new zealand spinach
new zealand spinach Lexical Profile
• noun
A sprawling, salt-tolerant plant native to coastal regions of New Zealand, Australia, and parts of Asia, characterized by its thick, fleshy, triangular leaves.
"Because it tolerates high heat so well, the gardener planted New Zealand spinach as a summer crop when regular greens would have quickly bolted."
The edible, succulent leaves of the New Zealand spinach plant, typically blanched or cooked as a warm-climate substitute for ordinary spinach in various dishes.
"The recipe calls for a generous handful of blanched New Zealand spinach to be folded into the creamy ricotta tart."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although frequently used as a warm-weather culinary substitute for true spinach, New Zealand spinach belongs to a completely different botanical family (Aizoaceae) and must be blanched before eating to remove high levels of oxalates.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named by English botanist Joseph Banks, who encountered the plant in New Zealand during Captain James Cook's 1769 voyage and noted its culinary similarity to true spinach. The seeds were later brought back to Kew Gardens in England.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.