12 Best Spinach Varieties to Grow at Home (with Pictures)
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Kristin Hitchcock
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Spinach is one of the easiest plants to grow at home. However, there are tons of different species, and they are not all made equal. If you’re looking to grow spinach in your garden, your first step should be figuring out what type you want to grow.
Generally, the savory types of spinach are the most common. These look and taste better (to most people). Plus, they also keep longer and have less oxalic acid, which can interfere with the absorption of nutrients. However, some smooth-type varieties are also available.
The 12 Spinach Varieties to Grow at Home
1. A La Carte
| Growing Time: | 30–45 days |
This sort of spinach is particularly flavorful, which is why it is so popular. Furthermore, the leaves have a very “attractive” shape and look nice when used in salad.
You can begin to pluck leaves off starting by 30 days as they become grown. However, if you postpone for 45 days, you can cut off the entire plant on one occasion. This species is pretty easy to find, as well. You can purchase seeds from many online retailers.
2. Auroch
| Growing Time: | 24–30 days |
This cultivar has an upright growing habit, which makes it easier to grow in smaller spaces. The thin, flat leaves are great for salads, though they need to be removed from the long stems before being eaten.
This plant only takes around 24 days before some leaves are ready. For developed leaves, you’ll need to wait for 30 days. Furthermore, this plant is extremely resilient to downy mildew. However, it doesn’t do well in the warmth, so it is best planted in the colder months.
3. Baby’s Leaf
| Growing Time: | 30–40 days |
This hybrid is called a baby leaf due to its very short stems. It looks a bit like baby spinach for this reason. Therefore, you get more leaves when you cut this plant and fewer stems for the trash. If you like more leaves and fewer stems, this plant may be for you.
This hybrid has a pretty average growing time of around 35 days. Typically, the whole plant is chopped at once.
Because this is a hybrid, it can be more difficult to find. It is currently exclusive to a few different companies, so you’ll have to go there for the seeds.
4. Butterflay
| Growing Time: | 20–45 days |
The Butterflay plant is considered an heirloom option. It is very cold tolerant, making it a good option to grow in the winter. Furthermore, it is an extremely reliable germinator, allowing you to save on seeds. You can plant it right alongside kale and chard. However, it has a variable growing time from between 20 to 45 days.
For the most part, the growing time depends on the temperature.
5. Corvair
| Growing Time: | 30–45 days |
We recommend Corvair for those with regular problems with downy mildew, as it is naturally resistant. Furthermore, this plant is also slow to bolt, which makes it a bit more controllable.
The leaves are oval-shaped and large. As a hybrid between flat and crispy, the leaves are a bit less flavorful than other options.
This plant takes about 30 days to grow. However, you can keep them in your garden for about a week or two if you don’t want to harvest them immediately. This plant seems to take a while to go to seed.
6. Double Choice
| Growing Time: | 35–40 days |
Double Choice is well-known for being tougher than other plants. Therefore, it works well in areas that have a hard time growing anything. However, this plant is flat-leaf, which isn’t as flavorful as other options. With that said, they do have a mild flavor that many people seem to like.
With that said, this product is exclusive to a few different companies and so it can be much more difficult to find.
7. Early Hybrid No. 7
| Growing Time: | 35–40 days |
As the name suggests, this plant is a hybrid. Therefore, you can only find it at very few stores, as it isn’t very popular yet. After all, it doesn’t even have a “real” name.
This particular hybrid was made to resist downy mildew and viruses, though. Therefore, it is much hardier than other options and less prone to illnesses. The plant has an average growth time of around 35–40 days.
8. Flamingo
| Growing Time: | 25–40 days |
While this has a strange name, Flamingo is a great option for many gardeners. Compared to other plants, this option is known for loving the heat. However, this specific subspecies is also cold tolerant. Typically, it is resistant to downy mildew and slow to bolt.
This species likely gets its name from the shape of its leaves, which resemble the feet of a Flamingo. This species is quite popular and pretty easy to find.
9. Gazelle
| Growing Time: | 35 days |
Gazelle has uniform, upright leaves that are easier to harvest than most varieties. While it is advertised as a fast-growing variety, it doesn’t grow much faster than average. Luckily, it is resistant to downy mildew.
This hybrid is known to be semi-savory. Therefore, many gardeners like the flavor.
10. Hammerhead
| Growing Time: | 27–35 days |
This plant is quite popular. However, it is very prone to bolt, which means that you have to watch it carefully. It is best for planting in cooler temperatures, as it will bolt if it gets too warm. Of course, it does resist downy mildew like most options on this list.
The foliage is quite unique, cupped, and savory. Therefore, it is a unique species that is well-loved by many. It can be harvested completely in 35 days, though you can start picking it in 27 days.
11. Kolibi
| Growing Time: | 45 days |
Compared to other options, Kolibi is a great option for those that plan to cut their spinach and then let it regrow. The leaves regularly grow back, allowing you to harvest spinach continuously. Therefore, it is a great cut-and-come-again crop.
However, you’ll have to wait 45 days for the first harvest, though you may be able to harvest a few leaves after a month.
12. Merlo Nero
| Growing Time: | 35–45 days |
This hybrid produces extremely large leaves. However, it bolts easily in the heat and so it is best to plant it when you are sure it will stay cool for a while. If you nail the timing, the leaves will be extremely flavorful and savory. The flavor has been described as “meaty.”
The plant is pretty common, despite being a hybrid. Therefore, it is much easier to pick up than other options on the market.
Conclusion
There are many options out there for spinach. Many hybrids have appeared over the years, which means that there are tons of different options available on the market. These options range from mild, flat leaves to curly, flavorful leaves. Therefore, many gardeners plant one or two varieties to ensure they have many food options.
Ultimately, choosing your option will depend on where you live and the type of spinach you’re looking for. Many modern options are resistant to downy mildew and similar problems, so those are less of a problem today.
Featured Image Credit: Alexander Knyazhinsky, Shutterstock
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