VegetableSpinach
Strawberry Spinach
Leafy Greens
Strawberry Spinach is a North American heirloom making a well-deserved comeback after centuries of cultivation in European gardens. This spreading plant produces distinctive arrow-shaped leaves with a spinach-like flavor and nutritional profile, but its true magic lies in the small, bright red berries that develop as the season progresses. Native to the moist mountain valleys of North America and documented in European cultivation since the 1600s, this old-fashioned plant reaches harvest in about 90 days and thrives in full sun with temperatures between 45 and 75°F.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Preferred Temp60-75°F
Growth Stats
—
Height
—
Width
1 in
Spacing
90–90
Days to Harvest
PeriodAnnual
TypeBush
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-10
Size
?in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The berries are the showstopper here. Young, underripe berries offer a mild flavor that works beautifully in fresh salads and savory dishes, while mature ones deepen in character and color. The arrow-shaped foliage reminds you of its spinach relatives, but the dual-purpose harvest, both leaves and berries, sets this variety apart from conventional leafy greens. It's a plant that rewards patience and close attention, revealing different culinary possibilities as it matures.
Common Uses
The young, underripe berries are the primary culinary draw, offering a mild flavor that brings subtle interest to fresh salads and savory preparations. The arrow-shaped leaves deliver the spinach-like flavor and nutrition you'd expect from a Chenopodium relative, making them useful in any preparation where you'd use young spinach greens. This is a plant that invites experimentation; you can harvest selectively as berries mature or gather leaves throughout the season.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Late Spring
First Harvest
Early Summer
Last Harvest
Early Fall
Care Instructions
Harvesting
Begin harvesting young, underripe berries once they've developed on the plant but before they fully mature to deep red. These mild-flavored berries are best for fresh salads and savory dishes. You can also harvest leaves throughout the growing season, picking younger, more tender foliage for the best flavor and texture. The plant will reach full harvest readiness around 90 days from planting, though you can begin selective harvesting of leaves and young berries well before that point.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Spinacia L.
Family
Chenopodiaceae
Genus
Spinacia
Duration
Annual
Growth Habit
Spreading
Native Status
L48 (N)AK (N)CAN (N)
History & Origin
“Strawberry Spinach has roots in the moist mountain valleys of North America, where it grew as a native species before being adopted and cultivated by European gardeners from at least the 1600s onward. Its journey from wild plant to heirloom reflects the historic exchange of crops between continents and the appreciation for unusual, dual-purpose plants that could provide both nutritious greens and ornamental, edible berries. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds' description of it as 'poised for a comeback' acknowledges its decline in modern cultivation and the growing movement to recover forgotten vegetables that our ancestors valued.”