What are the Different Types of Spinach?

May 26, 2017

The humble spinach grows in many of our gardens. It’s a versatile vegetable that has a number of different uses and, while not being too difficult a plant to grow.
Most of all, it’s used in cooking and making delicious, healthy, leafy dishes or even consumed raw in smoothies and shakes that are a favourite of health conscious individuals.

But did you know that there are many different types of spinach? Each of them has their intricacies and nuances when being grown and are even used or cooked in a variety of ways, when being eaten. Read on to find out more about this everyday yet extraordinary vegetable.
The first thing to know is that spinach is divided into three main varieties: savoy, semi-savoy and flat-leafed. Each of these varieties has their cultivars or sub-varieties. The truest form of spinach is scientifically called Spinacea oleracia. Buy Spinach seeds online in India.

Let’s take a look at the 3 different spinach varieties separately:

1. Savoy spinach:

Savoy spinach is more productive than the other two forms of spinach. It also handles the cold better than the other varieties. As for appearance, it has very crinkled leaves that grow pretty low, which means that you have to bend down a bit to clean the leaves.

1.1 Some savoy spinach:

a. Bloomsdale:

This is a well-known, thick-leafed spinach that is fairly succulent and savoury in nature. It handles the cold pretty well. Also, it produces large yields during the early part of the summer.

b. Regiment:

This plant produces large yields of deep, saturated green leaves that stay soft and tender even when they have matured. This makes the plant easy to cook and use in the kitchen.

2. Semi-savoy spinach:

It is a variety that grows more upright than savoy spinach, which means that it also stands up a bit straight. Also, its leaves are much less crinkly, which makes washing them less of a hassle. Finally, their biggest asset is that they are disease and bolt resistant. That’s why these are the ones that home gardeners tend to choose.

2.1 Some semi-savoy spinach:

a. Indian Summer:

This is a fine and productive, three-season spinach for production in spring, summer and fall. Its leaves are flattened and fairly smooth.

b. Tyee:

This variety of spinach grows upright and develops vigorously. It has dark-green leaves that are bolt-resistant. It can be grown in mild-winter areas throughout the year.

c. Catalina:

This plant has thick leaves that are succulent and spear-shaped. It is a good variety to be used for cooking because of the structure of its foliage.

3. Smooth-leafed Spinach:

It is just as the name suggests; with a very smooth surface that is the easiest to clean. They are also the first spinach used as the canned and frozen variety. But they are sold fresh as well. You may like to read about how to grow spinach in pots.

3.1 Space Spinach:

When compared to most smooth-leaved varieties ‘Space Spinach’ is slower to bolt.

3.2 Red Carnival:

‘Red Cardinal’ showcases red veins in the leaves and has deep red stems. It makes a great addition to a salad, but it bolts faster than any green-leafed spinach and hence must be harvested young.

Alternative Spinach Varieties:

1. New Zealand Spinach:

The leaves of this plant are crisp and succulent. They pretty much melt in your mouth as you bite into them! So it can be eaten raw but also cooked.

2. Malabar Spinach:

This spinach needs a lot of summer heat and a trellis to climb on, which will help it reach its full potential. This could be a 10’ vine! Grow it if you want some height in your garden. Read about how to grow malabar spinach.