Food Plants International

131
Names
English: Spinach Scientific name: Spinacia oleracea L.
Tok pisin: Synonyms:
Tok ples: Plant family: Chenopodiaceae
Description: An annual leafy vegetable. It grows 60-
90 cm high and spreads 30-45 cm wide. The broad
leaves are produced in a clump on short stalks. The
leaves at the base are large and leaves on the stalk are
smaller. Plants are separately male and female. (So
both types are needed if seed is to be produced.)
Flowers are greenish in spikes.
Distribution: It is a temperate plant. It does not suit
the tropical lowlands and grows best where the
temperature varies between 10°C and 20°C or above
2000 m altitude. The kind with very prickly seeds is
frost resistant. Plants need a deep well drained soil. It
is a cool season, short day plant. In Nepal it grows to
about 1400 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 6-9.
Cultivation: It is normally sown directly by seeds. Plants need to be 25 cm apart.
Production: The older leaves are picked off. They can be harvested starting at 8 weeks.
Use: Leaves are cooked in a small amount of water. They are also used in soups and salads.
Young leaves are eaten raw and older leaves are cooked.
Food Value: Per 100 g edible portion
Edible Moisture Energy Protein Calcium Iron proVit A proVit C Zinc
part % KJ g mg mg µg mg mg
Leaves 92.9 57 2.4 2.9 819 29 0.8
Insects:
Aulacophora spp. Chrysomelidae (COL) Pumpkin beetles
Henosepilachna signatipennis Boisd. Coccinellidae (COL) Leaf eating ladybirds
Lygaeus hospes Fab. Lygaeidae (HEM) A leaf sucking bug
Psylliodes sp. Chrysomelidae (COL)
Spoladia recurvalis (Fab.) Pyralidae (LEP) Beet webworm
Diseases:
Leaf spot Fungus Cercospora beticola Sacc.
Pests:
Importance: Not often seen in Papua New Guinea.