Spinach

Spinach, common name for an annual crop plant, of the goosefoot family, grown for its nutritious and savoury leaves. Probably native to south-western Asia, spinach was introduced into Europe by the 12th century. It became cultivated throughout the world and received sudden popularity in the 1920s when nutritionists found it contained iron, vitamin A, and vitamin B₂, or riboflavin.

Two varieties of spinach are now grown. Wrinkled, or savoy, spinach can be packaged and shipped without wadding or spoiling and it is marketed fresh. Smooth-leaved spinach can be washed easily and is usually marketed frozen or canned. Spinach leaves are picked from the immature plant when in the form of a rosette close to the ground. Because extended daylight and hot temperature cause the plant to bolt, or draw growth away from the leaves and into a tall, central flower stalk, spinach is best cultivated in cool climates during spring or autumn, or in warm climates during winter. Spinach is a fast-growing crop, producing harvestable leaves about 40 days after sowing.

Scientific classification: Spinach belongs to the family Chenopodiaceae. It is classified as Spinacia oleracea.