Okinawan spinach perfect for edible xeriscape garden

Kale is all the rage today, in green drinks, sauteed with garlic and in all kinds of ono preparations. One plant that is even easier to grow than kale and has many of the same health benefits is Okinawan spinach.

My mom got a cutting and started it in her Makiki garden. She likes the new young leafy tips in salad. I got some cuttings and planted them in a wetter area with more claylike soil and it really took off. I have shared it with friends and family and we all like it.

Not only is it a pretty and hardy ground cover, it is also a less thirsty plant, perfect for your pretty and edible xeriscape garden.

Now I’m mixing it in with other plants in my garden. I have one patch mixed with the native sword fern kupukupu lau nui and another mixed with gardenias and ginger.

I plan to grow lots of it to share with friends and family during the upcoming holiday season. Who doesn’t love a pretty, easy-to-grow and edible gift?

We have been testing other ways to cook and eat this versatile plant. It is ono in green smoothies. My simple mix is some Okinawan spinach leaves and young stems with cold water or almond milk, a banana and maybe some tangerine. Sometimes I add grated ‘olena, cooking ginger juice or chia seeds.

You can add whatever fruits or veggies you like. This is great for breakfast, lunch or when the chocolates and ice cream are calling your name. OK, add some ice cream if it calls you too loud.

I also like to lightly sauté Okinawan spinach with olive oil and garlic, and then make a pasta sauce or even lasagna (my husband’s favorite).

If you start with this garlic-based saute of the leaves, you can do many things with it. Add it to soup or stew, and it’s a good way to disguise those healthy greens for the picky eaters in the ohana. It goes well with a nice tomato-based sauce.

Ask your garden shop to grow Okinawan spinach for you, or to grow it yourself find a gardener who has it, then take cuttings about 4 to 6 inches long. Cut off the lower leaves and cut off two-thirds of the upper leaves, stick several cuttings in a 6-inch pot and water daily.

You can also directly stick the cuttings in the ground in your prepared garden beds. Raised garden beds or an aquaponics system are also ideal for growing and harvesting this onolicious and nutritious Hawaii garden plant.

Heidi Leianuenue Bornhorst is a sustainable landscape consultant specializing in native, xeric and edible gardens. Reach her at heidibornhorst@gmail.com.