Botanical Name: Tetragonia tetragonioides
Some other names: NZ spinach, Sea spinach, Botany Bay spinach, Cook’s cabbage.
How to Grow It
Warrigal greens is a low-growing perennial that forms a spreading mat up to 2m wide and around 20–30cm tall. Its fleshy, triangular leaves and trailing stems make it look like a groundcover, but don’t let that fool you – this plant is a powerhouse producer of edible greens.
Climate: Loves subtropical and temperate climates and will grow year-round in frost-free areas. In cooler zones, it can be treated as a self-seeding annual – just let it flower and drop seed, and it will pop up again in spring.
Sun: Handles full sun or part shade equally well – in fact, I like to have it in both so there’s always tender leaves somewhere.
Water: Drought-tolerant once established, but grows juicier leaves with regular watering. Handles boggy patches surprisingly well too.
Salt tolerance: Exceptional – it naturally grows on sand dunes and salty soil. If you live near the coast, this is one of the few greens that will thrive.
Best planting time: Spring is ideal in cooler climates; in warm regions you can plant any time of year.
Propagation: Foolproof. Just pull up a bit of plant, roots and all, plonk it in its new home, water it in, and it will take off. It also sets seed easily and will self-sow if you let it.
Pot growing? Absolutely – just prune it regularly to keep it from draping over and dropping seed into other pots.
Garden tip: If it gets too happy, it can become a bit invasive – but it’s very easy to pull out and redirect, so don’t be afraid to let it run a little wild.
Herbal & Nutrient Value
Warrigal greens isn’t just tough – it’s nutrient-packed too.
- Nutrients: Rich in vitamins A, B, and C, plus calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus – all important for bones, immunity, and overall vitality. It also has a decent amount of protein for a leafy green, which is rare.
- Traditional uses: Indigenous Australians ate Warrigal greens long before Captain Cook’s crew used it to ward off scurvy.
- Health note: The leaves are high in oxalates (like spinach and silverbeet), which means it’s best to blanch them if you’re eating them in large amounts. This washes away most of the oxalates and makes them safe for regular use.
Traditional & Home Remedies
Blanched leaves used in compresses for minor burns and skin irritations.
Leaf decoction historically used as a mild laxative tea (not commonly recommended now due to oxalates).
Using It in the Kitchen
Warrigal greens has a mild, slightly salty, spinach-like flavour and a soft, fleshy texture when cooked.
- Blanching: To be safe, blanch the leaves for 1–2 minutes, then rinse in cold water. After that, you can use them like any spinach.
- Eating raw? A few leaves raw in a mixed salad is fine, but if you want to eat lots of it, blanch first.
- Cooking: It wilts quickly, so throw it into stir-fries, omelettes, soups, curries or casseroles right at the end of cooking for a pop of green.
Storage tip: Harvest as needed – it keeps best on the plant. If you do pick extra, store in the fridge wrapped in a damp cloth or paper towel for a few days.
Simple recipe ideas
– Garlic & Butter Wilted Warrigal Greens: Blanch, then sauté briefly with garlic and butter – instant side dish.
– Warrigal & Feta Omelette: Toss blanched leaves into an omelette with feta and tomato for a quick breakfast.
– Bush Tucker Stir Fry: Add Warrigal greens at the very end of a stir fry for a glossy, spinachy finish.
– Green Soup Booster: Blend blanched leaves into pumpkin or potato soup for extra colour and nutrition.
– Warrigal Spanakopita: Use Warrigal greens instead of spinach in a Greek-style pie – they hold up beautifully.
Other Uses
- Groundcover: Warrigal greens forms a living mulch, suppressing weeds and cooling soil.
- Coastal revegetation: Its salt tolerance makes it useful for stabilising sand dunes and tough patches of soil.
- Animal fodder: Chickens and ducks love the trimmings.
Why it’s a survival plant:
Warrigal greens will grow where almost nothing else will – in salty soil, blazing heat, or with very little water. It keeps producing leaves all summer, just when most greens have bolted to seed or died off.
