Another Great Spinach To Enjoy Our Summers The Egyptian Spinach Egyptian Spinach

Corchorus Olitorius Egyptian Spinach is a well-loved seasonally-grown vegetable in our area. It is known under a variety of names: Molokhia/Molokheiya (and many other methods of spelling it) as well as salad mallow, Jew's mallow, jute mallow and West African sorrel to name just several. It is believed to have been a staple food in Egypt in the early days of Christ and has been a common food in Egypt since the days of the Pharaohs. The Egyptian name molokheiya is a reference to'vegetables for the king' according to Wikipedia, a sick Egyptian King around 6000BC asked for hot soup after being sick and after drinking the hot soup every day his condition was healed. Cleopatra is also said to have drank the same soup. Egyptian Spinach as well as its many close relationships are found throughout Africa, the Middle East, India and several regions of Asia. It can be located in all subtropical and tropical regions around the world.



It is grown as an annual. It will grow to about a meter tall it produces tiny yellow flowers and produces edible seed pods and leaves that can be continually harvested. It is very hardy and can grow quickly. Being a relative of Okra, many of the growing conditions apply, بذرة البرسيم loves the heat, can handle dry and wet conditions (not the waterlogged) but is not a fan of shade.


Large Egyptian spinach plant growing up in green house lattice


Are you looking to plant some? It can thrive in any soil type and doesn't mind pH. However, it prefers soil that is fertile and humid. Pots are also a possibility. Make your soil ready in your regular manner and then plant seeds directly in the area where they'll grow, the best planting time is between spring and autumn. Egyptian spinach seeds will develop better if they are soaked in hot water before planting for at least a couple of minutes. Isabel Shipard recommends soaking for up to 12 hours. Begin picking leaves when the plant is around 40 centimeters high. Seeds which mature on the plant and fall to ground will lie dormant within the soil until conditions are appropriate and they will grow into next year's crop. Egyptian spinach is virtually free of disease and pests. Caterpillars and grasshoppers will have a symbiosis with the leaves and in the heat of summer, they can be affected by red spider mites but overall , it's not that problematic. BOGI Seeds offers seeds currently.



The leaf is a rich source of nutrients, minerals and protein. The younger leaves can be eaten raw in salads, in sandwiches and the older leaves cooked or dried. You can use leaves in the same way as spinach. The leaves can be used in Egypt in a soup that is traditional, with garlic, coriander, and meat. In other areas the leaves can be made into a stew made with cassava, rice and chicken meat. There are a variety of recipes for this vegetable. The leaves can be dried before being powdered and used as tea. The tea can then be kept for later use in stews and soups, for additional flavour and as a thickener . In Japan it is promoted through the health food store as a nutritious tea. Young seed pods are used the same way as okra.



The health advantages of Egyptian spinach have been marketed from the time of the Pharaohs. In the form of tea, it can increase your immunity and is also said to be beneficial in treating constipation, cancer, anaemia and cystitis, diabetes fatigue as well as high blood pressure, menopausal symptoms, high cholesterol and respiratory issues, as well as obesity and water retention. Tea made from leaves is believed to aid during childbirth and boost the amount of milk produced by mothers. Also, it can be used as to wash eyes that are irritated as well as cuts, rashes and scratch marks.



Many of the species in the Corchorus genus can be grown as a source of jute as they have long, strong fibres within their stalks. Over time, the jute was used to make a coarse yarn which was then transformed into rope and a coarse sacking fabric. This was best done with the most tall and unbranched stems. The stems were submerged in vegetable matter for several days in order to allow the fibres to turn brown. After that, the fibres could be easily removed and then cleaned and dried. In some areas where this fibre is found, it can be used to make paper. Corchorus Olitorius or Egyptian spinach is best used as a leaf vegetable while others of its relatives are ideal for the production of jute.