightly curled leaves which feel smooth to touch. They bear a green on the darker side. This is an excellent variety amongst all semi savoy variants and it comes with a medium bolting rate.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 29 days.

Teton spinach: Teton spinach bears oval, deep green leaves which grow in an upright fashion. It has a high mildew and disease resistance and slow bolting. Teton can bare high temperatures and can still give a good produce. It is suitable to grow in all 3 seasons (summer, fall and spring).

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 42 to 49 days.

Indian Sumer spinach: This variety of spinach have flat leaves with slightly curved edges. They show off a dark shade of green and have an upright growth. They come with a slow bolt and high disease resistance, especially during summer. They can be grown in all 3 seasons.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 40 to 45 days.

Catalina spinach: Catalina is a dark green variety of semi savoy spinach with thick, slightly curled spear leaves. It has medium bolting rate.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 48 days.

Tyee spinach: They are heavily leafed with oval, wrinkly and

dark green leaves with an amazing fragrance. Due to its noticeable fragrance and a delicate flavour it is used to make salads and consumed preferably raw. It has a slow bolt in high temperatures and high disease resistance.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 45 days.

Crocodile spinach: A.k.a. Fantail spinach is a thick, crispy leafed plant with oval, bright green leaves. It yields better in warmer climates with an upright growing habit and is exceptionally disease resistant. It has a slow bolting rate.

Growth rate: Medium growth.

Harvest: 28 days- baby leaves.

56 days- mature leaves.

Avon spinach: An upright growing plant with slightly curly, dark green leaves are slow to bolt but are suitable for late summer or early spring plantings.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 20-25 days- baby leaves.

42-49 days- mature leaves.

Flat leafed spinach:

Flat leafed spinach has flat, spade shaped, 3-inch-long leaves. These glossy green leaves taste a little sweet and have tints of earthiness and nuttiness. They are preferably eaten raw in salads and as sides along with rice dishes but sometimes they are consumed cooked as well. Flat leafed spinach is popularly grown and consumed in the USA. They are picked on early stages of growth to obtain sweet, tender and small leaves which are useful in salads and raw vegetable dishes. They are commonly prewashed and packaged for selling.

Some examples of flat leafed spinach are mentioned below:

Space spinach: Space is described as the one which has dark green, round and spoon shaped leaves. They are almost smooth in texture but meaty enough to give the real flavour of spinach. They are slow to bolt and tolerant to heat.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 40-45 days.

Gazelle spinach: A smooth and fine spinach variety with dark green and oblong leaves growing on long stems; due to which bunching can be done easily. It yields well during fall with fast bolting and a good resistance from mildew and other diseases.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 26 days.

Corvair spinach: Corvair spinach has smooth and oval leaves, dark green in colour. They grow upright from the ground. It gives high produce in spring and fall with a slow bolt and high disease resistance.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 27 days.

Flamingo spinach: Arrowhead spinach or Flamingo spinach bear leaves that appear to be dark green in colour, long and have a sharp narrow tip. They grow uniformly in size and in a straight pattern. They have a medium bolt and a high resistance to mildew and other diseases. Also known as ‘Asian Leaf Spinach’, it is a ‘continuous harvest’ variety.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 27 days.

Red Kitten spinach: Red kitten is a straight leaved plant with smooth, oval and uniform leaves. They have a medium green colour and dark red veins. Red kitten spinach is fast bolting and hence should be harvested early.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 26-30 days.

Wood Pecker spinach: It is defined as the one with smooth, oval and long leafed plant. It bears its leaves in an upright fashion with a straight growth with a dark green shade and a slow bolt.

Growth rate: Medium growth.

Harvest: 28 days.

Seaside spinach: Seaside spinach grows small spade shaped leaves with a dark green shade with a smooth texture and a straight growth pattern. It has a slow bolt with thick leaves and a developed flavour.

Growth rate: Fast growth.

Harvest: 30 days.

Renegade spinach: Renegade spinach have smooth, oval and dark green leaves which grow on short stems. It has a similar fine taste as that of corvair spinach. It is an all-season vegetable with high disease resistance. Renegade spinach has a slow bolt.

Growth rate: Slow rate.

Harvest: 42-49 days.

"Thank you for reading this piece. I hope that this article has helped you figure out the awe factor in this wonderful leafy green. Keep tuned with Veins of Food for the next part of this article, which will tell you about how spinach should be consumed, cuisines with highest consumption of spinach and its medicinal use."