Edible Plants of the World

Silver spinach

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical Africa. It grows in lowlands and highlands. It is often along the coast but grows from sea level to 1,960 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It needs a rainfall or up to 2,500 mm and an average temperature of 25-30°C. It cannot tolerate a temperature below 15°C. It is best on fertile, well drained soils.

Also known as:

Adjeanwofoo, Agnogn, Ajefowo, Akelio, Ananakondro, Bel bella, Bongi, Bore-bore, Boroboro, Bwache, Chala cha nkhwale, Chinkanya, Dagada, Djehoundje, Djendje, Ekeliiton, Gbonkefru, Iphouphou, Iphowuphowu, Kalyababungu, Kaphikaulesi, Karyababunga, Kisandi, Lifweni likomi, Lihuluka, Mchicha pori, Mfungu, Mongyedi, Mundawarara, Nafanafa, Ndewele, Ngengutu, Nyasungwi, Piwejeya, Salimba, Saza, Tchobodoue, Torchata, Torketa, Tsalambi, Umpema, Woolflower, Zaza

Synonyms

Edible Portion

Where does Silver spinach grow?

Found in: Africa, Angola, Arabia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canary Islands, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, Comoros, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Equatorial-Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Reunion, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, United States, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Zululand

Notes: There are about 40-50 Celosia species.

Status: It is popular in Nigeria. It is usually eaten at home and not sold in markets. In some places it is sold in local markets.

Growing Silver spinach

Cultivation: Plants are grown by seeds. Seeds germinate in 4-5 days. It grows for 90-120 days. Because the seeds are small they are best mixed with sand to give a more even distribution.

Edible Uses: The young shoots and leaves are cooked and eaten. They are finely cut and used in soups, stews and sauces. They are also used in soups and sauces. Because they can be bitter they need extensive cooking or mixing with other foods.

Production: Plants can be uprooted and harvested or leaves removed. Harvests of 4-5 t/ha can be achieved from weekly harvests over 2 months. Plants can be dried in the sun and and stored for 6 months. In humid areas leaves are available throughout the year.

Nutrition Info

per 100g edible portion

Edible Part Energy (kcal) Protein (g) Iron (mg) Vitamin A (ug) Vitamin c (mg) Zinc (mg) % Water
Leaves 33 2.7 5 1925 10 - 89
Flowers - - - - - -
Seeds - - - - - -

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