Hablitzia Tamnoides

Caucus Mountain Spinach or Vining Spinach is a hardy, herbaceous, perennial vine with edible heart-shaped (cordate) leaves. It is a unique plant as it is the sole species of the hablitzia genus. It resides in the Amaranthaceae family, but in the sub-family Betoides, or Beta, relating back to the beet and spinach family and other chenopodiums like another well known perennial, edible ‘Good King Henry’. I came across hablitzia early in my explorations because it really fit the bill of a useful, ornamental and well behaved plant. It had started popping up in catalogs a few years back and created a lot of buzz amongst the permaculturists. The plant comes up early from a spiky clump that seems to sit right at the soil level. It can vine on a trellis up to 6’ with a little help as it doesn’t possess actual tendrils. In the Caucasus Mountains where the plant grows wild, it clambers over low shrubs and trees, hanging over rocks in dappled, well drained forests. It seems to prefer a neutral, to even alkaline soil. The leaves are delicious, tasting like a mild spinach, and are quite a versatile food. Later in the summer, tiny star shaped, greenish flowers are borne profusely on panicles, which by fall produce small, shiny black seeds. The first year I tried it, I got very low gemination, and the few plants never really made it. The next season, I found a source of fresh seed and got great germination and they grew well. I had some issues with the plants damping off, but ended up with a few. The next year I planted them in a fairly sunny site in the garden, where they never thrived. Finally, where are we, year three, I found a shady, well drained site at the edge of the garden where the plants finally found a home. In the fall of 2020 I collected my own seed. Somewhere in those years, I got more fresh seed from my local source and have been able to build up some nice, seed grown nursery stock. We look forward to offering this beautiful, hardy and useful plant.