Detailed Explanation of the Characteristics and Growth Traits of New Zealand Spinach
New Zealand spinach, also known as New Zealand spinach, foreign spinach, summer spinach, etc. It is an annual semi-trailing herbaceous plant of the genus Tetragonia in the family Aizoaceae. It originated in Oceania. Wild species are currently found in New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Chile. It is distributed across Asia, the Americas, and Europe, but is not widely cultivated. New Zealand spinach has the characteristics of vigorous growth, strong heat resistance, relatively good drought tolerance, few pests and diseases, and easy cultivation. Its tender stems and leaves are used for food, suitable for cold dishes, stir-frying, and making soup, and it is rich in nutrients. Every 100 grams of the edible portion contains 1.5 grams of protein, 0.2 grams of fat, and 4,400 international units of vitamin A. Vitamin B1 0.04 mg, vitamin B2 0.13 mg, vitamin C 30 mg, calcium 58 mg, phosphorus 28 mg, iron 0.3 mg, and it also contains a certain amount of tannins. Before eating, it must be boiled thoroughly in boiling water to remove the astringency, and then it can be eaten. It is a vegetable with development prospects for cultivation in hot summer seasons.
Characteristics and traits: The root system is well developed, with a taproot extending deep into the soil. The stem is green, growing upright in the early stage and later sprawling along the ground. The leaves are slightly triangular, alternate, green, thick, and covered with fine hairs. Lateral branches can sprout from every leaf axil. Flowers are borne in the leaf axils, without petals, and are yellow. The fruit turns brown when mature, has 4-5 angles, and resembles a water caltrop. The fruit contains several seeds. It can tolerate high temperatures and also a certain degree of low temperature. It has strong adaptability and grows well under both strong and weak light, and prefers moisture. Fertile loam and sandy loam are suitable for cultivation. During the growing period, nitrogen fertilizer should be applied heavily, followed by potassium fertilizer.