🌿 Lu Hsien Green Leaf Amaranth (Amaranthus mangostanus) | Chinese Spinach | Heirloom Summer Greens

The Garden Workhorse That Keeps Producing When Spinach Gives Up

If you've ever watched your spinach bolt just as summer arrives, you're not alone. Lu Hsien Green Leaf Amaranth was made for exactly that problem.

This heirloom Asian leafy vegetable thrives during the hottest months of the year, producing abundant harvests of tender jade-green leaves when many traditional greens have already finished for the season. Fast-growing, incredibly productive, and surprisingly mild in flavor, Lu Hsien has earned its place as one of the easiest and most rewarding leafy vegetables for Florida gardens, raised beds, containers, market gardens, and edible landscapes.

Unlike many leafy greens that struggle in summer, Lu Hsien embraces the heat, rewarding growers with continuous harvests, exceptional nutrition, and beautiful vibrant foliage all season long.

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🌿 Quick Facts

🌱
Botanical Name	Amaranthus mangostanus
Common Names	Lu Hsien Amaranth, Chinese Spinach, Green Leaf Amaranth
Plant Type	Warm-season annual leafy vegetable
Ships In	4-inch nursery pot
Estimated Plant Age	Approximately 4–8 weeks
Harvest Begins	Baby greens in 25–35 days
Mature Harvest	45–70 days
Mature Height	2–5 ft (12–18 inches when harvested regularly)
Spread	1–3 ft
USDA Zones	2–11 (grown as an annual)
Sunlight	Full Sun (6–10+ hours)
Cold Hardiness	Frost sensitive
Salt Tolerance	Low to Moderate
Wind Tolerance	Good
Container Friendly	Excellent
Indoor Growing	Yes, with strong lighting
Harvest Style	Cut-and-Come-Again

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🌱 Why You'll Love Lu Hsien Green Leaf Amaranth

✔ One of the best leafy greens for Florida summers

✔ Produces harvests in as little as one month

✔ Mild, sweet spinach-like flavor

✔ Continuous "cut-and-come-again" harvests

✔ Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants

✔ Beautiful enough for ornamental edible landscapes

✔ Excellent for containers

✔ Great for beginners

✔ Thrives during hot, humid weather

✔ Ideal for market gardeners and homesteaders

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🌏 A Heirloom Green with Centuries of History

Lu Hsien Green Leaf Amaranth has been cultivated throughout China and Southeast Asia for generations as one of the region's favorite warm-season vegetables. Long before refrigeration and modern hybrids, families relied on leafy amaranths because they remained productive through intense summer heat when many other vegetables struggled.

Unlike crops bred primarily for shipping and shelf life, heirloom varieties like Lu Hsien were selected year after year for flavor, productivity, resilience, and dependable harvests.

Today, gardeners across Florida, Texas, the Gulf Coast, and other warm regions are rediscovering Lu Hsien as one of the easiest ways to grow nutritious greens throughout the hottest months of the year.

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🍃 Simple Beauty That Fits Anywhere

While its colorful cousin Hu Hsien steals attention with burgundy foliage, Lu Hsien offers a timeless elegance with lush jade-green leaves that blend beautifully into any vegetable garden or edible landscape.

Plant Characteristics

🌿 Large smooth emerald-green leaves

🌿 Tender succulent stems

🌿 Upright vigorous growth

🌿 Dense leafy production

🌿 Excellent branching after harvesting

Frequent harvesting encourages even bushier growth and larger yields.

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🥗 One Plant • Endless Meals

Lu Hsien has earned its reputation as one of the world's most versatile leafy vegetables.

Harvest Young Leaves

🥗 Fresh salads

🥪 Sandwiches

🌮 Wraps

🌱 Microgreens

🥬 Fresh garnishes

Harvest Mature Leaves

🍜 Soups

🍲 Broths

🥘 Stir-fries

🍛 Curries

🥬 Sautéed greens

🍳 Egg dishes

🥟 Dumplings

🍚 Rice bowls

Don't Forget the Stems!

Young stems are surprisingly sweet, crisp and tender.

Older stems can simply be peeled before cooking and are especially delicious in stir-fries.

One of the Most Popular Ways to Enjoy Lu Hsien

One of the classic Asian preparations couldn't be easier.

Heat a little sesame oil, sauté fresh garlic, add freshly harvested Lu Hsien leaves and stems, then finish with soy sauce and sesame seeds.

Simple. Healthy. Delicious.

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🌿 Flavor Profile

Taste

🥬 Mild and sweet

🥬 Similar to spinach

🥬 Delicate nutty finish

🥬 Very little bitterness

🥬 Pleasant earthy flavor

Texture

✨ Tender leaves

✨ Succulent

✨ Smooth

✨ Crisp young stems

Unlike many greens that become bitter during hot weather, Lu Hsien maintains outstanding eating quality throughout summer.

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💪 Tiny Plant • Massive Nutrition

Lu Hsien Green Leaf Amaranth is considered one of the most nutrient-dense leafy vegetables available.

Naturally rich in:

✅ Vitamin A

✅ Vitamin C

✅ Vitamin K

✅ Iron

✅ Calcium

✅ Magnesium

✅ Potassium

✅ Zinc

✅ Fiber

✅ Plant protein

✅ Lysine and other essential amino acids

✅ Powerful antioxidants

For gardeners interested in producing nutrient-rich food from small spaces, few vegetables deliver as much nutrition so quickly.

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☀️ Built for Florida Summers

This is where Lu Hsien truly shines.

When lettuce and spinach begin to fade, Lu Hsien enters its peak growing season.

Ideal growing conditions include:

☀️ Full Sun

🌡️ Warm temperatures

💧 Consistent moisture

🌱 Fertile organic soils

🌴 Florida

🌴 Gulf Coast

🌴 Southeastern United States

🌴 Texas

Once established, plants tolerate short dry periods, but regular moisture produces the largest, most tender leaves.

Frost will generally kill plants, making Lu Hsien a true warm-season annual.

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🌱 Growing Guide

Lu Hsien performs beautifully in:

🌿 Raised beds

🌿 Vegetable gardens

🪴 Containers

🌳 Food forests

🌾 Market gardens

🌸 Edible landscapes

Recommended Spacing

🌱 2–4 inches for baby greens

🌿 8–12 inches for leaf production

🌳 12–18 inches for mature plants

Frequent harvesting keeps plants compact, encourages branching, and dramatically increases production.

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🪴 Growing in Containers

Lu Hsien is exceptionally well suited for container gardening.

Recommended Pot Progression

4-inch Pot

⬇️

1-Gallon

⬇️

3-Gallon

⬇️

5–7 Gallon Container

Use a rich organic vegetable potting mix containing compost, coconut coir, pine bark fines, and perlite or vermiculite for excellent moisture retention and drainage.

Container plants often require daily watering during Florida summers.

After shipping, allow your plant to acclimate and produce vigorous new growth before transplanting into a larger container.

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🌿 Best Practices for Planting & Care

Before Transplanting

We recommend allowing your Lu Hsien Green Leaf Amaranth to recover from shipping before transplanting. Wait approximately 30 days, or until vigorous new growth appears, unless roots are clearly filling the container.

Where to Plant

Choose a location with:

☀️ Full Sun

🌱 Well-drained soil

💧 Consistent moisture

Planting

Dig a hole only slightly wider than the nursery container and no deeper than the existing root ball.

At GreenDreams, we recommend planting "High & Tight," positioning the crown slightly above surrounding soil to improve drainage and root health.

Backfill firmly with native soil amended with compost.

Top dress with:

🌿 Compost

🌱 Biochar

🌰 Azomite

🪱 Worm Castings

🌳 Hardwood mulch (keep several inches away from the stem)

💧 Drip irrigation is strongly preferred over overhead watering.

For our complete planting method, visit our GreenDreams YouTube planting guide:

https://youtu.be/RRQFY30qdA8?si=rRIcsbLlVAVYotfI

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🌾 Organic Fertility Program

Healthy soil grows healthier plants. Rather than relying on heavy synthetic fertilizers, Lu Hsien responds exceptionally well to biologically active soils rich in organic matter.

We recommend feeding with:

🌿 Finished compost

🪱 Worm castings (vermicompost)

🌱 Organic slow-release vegetable fertilizer

🐟 Fish hydrolysate or fish emulsion

🌰 Azomite or other trace mineral sources

🌳 Hardwood mulch

⚠️ Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizers. Like many leafy vegetables, amaranths can accumulate elevated nitrate levels in their foliage when heavily fertilized with synthetic nitrogen. Slow, balanced nutrition produces healthier plants and better flavor.

🌴 Seasonal Growing Guide

Unlike perennial vegetables, Lu Hsien completes its life cycle in a single growing season.

🌱 Spring

• Plant after danger of frost has passed.
• Rapid germination and vigorous growth begin as temperatures warm.
• Excellent time for succession planting every few weeks.

☀️ Summer

Peak production season.

Expect:

🌿 Rapid growth

✂ Continuous harvests

🥗 Tender leaves

🌡 Outstanding heat tolerance

🍂 Fall

Plants continue producing until cooler weather arrives.

Harvest frequently before temperatures begin dropping.

❄️ Winter

Frost will typically kill plants.

In South Florida and frost-free climates, plants may self-seed if allowed to mature.

💡 Saving seed from healthy plants is an excellent way to continue growing this heirloom year after year.

🌻 Build a Better Garden

Lu Hsien becomes even more productive when grown as part of a diverse edible ecosystem.

Excellent GreenDreams Companion Plants

🌻 Mexican Sunflower — attracts pollinators and produces abundant biomass for chop-and-drop mulch.

🌿 Pigeon Pea — nitrogen-fixing support plant.

🌱 Sunn Hemp — builds soil and organic matter.

🌾 Lemongrass — adds structure and beneficial insect habitat.

🌾 Clumping Grasses — outstanding biomass producers.

🥒 Gourds — living ground cover.

🍠 Sweet Potato — suppresses weeds while protecting soil.

🌺 Roselle — edible companion with similar warm-season preferences.

🌼 Native flowering plants — encourage pollinators and beneficial insects.

Growing diverse plant communities creates healthier soil, stronger plants, and more resilient gardens.

🔍 Troubleshooting Guide

⚠️ Issue	🧠 Cause	🌿 Organic Solution
🍂 Older leaves yellowing	Natural aging	Harvest older leaves regularly to encourage fresh growth
💧 Wilting	Dry soil or containers drying quickly	Water deeply and mulch around plants
💦 Slow growth	Poor fertility or root restriction	Top dress with compost and worm castings; transplant if rootbound
🌸 Flowering early	Plant maturity or stress	Harvest frequently and maintain even moisture
🐛 Chewed leaves	Caterpillars or beetles	Hand remove pests or use organic biological controls
🪲 Small holes in foliage	Flea beetles	Encourage beneficial insects and protect young plants if necessary
☀️ Leaf scorch	Extended drought or intense reflected heat	Increase watering and apply mulch to moderate soil temperatures

⚠️ Cautions

• Frost sensitive.
• Performs best during warm weather.
• May self-seed if allowed to flower and produce seed.
• Harvest frequently for the most tender leaves.
• Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilization.
• Container plants may require daily watering during hot weather.

🌿 Is Lu Hsien Right for You?

✅ Perfect For

🌴 Florida and Gulf Coast gardeners

🌱 Raised bed gardeners

🪴 Container gardeners

🥬 Anyone looking for a summer spinach alternative

🌾 Market gardeners

🏡 Homesteads

🌳 Food forests

🌿 Edible landscapes

👨‍🌾 Beginner gardeners

❌ May Not Be Ideal For

❄️ Growers wanting a frost-hardy winter crop

🌿 Those seeking perennial vegetables

✂ Gardeners unwilling to harvest regularly

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lu Hsien actually spinach?

No. It belongs to the amaranth family but is commonly called Chinese Spinach because it's used similarly in the kitchen.

How quickly can I harvest?

Baby greens are often ready within 25–35 days, while mature harvests generally begin around 45–70 days.

Will it survive Florida summers?

Absolutely. Lu Hsien is specifically valued because it thrives during hot, humid weather when spinach and lettuce struggle.

Can I harvest it more than once?

Yes! Harvest the outer leaves or cut stems several inches above the soil and new growth will continue throughout the season.

Can I grow it in containers?

Definitely. Lu Hsien is one of the easiest leafy vegetables for patios, balconies, and container gardens.

Can I eat the stems?

Yes. Young stems are crisp, tender, and delicious. Older stems can simply be peeled before cooking.

Can it be grown indoors?

Yes. A bright south-facing window or quality grow lights can provide excellent harvests of baby greens.

📦 Before Your Plant Arrives

Your Lu Hsien Green Leaf Amaranth ships growing in a healthy 4-inch nursery container and is generally 4–8 weeks old, depending on seasonal growth.

After Delivery

✅ Unpack immediately.

✅ Water thoroughly if needed.

✅ Allow your plant to acclimate.

✅ Wait approximately 30 days, or until vigorous new growth appears, before transplanting into a larger container or garden bed.

Best Shipping Regions

Our smaller vegetable plants are best suited for shipping throughout:

🌴 Florida

🌴 Southeastern United States

🌴 Texas

🌴 Gulf Coast States

We proudly ship throughout the continental United States; however, growers in northern and western states should understand that extended UPS Ground transit times and seasonal weather extremes may increase plant stress. California shipments may occasionally experience additional inspection delays.

Buyer assumes the risks associated with prolonged transit times and extreme seasonal temperatures. Whenever available, we recommend purchasing larger plants for the greatest shipping success outside our primary shipping region.

All live plant orders ship every Monday from Florida via UPS Ground.

🏡 Available for Local Pickup

Looking for larger plants or additional edible garden favorites?

Visit us at:

🌿 GreenDreams Nursery & Farm

📍 18709 US Hwy. 41

Spring Hill, FL 34610

🕘 Tuesday–Friday: 9 AM–5 PM

🌞 Saturday: 8 AM–3 PM

Explore one of Florida's largest collections of edible, medicinal, native, and ecological plants. Many larger sizes and specialty plants are available exclusively at our retail nursery.

🌳 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services

At GreenDreams, we do much more than grow plants—we help families, farms, and communities build productive ecosystems.

🌳 Edible landscape design

🌿 Food forest consultations

🚜 Installation & project management

🚚 Bulk delivery of compost, mulch, biochar & soil

🌾 Wholesale regenerative agriculture solutions

Whether you're planting a single raised bed or transforming an entire property, our team is here to help you grow with confidence.