A new leaf

Edibles expert Ketah Silverster grows many of these in her Brisbane food forest, on Yuggera Country. Here is her suggestion for an alternative to spinach: 

Sweet leaf/katuk
(Breynia androgyna syn. Phyllanthus androgynus)

A native of tropical and subtropical Asia, this slender shrub gets its common name from the sweet-tasting leaves that hang attractively from the branches. Even more decorative are the delicate red and yellow flowers, which are followed by pink fruit that hang like tiny lanterns. With a snow pea-like flavour, the leaves and shoots are widely eaten raw, and are delightful in salads. When eating larger quantities, light cooking is recommended to remove meagre amounts of saponin (a bitter-tasting compound found in a wide range of foods, including spinach). Add them during the final moments of cooking stir-fries, soups and curries to provide wonderful colour and a nutritional boost. The fruit are also edible when cooked and are a great way to colour jams. 

Sweet leaf thrives in a full-sun or part-shade position and is surprisingly drought hardy once established. Growth will slow during winter, and it is best planted in summer. Give the stems a hard prune once they get tall as they have a tendency to fall over. Plant the prunings straight into the garden for dense clumps of gorgeous greens. The fruit contain small black seeds (which sprout readily if planted fresh) but the simplest propagation method is via cuttings in the warmer months. 

For more of Ketah’s heat-hardy alternatives, get your copy of the January issue of ABC Gardening Australia magazine – on sale now! 

Header image credit: Shutterstock