Tetragonia Species, New Zealand Ice Plant, New Zealand Spinach, Warrigal Greens

I live in a place with 6 to 11 of inches of rain a year, and I only irrigated a few areas. This plant pops up everywhere, and I doubt I'...Read Morell every get rid of it all. Big ole pain in the arse.

This plant may be often grown as an annual, but is actually a frost-tender perennial that can be overwintered in pots with sufficient lig...Read Morehting if desired.

It is easily grown from seed with high rates of germination - a 24hr presoak accelerates germination time.

It tolerates just about anything, but does best in a warm sunny environment, in moist but well-drained soil.

This plant flowers constantly during the growing season, each tiny yellow flower forming a hard, spiked seed capsule that turns dark and falls to the ground. A few plants will yield hundreds of seeds, which are easily collected. Buy seed once and you'll probably never need to buy it again.

The foliage contains medium concentrations of oxalic acid, so sensitive individuals should blanch accordingly before consuming.

I am just growing this from seed for the first time--right now all I have are tiny seedlings (from germinating them in a wet paper towel)...Read More. However, I was already fond of this plant from my urban foraging days in San Francisco. It grows well along the sandy beaches on the ocean side (especially at Fort Funston and the end of Golden Gate Park). One reason why New Zealand Spinach is a great wild food to forage in coastal areas is that it does well in soils with high salinity levels, where other plants might struggle. The leaves, consequently, are actually a little salty, and really delicious. I'm sure the ones I grow at home won't be salty, but try some of the wild ones if you can!

I planted the seeds for New Zealand spinach in 2006. It comes back every year and makes a nice addition to a fresh salad.