{"id":284,"date":"2022-09-08T12:51:01","date_gmt":"2022-09-08T12:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/?post_type=product&p=284"},"modified":"2025-08-04T11:02:28","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T11:02:28","slug":"brazilian-spinach","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/product\/brazilian-spinach\/","title":{"rendered":"Brazilian spinach"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Botanical Name:<\/strong>\u00a0Alternanthera sissoo\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Some other names:<\/strong>\u00a0Sissoo spinach, Samba lettuce<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

How to Grow It<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Brazilian spinach (Alternanthera sissoo<\/i>), also called sissoo spinach<\/b> or samba lettuce<\/b>, is a low-growing perennial<\/b> that creeps and mounds, forming a lush mat if given room. It rarely grows taller than 30\u202fcm but will happily spread out to cover a patch of ground, making it a great living mulch or understory plant.<\/p>\r\n

It\u2019s native to South America<\/b> and loves warm, humid, tropical and subtropical climates<\/b>, though it will grow in temperate regions<\/b> too. In warm areas, it stays evergreen and harvestable all year. In colder climates, it may die back in winter but usually re-sprouts as soon as the frosts end. In very cold regions, you may need to replant from seed each spring<\/b>.<\/p>\r\n

Brazilian spinach will tolerate full sun<\/b> but definitely prefers part shade to full shade<\/b> \u2013 perfect for those spots where other leafy greens struggle. It likes regular water, especially when it\u2019s young, but once established it\u2019s surprisingly drought tolerant<\/b> (leaf production just slows in dry spells).

<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Tip cuttings of Brazilian spinach take root easily

<\/em><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Propagation couldn\u2019t be easier: tip cuttings<\/b> root in days, or you can divide clumps at the base. It also grows brilliantly in pots and containers<\/b> \u2013 just don\u2019t let it dry out completely or the leaves won\u2019t regrow quickly.

<\/p>\r\n

Herbal & Nutrient Value<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

There\u2019s not a huge amount of research on Brazilian spinach\u2019s nutrition, but what we know is promising. It\u2019s notably higher in protein than most leafy greens<\/b>, and like its spinach cousins, it\u2019s likely rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron<\/b>\u2013 all essential for immunity, eye health, and energy.<\/p>\r\n

In folk use across South America, Brazilian spinach has been valued as a tonic green<\/b> \u2013 a reliable source of fresh, mineral-rich leaves when little else is growing. Like most dark greens, it\u2019s almost certainly a good source of antioxidants<\/b>, helping to protect your body from everyday wear and tear.<\/p>\r\n

Traditional and Home Remedies<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n

Fresh poultice:<\/strong> Chew or crush leaves and apply to bites, cuts, or stings
Plantain tea:<\/strong> Steep fresh or dried leaves in boiling water, sip for digestion
Wound wash:<\/strong> Cooled tea used to clean cuts or infected skin
Cough syrup:<\/strong> Infuse leaves with honey for sore throat and coughs
Eye rinse:<\/strong> Weak tea used to relieve irritated or dry eyes

<\/p>\r\n

Using It in the Kitchen<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

The standout feature of Brazilian spinach is its crunchy texture<\/b> \u2013 even after a bit of cooking, the leaves stay slightly crisp, giving dishes a great bite. The flavour is mild and fresh, without the bitterness some greens have.<\/p>\r\n

To prep, strip the leaves from the stems (the stems can be a bit stringy) and wash them well. Use the leaves raw in salads, wraps, or sandwiches<\/b> for a fresh crunch, or toss them into stir-fries, soups, curries, or casseroles<\/b> just like any spinach \u2013 they\u2019ll soften but won\u2019t turn to mush.<\/p>\r\n

Store picked leaves in the fridge wrapped in a damp tea towel; they\u2019ll keep for several days.<\/p>\r\n

Simple Recipe ideas:<\/b>
– Crunchy Garden Salad<\/b> \u2013 toss fresh Brazilian spinach leaves with cucumber, tomato, and lime dressing.
– Stir-Fry Crunch<\/b> \u2013 add a handful of leaves to a hot stir-fry for the last 2 minutes.
– Spinach & Potato Curry<\/b> \u2013 stir leaves into curry at the end for texture and colour.
– Egg & Spinach Scramble<\/b> \u2013 fold chopped leaves into scrambled eggs for a mild, crunchy green boost.
– Soup Topper<\/b> \u2013 throw a handful of fresh leaves into hot soup bowls for a fresh crunch.

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Other Uses<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Brazilian spinach makes a brilliant groundcover<\/b>, shading soil, suppressing weeds, and keeping roots cool for other plants. Its spreading nature and love of shade make it perfect for awkward spots under trees or around the house where most edibles won\u2019t grow.

<\/p>\r\n

Why it’s a survival plant<\/h3>\r\n

It\u2019s an excellent low-effort leafy green<\/b>: it thrives in shade, handles drought, and grows back endlessly from a few cuttings. Plant it once, and you\u2019ll have a near-constant supply of spinach-like greens \u2013 a priceless trait when you need fresh food you can rely on.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brazilian spinach is a crunchy, low-growing perennial green that thrives in shady spots and just keeps on giving. Hardy, reliable, and easy to grow, it\u2019s a fantastic survival plant for year-round greens with very little fuss.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":62,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":100,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":""},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[39,42,43,44,46],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-284","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-drought-resistant-plants","7":"product_cat-pot-and-container-plants","8":"product_cat-salad-leaves","9":"product_cat-shade-loving-plants","10":"product_cat-stir-fry-plants","12":"first","13":"instock","14":"shipping-taxable","15":"product-type-simple"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=284"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=284"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=284"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}