Chaya - Tree Spinach Review and Growing Tips

Do you like spinach? If you do, try growing a Chaya tree!. Not only it's easy to grow, it's also has all kinds of health benefits.
Spinach Tree Growing Tips:
Best time to plant: When night temperatures are consistently 50F and expected to rise in the next month or so. (Spring for most places).
Sun: Full sun
Winter: Frost sensitive but as long as your tree is rooted in ground, it will come back in the spring. If your ground freezes during winter this tree will not make it.
Root system: Vigorous shallow roots.
Tree structure: more like a shrub than a tree. It can grow between 8-15ft
Water: Water frequently when first planted in ground. Deep water when older. Drought tolerant. Don't expect it to grow if you don't water.
Fertilization: Any organic material such as compost will work.
Container grown: Not recommended long term. (watch video to learn why). Patreon: patreon.com/QCTropicals (Exclusive perks!)

[@MerryJc2gether]

Gosh! You are wonderful. I grew with the Chaya in south Mexico, I live in TN now. I ordered some cuttings that I found on Marketplace and I actually harvest some leaves and had the satisfaction to eat some dishes from my own garden. I didn’t know much about growing it and less in TN. So I did good digging it out at the end of summer, put them in pots and they are inside the house, ‘til last frost I’ll put it back in the ground if they survive inside. I don’t think I’ll survive outside since we get lots of snow, ice and temperatures drop to the single digits. Thank you so much! By the way, you have treasure on that tree, I want to harvest it!!!

[@letslove8363]

Best information for this plant I’m now educated, thanks!

[@chivachava3899]

It is also called the Mayan Spinach and is used much in Yucatan cuisine. it is not eaten raw because it contains cyanogenic glycosides a form of cyanide. You have to boil it for about 20 minutes for it to release the cyanide and be safe to be added to different dishes. As you mentioned it does have many health benefits.

[@qctropicals]

A few years ago I had no idea about this plant. We get people from all over asking for interesting plants. That's how we find out about most of them.

[@sunjayjay240]

How can i get to Mountainview in Sillican valley CAL

[@myonghan1260]

❤🎉

[@madelinedelacruz5949]

nice! Is this the spineless variety?

[@qctropicals]

no thorns on this variety.

[@The1ByTheSea]

Is it from Yucatan.Will it grow in South Florida;where it would get lots of water ?

[@qctropicals]

lots of water is usually not a problem unless soil doesn't drain the water or it never dries.

[@sizwetshabalala1300]

Hi thanks for the upload, kindly help where can I find the seeds as in South Africa we never heard about the tree?

[@qctropicals]

no seeds but you can buy cuttings from out website. They will be posted soon.

[@nadeekajayaweera742]

How do u eat it?

[@Nightengale0000]

Where can I buy the seeds? I can't find the seeds anywhere online...

[@Nicholas.Tsagkos]

Doesn't make any seeds, you need to find a cutting, search in ebay.

[@Mr_ravee_]

Does it exhibit fall colors in fall ? Looks quite uncanny for a 🍁

[@qctropicals]

no, we don't really get a fall season here.

[@angelikarusso7348]

Do you have to boil it before mixing into animal feed?

[@qctropicals]

it depends on the animal. So far, I've seen chickens, deer, gophers, birds eat it without any issues. But if in doubt, you can boil the leaves then dry them before feeding. Think of it as a supplement to add on regular feed.

[@edgauna7125]

where can i get one

[@qctropicals]

I'll have them for sale in a few months.

[@saintmaxmedia2423]

when you dry it and add to animal feed it is not poisonous anymore? does drying deactivates the toxins? Eva

[@qctropicals]

not sure about drying it. Gophers had no problem eating the roots, can't be that toxic lol.