Strawberry Spinach
Blitum capitatum
Strawberry Spinach (Blitum capitatum, formerly Chenopodium capitatum) is a charming, dual-purpose annual that produces both edible, spinach-like leaves and small, bright red, strawberry-like fruits on the same plant. The triangular, toothed leaves are mild and tender when young, while the vivid crimson "berries" clustered along the stems add a pop of color and a mildly sweet-tart flavor to salads. This unusual Northern Hemisphere native is as much an ornamental curiosity as a practical food plant.
• One of the few plants that provides both leafy greens and berry-like fruits simultaneously
• The red fruits look remarkably like small strawberries but are actually modified flower clusters
• Leaves are used exactly like spinach — raw or cooked
• Native to the Northern Hemisphere and valued by indigenous peoples of North America
• Also called "Indian paint" for the red dye obtained from the fruits
• The fruits are actually fleshy calyxes surrounding tiny seeds, not true berries
• Occurs naturally across northern North America from Alaska to Greenland, southward through the western mountains
• Also found in northern Europe and across northern and central Asia
• Grows in disturbed habitats, forest clearings, and along stream banks
• Used by various Native American tribes as both a food and a dye plant
• The Blackfoot tribe used the red fruits as a face paint and dye
• Also used in traditional European folk cooking in Scandinavia and northern Russia
• Has been cultivated in European gardens since the 18th century as a curiosity
• First described by Linnaeus as Chenopodium capitatum
• Reclassified to the genus Blitum based on molecular evidence
• Naturalized in many temperate regions
Leaves:
• Triangular to hastate (arrow-shaped), 2 to 8 cm long
• Green, thin, with toothed or shallowly lobed margins
• Tender when young, becoming tougher with age
• Edible raw or cooked, with a mild spinach-like flavor
• Arranged alternately on slender stems
Fruits:
• Small, round, bright red to deep crimson, 5 to 10 mm in diameter
• Resemble tiny strawberries or raspberries
• Clustered along the stems at the leaf axils
• Fleshy, with a mildly sweet-tart flavor
• Contain tiny black seeds throughout the flesh
• Not true berries but fleshy accrescent calyxes
Stems:
• Slender, green, sometimes reddish-tinged
• Branching from the base
• Semi-erect to trailing
Flowers:
• Tiny, greenish, clustered in tight heads
• Develop into the red fleshy fruits
• Thrives in cool conditions, optimal temperatures 12 to 22°C
• Tolerates light frost
• Prefers well-drained, moderately fertile soils
• pH range from 5.5 to 7.5
• Full sun to partial shade
• Naturally found in disturbed ground, clearings, and along watercourses
• Fast-growing, completing its life cycle in 60 to 90 days
• Self-seeds prolifically
• Tolerates poor soils
• Relatively pest-free
• Grows well in containers
• Adapts to a wide range of garden conditions
Leaves:
• Good source of vitamins A and C
• Contains iron, calcium, and potassium
• Provides dietary fiber
• Low in calories, approximately 20 to 25 kcal per 100 g
• Nutritional profile similar to spinach, though less concentrated
Fruits:
• Contain vitamin C and some antioxidants
• Provide small amounts of iron and minerals
• Low in calories
• Seeds contain protein and healthy fats
• The red pigment contains betalains with antioxidant properties
• Direct-sow seeds in early spring, 0.5 cm deep
• Thin seedlings to 15 to 20 cm apart
• Germination in 7 to 14 days
• Can also be sown in autumn in mild climates
• Very low maintenance once established
• Harvest leaves as needed throughout the growing season
• Begin harvesting fruits when they turn bright red, 50 to 70 days after sowing
• Fruits produced continuously over several weeks
• Self-seeds readily for volunteer plants next season
• Grows well in containers and window boxes
• No special fertilizer or care requirements
Leaves:
• Used raw in salads when young and tender
• Cooked like spinach — boiled, steamed, or sautéed
• Added to soups and stews
• Used in quiches and savory dishes
Fruits:
• Eaten fresh as a snack or added to salads for color
• Used as a garnish for desserts and savory dishes
• Can be made into a pink-colored juice
• Used by Native American tribes as a natural red dye
• Added to fruit salads and dessert toppings
General:
• The plant is decorative enough to grow in ornamental borders
• Fruits attract birds to the garden
Fun Fact
Strawberry Spinach is a botanical shape-shifter: the "berries" that give it its name are not berries at all, but rather fleshy, swollen flower bases that happen to look and taste somewhat like strawberries. Botanically, the plant is actually a goosefoot (related to quinoa and lamb's quarters), making its strawberry disguise one of the most convincing cases of convergent evolution in the edible plant world.
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