Jiromaru Spinach is a beloved Japanese heirloom variety prized for its exceptional flavor and distinctive arrow-shaped leaves. Originating from Inazawa City in Aichi Prefecture on the Nobi Plain, this variety is believed to have emerged generations ago when a western spinach was crossed with a local native type, creating something uniquely suited to Japanese markets and palates. You'll harvest tender, flavorful leaves in just 40 days, making it one of the quickest spinaches to reach the table. Hardy from zones 4 through 9, it thrives in cool seasons and tolerates frost, giving you reliable harvests in spring and fall.
2
Full Sun
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4-9
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Moderate
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Jiromaru earned top marks in flavor tests among spinach varieties, a testament to the centuries of cultivation in Japan that refined this heirloom. The arrow-shaped leaves are instantly recognizable and a familiar sight in Japanese markets, where this spinach remains a staple. Its speed to maturity combined with exceptional taste makes it worth seeking out if you want spinach that tastes noticeably better than supermarket varieties.
As an edible leafy green, Jiromaru Spinach is used fresh in salads, lightly wilted as a side dish, or incorporated into soups and stir-fries. Its exceptional flavor makes it particularly valued for raw preparations where the taste can shine. The tender leaves at 40 days are perfect for harvesting at baby leaf stage or allowing to mature for larger, more robust greens.
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Direct sow Jiromaru Spinach seeds outdoors in early spring or late summer for fall harvest. Seeds sprout in 7 to 14 days when soil temperatures are between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Sow seeds sparsely and thin seedlings to 2 inches apart once they develop their first true leaves.
Harvest Jiromaru Spinach beginning around 30 to 40 days after sowing, when leaves reach your desired size. You can pick individual outer leaves once the plant is established, or harvest the entire plant by cutting it at soil level. Young, tender leaves offer the best flavor. Continuous harvesting of outer leaves encourages the plant to produce more foliage.
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“Jiromaru Spinach carries the story of cross-cultural plant development. In Inazawa City, located on Aichi Prefecture's Nobi Plain, growers many generations ago crossed a western spinach variety with a local native type, creating a hybrid that thrived in Japanese growing conditions and matched local culinary preferences. The result became so successful that it became a beloved staple at Japanese markets and among home growers. The variety's name and distinctive arrow-shaped leaves became iconic markers of quality spinach in the region, where it continues to be cultivated today.”