Okinawa Spinach Plant (gynura crepitoides)

ABOUT THIS PLANT

Okinawa Spinach Plant (gynura crepitoides) – Grown commercially as a vegetable in China, Okinawa Spinach is a non-vineing edible ground cover that forms a dense blanket. Loving both full sun and partial shade it is a vigorous plant that requires next to no growing assistance. Shiny green leaves are backed by a beautiful purple below. An effortless garden or container plant that is pretty and fun to grow. Visually pretty when used in salads or cooked as a side dish. This two tone leafed beauty turns bright green when cooked.
The growth rate of Okinawa Spinach will vary greatly depending on soil type, sunlight, temperature and other factors. A few leaves are often trimmed prior to shipping to reduce transpiration and travel stress.

QUICK SPECS

PLANT CARE

Plants grow happily in a pot or in ground. They will add an accent to your outdoor space, garden or patio. In cooler zones a containerized plant can be relocated indoors for the winter months.
When you receive your new plant, there is no need to worry about planting right away. Your new plant can be stored for a while by simply placing it in a bucket with about a half inch of water and moving it to a shady location, simply keep moist. This will give you plenty of time to select the ideal location for your new plant.

CONTAINER SIZE

All varieties grow very well in containers, indoors or on the patio. Smaller varieties grow best in 12″ to 16″ diameter pots while larger varieties need enough room for growth, generally a 16″ to 30″ diameter, a 14 ” deep container will suffice. Remember the looser the roots, the taller and healthier your plant will be. When the plant becomes root bound its growth will slow, at that point it is time for a larger pot.

SOIL

Okinawa Spinach plants enjoy a well drained, general potting mix easily found at your local box store. Remember try to stay away from arid or wet, mucky soils.

FERTILIZER

To help establish your new Okinawa Spinach plant, fertilize sparingly ten inches away from the base, tri-annually with a slow time released product. Unfertilized they will tend to grow at a slower pace. Note: The heavy salts in cheaper fertilizers will damage the roots and possibly kill the plant. Its best to use a brand you know and trust.

GROW ZONE & LIGHT

Best outdoors if grown in zone 9b-11, find your zone here. This plant requires 80-100% sunlight. Depending on your location full sun is often best. In the northern end of their grow zone Okinawa Spinach plants should be brought indoors or protected during the winter months. The patio zone is 4a-11 which means the potted plant will flourish over the summer months in colder zones but must be brought inside before winter.

BEFORE YOU PLANT OUTDOORS

At the nursery these plants are grown under 20-40% shade cloth. If you plant this plant in a brightly lit area you may experience leaf burn. It is best to acclimate this plant to its environment by keeping it outside and slowly moving it into a sunny area over a week or two to avoid stress before planting.

WHAT IS THE SHIPPING SIZE

All Okinawa Spinach plants for sale will vary in size. In the spring, plants are often smaller than plants shipped in the fall. Plants designated with a sku ending in -4, -6 or -8 will arrive in a standard 4 inch, 6 inch or 8 inch round growers pot respectively. Our new, reusable, recyclable deep plugs are 7 or 9 inches deep and 2 or 2.5 inches in width. Products growing in these pots are easy to transplant and allow for deeper roots and faster growth, they are designated with a sku ending in -7 or -9. (Note: The item sku number can be found just below the buy button.) The color and style of these pots may vary. If we are out of a particular size item, we may ship a larger size at no additional charge. For more information, click the “best packaging” link at the bottom of this page.