Ceylon Spinach

The Ceylon spinach is one of the first leafy vegetables that I got acquainted with when I was still a kid. Since young, I have a keen interest to see how edible plants grow and a market stallholder whom my mother often patronized then gave me a cutting of the red/purple Ceylon spinach to bring home to poke into a pot of soil for it to root and grow. It is used as a spinach substitute and is not related to the true spinach (Spinacea oleracea).

This leafy vegetable can be distinguished into two main species. The version that has red purplish stems is often called the red Ceylon spinach and is botanically known as Basella rubra while the all green version is called Basella alba. Locally, the red purplish version is readily available whilst the all green version is now harder to find. However, the tender and young growing tips of the latter are easier to find as they offered for sale under a more refined Chinese name as ‘huang ti cai’ which translates into ‘Emperor’s vegetable’.

The Ceylon spinach is a perennial herbaceous vine in the tropics. It adopts a creeping growth habit if a support is not provided. Its climbing growth habit becomes apparent whenever a shoot gets hold of one. The leaves of this plant are heart-shaped, green and have a glossy appearance. Older plants produce small, insignificant flowers in clusters and fruits are one-seeded berries. The fruits of the purplish red version ripen to a purplish-black colour and they yield a red dye that is used as ink for seals by court officials in ancient China. This sap is also used as food coloring and acidifying it with lemon juice intensifies the purple colour. The fruits fall off easily from parent plant for self-seeding when mature. As such, the established plants multiply and spread easily.

Young leaves and stems have an ‘earthy’ flavor and mucilaginous with slightly slippery texture which one needs to develop an acquired taste to really like this vegetable. The Ceylon spinach can be eaten raw in salads, as a steamed vegetable, or used as thickening agent in stews and soups. It is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as iron, calcium and soluble fiber and is believed to possess medicinal properties where the most well known is that the leaves and stems have a mild laxative effect.

The Ceylon spinach is fast-growing and can be grown as an edible and ornamental vegetable. It is best grown in a semi-shaded location with moist, fertile, well-drained and loamy soil. Use high-nitrogen fertilizer to promote growth. This plant is prone to foliar fungal disease and one can minimize its incidence by improving air circulation or increasing amount of light.

The easiest way to propagate this plant is by stem cuttings. Use stems around 20cm long – first trim away the larger leaves to reduce transpiration before planting into a pot of soil placed in a shady location. Once rooted, these cuttings can be moved to a brighter final growing location. One can also grow the Ceylon spinach from seeds but these are not readily available in Singapore.