Spinach, the evergreen leafy vegetable that is a staple in kitchens worldwide, is re known for its versatility and nutritional benefits. Unbeknown to many, even old hands in gardening, spinach comes in several types, each with its own unique flavor, texture and culinary uses. From the common savoy to the lesser known Typee, we offer insight into their different characteristics and how they are used. Prepare to elevate your culinary experience with the delightful types of spinach we list here, some of which you may never have heard of.
Types of spinach
Spinach are divided into 3 broad categories based on the texture of the leaves; smooth, crinkly(savoy) or semi-savoy.
Smooth leaf spinach
Commonly referred to as smooth, this type of spinach is characterized by smooth flat leaves that are easy to clean as the leaves have no wrinkles. The varieties are used mostly for baby spinach or processed foods like canned or frozen spinach.
I . Varieties of smooth spinach
i . Red carnival
Red carnival is characterized by red stems, red veins and smooth leaves which can add visual interest to dishes. Fast growing with a mild flavor. Use it as a dish garnish, fresh salads given its tender leaves or as baby spinach.
ii . Space
It is a very good spinach due it its fast maturing habit and is prone to premature flowering(bolting). The oval shaped leaves are smooth and uniform.
Iii. Gazelle
Another smooth variety with high resistance to bolting. The leaves are dark green, thick and elongated. Use it for cooking processing and salads.
Iv . Corvair
Corvair is resistant to downy mildew. Harvest is bountiful compared to other varieties. It is good for freezing, cooking and eating as salads.
Vi. Viroflay
A rare one this one. It has large broad leaves, huge in size and tender. It grows quickly.use as fresh cooking and salad and for baby spinach.
Olympia
A smooth spinach that has dark green leaves and is fast growing. It is also resistant to downy mildew. Early maturing and suitable for salads and fresh cooking.
Crinkly(savoy) spinach
Savoy have wrinkled leaves that give off a rugged appearance. They are difficult to clean given thir crinkly nature. Here the the types of spinach under savoy category.
i . Blooms dale Long spinach
An older spinach variety with crinkled, dark green leaves . While not resistant to downy mildew, it does resist bolting. Its flavor is pronounced. Plant in early summer and during winter mulch the crop. Blooms dale is idea for sautes and soups.
ii . Melody
A savoy spinach that has dark green crinkly leaves. Besides its excellent taste, melody is also resistant to downy mildew and cucumber mosaic . It also has a long harvesting season. Takes 42 days from sowing to plate.
Use melody when fresh as a salad , for cooking or freezing. Due to its nice texture and tasty flavor, melody lends itself to a wide selection of dishes be they salads or soups.
iii . Regiment
One of the faster growing spinach variety with high yeild. It matures in 30 days . its dark crinkly leaves are large ,and has good renaissance to downy mildew.
Regiment is ideal for steaming, boiling and adding to stews and casseroles.
iv . Savoy supreme
It has very deeply crinkled dark green leaves which makes it hard to clean. It is however flavorful and tender. Add onto this the resistance to downy mildew and bolting and you have a spinach variety that can be applied in a wide range of uses; as a salad, addition to stir fries and baked dishes as well as for cooking and freezing.
v. American spinach .
One of the earlier spinach varieties characterized by crinkly, thick, dark green leaves. Its key advantage is its adaptation to cold and resistance to bolting. Use it for cooked dishes, creamed spinach, freezing and quiches.
vi . Verdil.
The leaves have a medium to large crinkled dark green leaves . It grows exponentially yielding lots of greens and has high resistance to common spinach diseases. Use it for salads and for adding flavor to soups and sautés. Verdil is also good for cooking and freezing.
Semi-savoy spinach types
These are spinach types that lie between crinkly leaves of the savoy and the smooth flat leafed spinach.
i . Tyee
Tyee is most cherished characteristic is its ability to resist downy mildew and premature flowering. It thrives even during winter given its tolerance of cold temperatures. It is a smooth leaf variety with thick, dark green slightly oval leaves that are erect and tender. Idea for soups, salads and sautes.
ii . Catalina
It has dark green leaves ,with less pronounced leaf curls. It has high yields and resists bolting.
Iii . Teton
Teton is popular for home gardens and market gardeners due its tenderness and disease resistance.
Iv. Indian summer
Preferred to to its heat tolerance which makes it ideal for warm regions.
v . Emu
The semu variety has semi smooth leaves and high productivity. The leaves are medium sized.
Vii .Toscane
Offers a mild flavor with semi-crinkled leaves. Popular for salads and cooking.
- Other spinach varieties
New Zealand spinach
Although generally referred to as a spinach the New Zealand spinach is not a true spinach in the real sense of the word. However it is tastes like spinach and is often used as a substitute in warmer regions.
Malabar spinach
Also an alternative to the real spinach. It has thick fleshy leaves and does well in hot weather.
Whatever type of spinach you grow, you can certainly be assured of tasty salads, vegetables soups or sautes in your kitchen.
Leave a Reply