A beautiful vining plant. Not a true spinach, this heat-loving Asian vine has striking red stems and delicious, succulent leaves great for stir-fries and traditional Indian recipes. It is found in tropical Asia and Africa where it is widely used as a leaf vegetable, and native to the Indian Subcontinent Southeast Asia and New Guinea. Malabar spinach is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium. It is low in calories and high in protein. The succulent mucilage (leaf juice!) is a particularly rich source of soluble fiber. Among many other possibilities, Malabar spinach may be used to thicken soups or stir-fries with garlic and chili peppers.
A delicious green that goes gangbusters and looks fantastic climbing a fence or deck once temperatures get hot.