Lagos spinach (Celosia argentea) is a heat-loving ornamental & edible leafy green that I experimented with growing last Summer.

The plant produces eye-catching flowers beloved by the bees & butterflies🤗

This member of the amaranth family, native to West Africa (Nigeria) is packed with vitamins A & C, antioxidants & protein. It has up to 10 times the iron of generic spinach. The leaves are high in oxalic acid so are best cooked before consuming. The leaves can be cooked as you would generic spinach. Though used in similar preparations, Lagos spinach’s taste & texture blows generic spinach out of the water!

Not only are the leaves delicious, but the flowers make a striking addition to a floral arrangement👌🏾

I’ll certainly be keeping ultra-low maintenance Lagos spinach as one of my staple summer crops.