New Zealand Spinach is grown for its leaves, ready to start cutting about 70 days after sowing. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 11, stands up to deer and handles dry spells once it's established. Its flowers are a modest draw for honeybees, even though the leaves are the prize. Once it comes in, a single planting keeps producing for a couple of months, so you harvest over time rather than all at once.
Zones
3-11
pH Range
6-7.5
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
70
Score New Zealand Spinach on your exact land.
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What New Zealand Spinach is
New Zealand Spinach reaches around a foot at maturity. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow New Zealand Spinach
New Zealand Spinach grows in USDA zones 3 through 11 and is ready to harvest about 70 days after planting. New Zealand Spinach does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,500 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 120 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
3-11
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
6 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
well (dry spells)
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
50°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Days to Maturity
70 days
New Zealand spinach; heat-tolerant warm-season substitute for true spinach.
UMass-Veg; OSU-PNW
GDD Required
1500+
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
1 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
120+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant new zealand spinach in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
New Zealand Spinach prefers pH 6 to 7.5 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at maturity
New Zealand Spinach is ready about 70 days after sowing (UMass-Veg; OSU-PNW). Cut the outer leaves as you need them — frequent harvest keeps new growth coming.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — new zealand spinach isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
New Zealand Spinach offers low value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where New Zealand Spinach thrives
On hardiness alone, new zealand spinach grows across most of the country — its range (USDA zones 3 through 11) is unusually wide. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 3–11·Where New Zealand Spinach growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, New Zealand Spinach can grow in these states:
See if New Zealand Spinach will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether new zealand spinach actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow New Zealand Spinach in my zone?
New Zealand Spinach grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 11 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
How long does New Zealand Spinach take to grow?
New Zealand Spinach is ready to harvest about 70 days after planting (UMass-Veg; OSU-PNW). Your local frost dates and soil temperature move that window earlier or later.
When should you plant New Zealand Spinach?
Most growers plant new zealand spinach after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 120-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does New Zealand Spinach need?
New Zealand Spinach needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does New Zealand Spinach need?
New Zealand Spinach prefers soil pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does New Zealand Spinach attract pollinators?
Yes — new zealand spinach's flowers are a modest nectar source for honeybees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is New Zealand Spinach safe for pets?
New Zealand Spinach is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.