January 2, 2023
Confused if this is a fruit or vegetable? Don’t worry, it’s both! The Strawberry Spinach (Chenopodium capitatum) is an heirloom variety of a leafy plant that belongs to the Amaranth family. It is primarily grown in Northern America, Europe, and New Zealand. Although thought to be a wild plant at first, Strawberry Spinach is now popularly grown in many home gardens.
Strawberry Spinach got its name from the strawberry moniker from its bright pink-red berries and the leaves that look like spinach. This plant made its fame because of how easy it is to grow and everything in this plant is edible - from the roots to the leaves and its berries. The leaves and shoots are very nutritious and are consumed fresh in salads or can be steamed in dishes. The fruits are also edible and are added to fruit salads or can be used to make a dye. The plants thrive in moist soils with ample sunshine and are known for their cold and heat tolerance. In some areas, the Strawberry spinach is known as a pesky invasive weed because of its capability to self-seed naturally through animals, wind, and even humans.