Brazilian spinach plant grow and care – herbaceous of the genus Alternanthera also known as Sissoo spinach plant or Alternanthera Sissoo, Brazilian spinach perennial evergreen plant or as annual in cold climate, mostly used as edible but also used as ornamental plant for the leaves, can grow in tropic, subtropical or mediterranean climate and growing as perennial hardiness zone 10b+ and as annual in hardiness zone 8-10a with long summer.
Brazilian spinach plant edible leaves
Leaves edible fleshy in the shape ovate to shapeless the structure is wavy to curly and the color green leaves.
Flower color is white, small flowers and insignificant.
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How to grow Brazilian spinach plant growing conditions and care:
Humidity, rich soil with organic matter, moist soil, mulch, organic matter, when grown as annual need to take indoor new cutting for next year.
How to care:
Add fertilizer at least once a year, better to put mulch, prune once a year
What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seed (mostly not viable rarely can find viable seeds) / Vegetative Reproduction – bending a branch over and covering it with soil or cutting
How to propagate:
Propagating start by cutting possible to put in water and switch the water every few days another option it’s to put in moist soil, with humidity and keep the moist soil and peat soil, temperature 23-27C (73-80F) and better to use root growth hormone
Is it necessary to use vegetative reproduction?
Yes, start by cutting, because it’s almost not possible to start from seeds
Difficulties or problems when growing:
Aggressive
Recommended planting season – when to plant?
Spring, summer, autumn, as annual in spring after last frost hardiness zone 8-10a (possible colder if there is long summer or take cutting indoor for the winter, in hardiness zone 10b+11a spring to summer, possible in the autumn but might not survive the winter, hardiness zone 11b+ possible all the year
How to plant:
Dig hole bigger than the root ball, add dead leaves and organic matter, cover the plant and put mulch to keep the soil moist, in the first two weeks need to increase the amount of water
Pests and diseases:
Aphids, ants
Pruning season:
All year, but better after blooming season
How to prune:
Dead branches and for harvest
Size of the plant?
30-50cm, (12-20 inches) but mostly grow wide as long as given
Growth speed in optimal condition:
Fast growing / Medium growing
Water requirement:
Average amount of water / Big amount of water
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun / Half Shade
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
No
Growing is also possible in pots, planter, flowerpot or containers:
Yes, when grow in container minimum size 10-30 liter (2-6 gallon) depend if grown as annual or perennial, the plant require average to big amount of water and put mulch to keep the soil moist and makes enough holes that the water go out of the pot, when it’s grow as perennial every few years better to switch soil, and prune part of the roots and the plants, soil need to be well ventilated with good drainage, put fertilizer at least once a year, rich with organic matter, can use in potting mix or peat soil with perlite or vermiculite.
Blooming information
Bloom season:
Spring / Summer
General information about the flower:
Small white flowers, flowers are barely seen
Pollination is done by:
Bees, but mostly not pollinated in order to get seeds need to try to hand pollinate but because most of the flowers are not viable the chance of success very low.
Edible leaves
Leaves harvesting season:
All year in hardiness zone 11b+, hardiness zone 8-10 spring to summer, hardiness zone 10b+11 spring to autumn
How to harvest the leaves?
After establishes cut the leaves with the branches, better for raw eating to cut young leaves, and also for cooking but less important
Information about leaves:
Leaves fleshy in the shape ovate to shapeless the structure is wavy to curly and the color green leaves
Uses of Brazilian spinach leaves:
Eat raw, cooked, stir fry, salad
How to grow Brazilian spinach plant from seeds
Sowing requirement:
Find viable seeds (be aware that it’s hard to find), moist soil, humidity, better temperature 23-27C (73-80F)
Saving and care seeds until sowing:
Dark and dry location
Sowing season:
Spring in places of hot summer / Summer in half shade will be better or even in full shade
How to plant:
Plant in soil that keep and release the water like peat soil
Planting spacing:
20*30cm, 8*12 inches
Depth of Sowing:
0.5-1cm (0.25-0.5 inch)
Conditions for seeds germinate:
Moist soil, high humidity, morning sun
Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water / Big amount of water
Germination time:
1-2 month
Condition of seedling:
Moist soil, put mulch in order to keep the moist, high humidity
Scientific name:
Alternanthera sissoo
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Categories of growing
Planting Season: Autumn Planting, Spring Planting, Summer planting
Light exposure requirements: Full sun Plants
Climates that the plant can grow: Mediterranean Climate, Subtropics Climate, Temperate Climate, Tropics Climate
Growing speed of the plant: Average growing plants, Fast growing plants
Plant life-form: Annual plant, Evergreen, Perennial plant, Shrub
Plant Uses: Ground cover plants, Ornamental plants
Requirements for watering the plant: Regularly water
Hardiness zones: Hardiness zone 10, Hardiness zone 11, Hardiness zone 12, Hardiness zone 13, Hardiness zone 4, Hardiness zone 5, Hardiness zone 6, Hardiness zone 7, Hardiness zone 8, Hardiness zone 9
Ornamental parts: Ornamental flower, Ornamental leaves, Ornamental plant
Leaf color:
Blooming season: Summer flowers
Flower colors: White flower
Harvest Season: Autumn Harvest, Spring Harvest, Winter harvest
Edible Parts: Edible leaves
Culinary uses: Cooked, Eaten raw, Salad
