About
Warrigal greens is the salty succulent spinach impersonator Captain Cook’s crew probably side-eyed—thick leaves, mild flavor when cooked, oxalates that mean you should blanch like an adult. Spreads wide in friendly climates. Excellent summer leafy green when true spinach bolts; treat as annual or short-lived perennial in frost-free pockets. Full sun to part shade. Tolerates heat and sandy soil; moderate water keeps leaves tender—coastal salt spray is fine. Seed; cuttings root casually; tip harvest encourages bushiness. Cook leaves after blanching to manage oxalates—clip tips through summer when true spinach has quit.
Permaculture Functions
- Edible: Tetragonia tetragonoides leaves need blanching to knock oxalates down -- salty coastal flavor pairs with fish; skip huge raw salads.
- Ground Cover: Prostrate stems root at nodes and carpet sand -- living mulch under beach sunflowers where true spinach collapses.
Companion Planting
Good Neighbors
Also mentioned as companions:
- Beach Sunflower
Not yet profiled in PermiePortal
Cautions
- Eating huge raw salads without blanching
- Boggy shade