Most Famous Types and Varieties of Spinach

Spinach (spinacia oleracea) is an annual plant rich in vitamins A and E, iodine and antioxidants, a vegetable native to Southwest Asia and has been known in Spain since the 20th century.

Due to these properties, it is the favorite food of the powerful Popeye the Sailor from the comics, a character who made it known throughout the world, because his muscles became stronger when he ate it.

We cultivate it as a vegetable because its large, dark green leaves are fleshy, edible in its various forms: round, endorsed and arrow-shaped.It is easy to grow and can be eaten as loose leaves or whole plants.

Its two main types are fast -growing and slow-growing.Fast-growing ones thrive in cool weather, in fall, late winter, or early spring.Slow – growing ones are adaptable to warm climates, late spring or summer.

The most famous varieties are the following, will you join us?

Types and varieties of spinach that we can find

savoy spinach

It is the best known and therefore the most popular. Its leaves are dark green, wavy, curly, wrinkled, thick and crisp.

We must wash them well before going through the cooking process, but this task can become difficult precisely because they are crunchy.

It is advisable to soak them in water for a reasonable time to ensure that they are very clean.

Their consumption is usually cooked, but we can take advantage of them in salads, soups, stews, fried, in creams, purees, in pasta, as accompaniments to fish and in green smoothies.We can get this variety in the markets in hermetic packages.

Examples of savoy spinach are regiment and bloomsdal.

semi-savory spinach

It is of the savoy variety, but with a less intense development. This means that it retains the properties of the savoy, but is lighter with less texture and less waviness on its leaves.

It is easy to grow, and it will resist like a bull the diseases that attack it, but it is less commercialized.

For the semi-savoy spinach, due to its texture, we can prepare it fried in olive oil or in creams, but the washing must be abundant to eliminate the impurities that may remain in its undulations.

Both this variety and the others of its kind contain iron and are a great source of magnesium, fiber and folate.

These ingredients are very important for maintaining muscle function, regulating heart rate, ensuring a healthy immune system, and for blood pressure stability; It also serves to cure gastritis and gastric ulcers.

smooth leaf spinach

As their name indicates, they are different from the other two, because their leaves are not wavy, curly or wrinkled, but smooth, which makes them easier to clean.

However, the leaves are larger than savoy or semi-savoy.Although in some supermarkets they sell them stemless and pre-washed, it is recommended that we wash them at home.

Remember that any forecast in terms of food never hurts.They can be eaten cooked, but a spinach and cheddar cheese omelet has never left anyone sick.

baby spinach

It is an extension of spinach with smooth leaves, but early production and premature harvesting.

Its name refers precisely to that, to the brevity of its development; In addition, it has a smaller texture and a more tender, softer and sweeter appearance.

That makes it the favorite when it comes to preparing salads, sandwiches and gourmet-type appetizers such as bruschettas. However, it can be eaten raw as a way to protect its high vitamin C content; It has fewer calories than the cooked one, so it is used to lose weight.

The baby ones are sold in bags with their stems, which do not have to be removed since they are also tender.Of the spinach varieties, it is the one that contains the least oxalic acid.

Regimental Spinach

This hybrid variety is known for its thick, wide leaves and is ideally grown during the spring and fall seasons.

This type of spinach only takes 37 days to germinate and shows rapid seedling yield, growing in a dark green arrow shape with lots of flavor. Due to its striking flavor, this delicious type of Savoy spinach can be cooked any way you like.

When served raw and fresh, it has a delicate, crisp flavor and texture. You can also serve them sautéed or braised in creamy sauces, pasta, and soups.

Bloomsdale Spinach

Bloomsdale spinach is one of the oldest varieties of spinach with long, curly dark green leaves. It is preferable to sow them in spring in a sunny place and water them during periods of drought to promote constant growth.

During the growing season, you may need 3 to 4 cubic centimeters of water per week.

Always use a rain gauge to calculate the amount of water. When the leaves are two inches long, cut them off and cut off the small leaves when they reach two inches in length.

Did you know…?Fun fact: Bloomsdale spinach was what got Popeye hooked!

Spinach Tyee

Tyee spinach has thick, dark green leaves that are less crumbly than Savoy spinach. Belonging to the category of semi-savory spinach, Tyee spinach has an exquisite flavor both raw and cooked.

Ideally, Tyee should be grown in the fall season and harvested in early spring, especially during the day when temperatures reach 40 degrees.

If for some reason you cannot plant Tyee during the cooler months, know that its seeds can easily be planted in the warmer months during late spring as well.

Spinach Catherine

Also called baby leaf spinach, Catalina is a lovely green vegetable that has a nice oval shape and crunchy flavors.

This heat-resistant vegetable is a fast-growing plant that takes a maximum of 40 days to grow.

It is not necessary to wait until the harshest days of summer to start planting. Experts suggest that the ideal conditions for growing Catalina are the cooler months of spring or fall.

Catalina’s bright green leaves are sustainable to light frosts and summer shade. This small leaf spinach tastes delicious in salads and, due to its smooth leaves, is considered superior to other types of semi-wild spinach.

teton spinach

An immensely healthy hybrid plant, Teton produces tender dark green leaves that grow upright and fast.

Additionally, Teton lacks flowering, which is a plant survival mechanism needed to withstand the hot summer months.

Therefore, it is ideal to plant Teton seeds during the cooler months. Otherwise, they may not survive and produce Teton spinach.

Spinach Indian Summer or Indian Summer

Like all other types of semi-soybean spinach, Indian Summer is an easy vegetable to grow, producing crisp, dark green leaves about 10 to 12 inches long.

The ideal time to grow summer spinach is again the cooler seasons of fall and spring. Within 35 to 40 days, this easy-to-grow spinach reaches maturity and can be harvested.

During the cultivation of Indian Summer, you will have to perform a considerable amount of maintenance, so previous planting experience can be helpful when it comes to seeding and growing this plant.

Be sure to keep an eye on the amount of soil, the pH level, the sun, and pests.

spicy spinach

Scientifically named “Spinacia oleracea”, space spinach typically grows in a wide range of moist, fertile soils.

However, it is sensitive to acidity, so its pH level should be between 6.5 and 7.5. Like other types of spinach, space spinach germinates best in cooler weather conditions, so its seeds are best sown in early spring.

If sowing is done in the summer season, irregular germination may occur. To keep the plant growing smoothly during the warmer season, irrigation can help improve germination and cool the soil.

For a fall crop, spinach should be planted in the last few months of the summer season.

Did you know…?Tip: Provide constant nitrogen and water to growing plants to ensure optimal growth. For small vegetables, sow rows of seeds every 10 to 14 days.

Cardinal red spinach

As its name suggests, red cardinal spinach has a red hue to its red leaves and stems like those of beets.

Cardinal red spinach is a lovely addition to salads, but unfortunately it bolts faster than any other spinach, so it’s best harvested young. Red cardinals mature faster than any other form of spinach, within 21-32 days in spring/summer and 25-35 days in fall/winter.

The ideal temperature for growing red cardinal is heat, making sure it receives a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight per day and a moderate level of water.

If you are interested in growing your own red cardinal and have a small garden, start sowing your seeds. For the red cardinal to grow ideally, a large garden is not necessary, as it can easily grow in a small garden.