Tetragon

The horned tetragon, in Latin Tetragonia tetragonoides, also known as summer spinach or New Zealand spinach, is an annual plant that is easy to grow, drought-resistant, and tasty, and can be a great substitute for spinach. This leafy vegetable, from the Aizoaceae family, is native to New Zealand, China, and Chile. It has been cultivated in Europe since the end of the 18th century, but its rarity in our vegetable gardens classifies it as an old and forgotten vegetable. The shape of its fruit, a capsule with 4 'horns', is what gave this plant the name tetragon. In addition to the wild species, improved varieties are now available in the market. Its green, thick, fleshy leaves are edible. The young leaves can be consumed raw to enhance salads or cooked, similar to spinach. Tetragon can be sown directly in the ground from May, in a rich and well-prepared soil, or from March under cover. The leaves can be harvested as needed.

Find our advice for 'Sowing, cultivation and harvest of tetragon', and discover 10 unusual and curious vegetables to bring some originality to your vegetable garden and plate.