Beach Spinach

Known by the Māori name kōkihi, beach spinach has been gathered as a food source in New Zealand for centuries. Early European settlers also quickly adopted it after learning from Māori that it was edible. In fact, New Zealand spinach became famous around the world after it was collected by botanists travelling with Captain James Cook in the late 1700s. It was taken back to Europe, where it became popular because it thrived during hot summers when true spinach struggled. Today it is still grown in many countries as "New Zealand Spinach."

There are several species of Tetragonia found around New Zealand's coastlines, with close relatives also growing naturally in Australia and South Africa. The two species most commonly foraged here are often simply referred to as NZ Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides) and Beach Spinach (Tetragonia trigyna and Tetragonia implexicoma). Although people often confuse them, they can all be used in much the same way.

One species has broader, rounder leaves, while another has narrower, more triangular leaves. Both grow as sprawling mats across the ground rather than upright like cultivated spinach. Long creeping stems scramble through the sand and over rocks, producing fresh new growth at the tips.

The best parts to harvest are these tender young tips and leaves. Not only are they softer and tastier, but regular picking encourages the plant to branch and produce even more fresh growth. During the warmer months the plants also produce attractive reddish-pink fruits. These are edible when ripe, although the large hard seed inside is best discarded.

Beach spinach has a fresh, slightly salty flavor thanks to the sea spray it grows amongst, with a pleasant crunch that makes it quite different from garden spinach. Although it can be eaten raw in small amounts, I generally prefer it cooked. The leaves are a little thicker and tougher than cultivated spinach, so I treat them more like kale, giving them a few extra minutes to soften.

It's one of those wild foods that slips easily into everyday meals. I regularly add it to soups, stews, curries and pasta sauces, sauté it with garlic and olive oil, or wilt it before adding it to omelettes, quiches and scrambled eggs.

Nutritionally, beach spinach is packed with many of the same nutrients as cultivated spinach. It's a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A (from beta-carotene), vitamin K and folate, while also providing minerals including magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron. Like many leafy green vegetables, it also contains antioxidants that help protect our cells from everyday oxidative stress.

Like spinach, silverbeet, beetroot leaves and many other leafy greens, beach spinach naturally contains oxalates. For most people this isn't a concern when eaten as part of a varied diet, but cooking reduces the soluble oxalate content and makes it a better option than eating large quantities raw. If you're prone to kidney stones or have been advised to follow a low oxalate diet, it's worth researching oxalates further and enjoying this plant in moderation.

As with all foraging, where you harvest is just as important as what you harvest. Coastal dunes are fragile ecosystems that protect our shorelines from erosion and provide habitat for many native species. Never trample over vulnerable dune systems or collect from restoration planting areas. Instead, harvest lightly from healthy, well established patches, taking only what you need and leaving plenty behind for the plant to continue thriving.

If you'd like to learn more about safely identifying and using wild edible plants, check out my range of Foraging Resources, including comprehensive Foraging Guides, my Online Foraging Course, and seasonal Foraging Workshops.