Dune Spinach - Tetragonia decumbens
Dune Spinach - Tetragonia decumbens

Common names: dune spinach (English); duinespinasie (Afrikaans). 
Botanical name: Tetragonia decumbens

The dune spinach, Tetragonia decumbens, is a dune plant that is edible and stabilizes the sand. It has dark green leaves and small, yellow flowers. It grows on coastal sand dunes from southern Namibia to the Eastern Cape. It is a seed-trap and a source of organic matter for other plants. The young shoots and stems can be cooked as a spinach dish, with a slightly salty and grainy texture. It can be easily propagated by cuttings and grown in well-drained, sandy soil. It is wind-resistant and drought-tolerant. Tetragonia decumbens is a valuable plant for dune restoration and food security.

Uses & Benefits: food, pot plant


Nature & Cultivation

Family: Aizoaceae
Type: ground cover, succulent
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Flower colour: yellow
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Use as Medicine

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