Care Guide | Sissoo Spinach

The only thing better than a garden that looks immaculate is an immaculate garden that tastes scrumptious, too! 🌱🥗 No more letting bags of salad greens go to waste. Grow your own Sissoo Spinach, also known as Brazilian Spinach, and enjoy fresh leafy greens right from your own garden.

Characteristics

Sissoo Spinach is a fast-growing, perennial leafy green with attractive, glossy foliage. Unlike true spinach (Spinacia oleracea), Sissoo Spinach is a warm-climate perennial. It can continue producing foliage through much of the year in suitable climates, making it a useful addition to an edible perennial garden.

Overview

  • 🏷️ Scientific Name: Alternanthera sissoo

  • 🌿 Common Names: Sissoo Spinach, Brazilian Spinach

  • 📊 Classification: Perennial evergreen herb

  • 📏 Average Mature Height: 3 feet

  • ↔️ Average Spread: 4 feet

  • 🗺️ USDA Hardiness Zones: 9–11

  • ☀️ Light: Full sun to part shade

  • 💧 Water Requirements: Medium

  • 🌱 Soil: Well-drained, nitrogen-rich

  • 🐾 Pet Friendly: Yes

  • 🕷️ Common Pests: Aphids, Spider Mites, Caterpillars

Scientific Name

The scientific name for Sissoo Spinach is Alternanthera sissoo. Despite the common name "spinach," it is not a true spinach. True spinach belongs to the genus Spinacia, while Sissoo Spinach belongs to Alternanthera.

Classification

Sissoo Spinach is a perennial evergreen herb. In warm climates, it can remain leafy and productive for much of the year. Instead of growing as a single upright stem, it naturally develops into a dense, spreading plant.

USDA Hardiness Zones

Wellspring Gardens lists Sissoo Spinach for USDA Zones 9–11. These warmer zones provide the temperatures Sissoo Spinach prefers for perennial growth.

Height & Spread

Sissoo Spinach reaches an average mature height of approximately 3 feet, with a spread of approximately 4 feet.

Planting

Sissoo Spinach is an adaptable plant when given warm temperatures, adequate moisture, and well-drained soil.

Light

Sissoo Spinach is recommended for full to part sun.

Soil/Watering

Sissoo Spinach prefers well-drained, nitrogen-rich soil and has medium water requirements.

Fertilizer

A balanced fertilizer or fertilizer appropriate for leafy vegetables can be applied according to the manufacturer's directions. Avoid applying more fertilizer than recommended.

Pruning

Sissoo Spinach naturally develops a dense, spreading growth habit. Regular harvesting helps keep the plant compact and encourages fresh growth.

Harvesting

Here's where Sissoo Spinach really shines! 🥗 The leaves are the primary harvest. It can be cut fresh each day, making it easy to enjoy fresh greens whenever you need them. Harvest fresh leaves as needed throughout the growing season. Regular harvesting can also help keep the plant compact and encourage additional growth.

Cold Weather Care

Freezing temperatures can damage the plant. If a freeze is expected, protect outdoor plants whenever possible.

Common Pests

Sissoo Spinach is generally easy to grow, but its tender foliage can attract common garden pests. Common pests are Aphids, Spider mites, and Caterpillars. 

Toxic to Pets?

Sissoo Spinach is non-toxic. As with any plant, pets should not be encouraged to consume large quantities of plant material.

After Arrival Care

Please give your plant a little TLC after its journey through the mail 📬. Here are a few steps we recommend:

  • Unwrap immediately to provide fresh air to the plant and soil.
  • Wait a few days before exposing to full sunlight so your plant can adjust after being in a dark box for several days.
  • Always protect from heat and cold because temperature extremes can be stressful or deadly for plants.
  • Water. Your baby plant may be parched and even a little wilted but thorough hydration will help it recover.
  • Grow out in a larger pot to increase your chances of success—i.e., a quarter gallon—Then transplant to the ground or the next pot size up once the roots fill to the bottom. This will help the plant get sufficient water and nutrients directly to the roots.

Learn more in our After Arrival Care Guide. 

Repotting

We highly recommend growing your baby plant out in a larger pot 🪴 to increase your chances of success 🏆. Repotting helps focus the water and nutrients directly towards the roots. If the pot is too large or if your baby is planted in the ground, the water and nutrients have more room to spread to the wrong places where they aren’t needed. This can be extra detrimental to a baby plant that needs all the support it can get as it’s growing up.

You don’t have to repot immediately, but the sooner you do, the more room it has to grow. 

Here are some general repotting tips:

  • Start with a pot that's 1-2 inches larger in diameter than the starter-sized pot it came in. A pint or quart would be great.
  • Transplant to the next pot size up once the roots fill to the bottom.

Learn more in our Repotting Guide. 

Grow Your Own Salad

Why settle for store-bought greens when you can walk outside and pick your own? Start or continue growing your Salad collection with Wellspring Gardens.

Happy planting! 🪴