Caucasian spinach
Hablitzia tamnoides
A perennial climbing spinach from shady gorges; mild shoots and leaves from early spring, for decades.
Hardiness: zones 3 to 9
Light: shade to part shade
Size: about 10 ft tall, 3 ft wide
Harvest: March to June
From: Caucasus
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food.
Native to: Caucasus. Hardy in zones 3 to 9.
The story
Hablitzia comes from shady gorges and cave mouths in the Caucasus. It was grown as an ornamental climber in Scandinavia in the 1800s, where gardeners found the shoots were good to eat, and it has returned as a favourite of forest gardeners.
Planting
Shade or part shade and soil that drains; it likes lime. Give it strings or a shrub to climb.
Growing
It dies back each winter and resprouts very early. Mulch in autumn and protect new shoots from slugs.
Harvest and use
Cut the early shoots like asparagus, then pick young leaves through spring. Eat them raw or cooked like spinach; the flavour is mild.
What to watch for
Slugs. Seed needs a cold spell to sprout. It tires in hot summer sun.
See if Caucasian spinach fits your yard
Free planner: enter your ZIP for frost dates, climate fit and a sowing calendar. No account, no ads, no tracking cookies.
More perennial vegetables, greens and herbs
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home