Bower Spinach is a bright-green ground cover that has edible leaves and berries that can be made into delicious pestos, garnishes, and more. The delicious berries have a flavour that is sweet but salty, and makes a great preserve. It is recommended that you cook the leaves prior to eating.

Bright yellow flowers cover the plant, giving it a glorious glow of green and yellow in the cooler and warm.

Climate zones: Temperate, Tropical, Sub-Tropical, Cold, Arid

Find your climate zone here.

Although it's a super hardy and drought tolerant creeper or ground-cover, when kept well watered, the leaves become super fleshy and crunchy.

If the soil isn't kept moist, the leaves can become small and leathery in texture. They are a great companion plant for larger shrubs or trees as the bower spinach will creep across the soil, helping to suppress weeds, protect against water-loss, and keep the soil cool in summer.

How big does it get?
As a coastal creeper, it can grow over 2m wide, so keeping it in a planter bed is recommended.

Sunlight?
Full-sun/part-shade

Fertilizing?
As with most bushfoods, use a high-quality native potting or soil mix, and fertilize every 6 - 12 months with a high-quality organic fertilizer. However, if grown in a pot, make sure you fertilize more frequently, and water fortnightly with a seaweed solution.

Soil?
Use a high-quality native soil mix.

Common Problems for Bower Spinach:
There are very few pests or diseases that can affect Bower Spinach, however, as with most natives, under-watering or overwatering is a common cause of mortality. Ensuring the soil stays moist, but not wet is critical to prevent root-rot or fungal diseases.

Bower Spinach, is a species of plant in the Aizoaceae, or ice-plant family . The broad green leaves have a lovely delicate salty flavour of the sea and a crisp texture.

Use fresh in salads, or where a soft crunch is needed in savoury dishes like barramundi or bbqs.