Warrigal Greens

Warrigal Greens are also known as sea spinach, Cook’s cabbage or Botany Bay spinach. The botanical name Tetragonia Tetragonioides refers to the four-sided shape of the leaves as well as to the tetrahedron shaped seed pod. The word ‘warrigal’ comes from the Dharug language group of the Sydney region and is used as an adjective meaning ‘wild’. So warrigal greens are simply wild greens.

They are Australia’s answer to English spinach and you can use them in the same way that you would use spinach, chard, silverbeet and bok choy.  For a simple and delicious preparation, stir fry this vegetable with a little garlic. It may also be enjoyed in soups, stews, and as a steamed vegetable.

It grows in sunny to shady spots and will tolerate somewhat poor soil, but does better when kept moist in a rich, free-draining loam. Harvest it regularly to encourage growth. It may die back during Winter, but should revive itself in the Spring. In colder regions, treat it as an annual.

This species grows in a sprawl over the ground out to about 200cm, reaching up to 20cm in height. It makes an excellent gap filler or ground cover.

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