Brazilian Spinach.
Alternanthera sissoo
Also called Poor Man's Spinach, Samba Lettuce, or Sissoo Spinach.
It is a beautiful ground cover. Perennial, but frost sensitive. Full sun to partial shade. Of course it would prefer rich soil, but it will manage in amended soil.
But what we most LOVE about this one is that you can cook it without it falling apart. Other than New Zealand spinach, there are not many options for summer cooked spinach.
THANK YOU FGCU for allowing me to make a couple of cuttings. Those cuttings have bred a new generation of plants in my garden!
Below is ECHO's data on it:
BRAZILIAN SPINACH IS A GOOD SOURCE OF GREENS.
Cory Thede in the Brazilian Amazon reports: "Brazilian Spinach (Alternanthera sissoo, also Samba lettuce, sissoo spinach) forms a thick ground cover. It creeps and roots from nodes over a large area. It responds well to fertilizer. A pest (centipede?) eats holes in the leaves at certain times of the year, but this only damages the appearance a bit. Once planted, it can be maintained permanently, as a perennial. Propagate it by cuttings placed in the ground, with some shade (palm fronds for a week or two); it is very hardy, but keep it moist while rooting. It grows fast but is not invasive. Brazilians usually eat it raw in salads with oil/vinegar, tomato, and onion, although the literature recommends cooking it. This, together with lettuce and collards, are the most common greens in the area. In fact, it is better-liked than lettuce. Branches are sold in the market--pull leaves off the stems and eat the young vine tips.
PEST. This worm does eat the spinach, but not enough for us to get upset about it. I stumped our 5-county UF/IFAS agent Gene McAvoy with this one.
Steamed Brazilian Spinach
Remove tough stems, rinse, steam. Flavor is definitely spinach-like. It might be too strong flavored for some. But like most things, it just takes a little getting used to.
Leftovers were used to make spinach dip.
Brazilian Spinach dip
Chop cooked spinach. Squeeze out liquid from cooking. Add mayonnaise and parmesan to your liking. Serve on other veggies or crackers.
