Savoy Spinach
Butterflay Spinach is a stabilized open-pollinated variety bred from American spinach and Viroflay, combining the best traits of both parents into a round, large-leaved plant that reaches 8 inches tall and harvests in just 45 days. Its glossy, dark green semi-savoy leaves are remarkably hardy and nutrient-dense, thriving in full sun and growing quickly without bolting. Whether you're sautéing fresh greens or harvesting baby leaves, this variety delivers reliable, high-quality spinach from early spring through fall, and even produces earlier the following year when sown in autumn.
Full Sun
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8in H x 10in W
Annual
Moderate
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Those glossy, dark green leaves are substantial enough to satisfy multiple harvests from a single plant, yet tender enough to enjoy raw. It's bred specifically for speed and hardiness, resisting the bolting that frustrates spinach gardeners, while its compact 10-inch width and 2-inch spacing make it surprisingly efficient in small gardens and containers. Direct sown in spring or late summer, it rewards patience with quick turnaround and exceptional flavor both fresh and cooked.
Butterflay Spinach excels both as a fresh green and as a cooked vegetable. The large leaves are substantial enough for sautéing whole or chopping into soups, wilting quickly and delivering deep, earthy flavor to hot dishes. Its tenderness makes it equally at home in fresh salads, especially when harvested young as baby leaf spinach, where it delivers mild, sweet notes without the bitterness some varieties develop.
Direct sow as soon as soil can be worked in early spring. For a fall crop, sow in late summer. Butterflay grows quickly and matures in 45 days, giving you a reliable window to plant when conditions suit you. Fall-sown spinach will emerge extremely early the following spring, sometimes even poking through late snow.
Harvest begins at 45 days from sowing, though you can pick individual leaves much earlier as baby greens. Leaves can be harvested in three ways: pick individual outer leaves once they reach usable size, harvest a whole plant by cutting at the base, or take the entire plant as baby leaf spinach when it's younger and more tender. The glossy, dark green color is your cue to harvest; leaves are best when they're vibrant and firm, before any yellowing sets in.
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“Butterflay emerged from deliberate breeding work crossing two established spinach lines: American spinach, known for its vigor, and Viroflay, prized for its large, tender leaves. This stabilized open-pollinated variety represents a thoughtful merger of these genetic traits, creating something more reliable than either parent alone. The resulting plant combines the hardy character and productivity of American spinach with the impressive leaf size and quality of Viroflay, bred specifically to achieve the round shape and substantial yields that home gardeners seek.”