Chaya
Cnidoscolus aconitifolius

days to maturity:
plant spacing: 1 plant every 2 feet
sunlight requirements: 6-14 hours
look out for: slugs, caterpillars and worms
harvest notes: harvest young tender leaves when needed
perennial

Chaya, aka tree spinach, is native to the Yucatan peninsula and is prized for being an easy way to grow huge amounts of healthy greens. Chaya is a good source of protein, vitamins, calcium and iron, and is a rich source of antioxidants, however it should NOT BE EATEN RAW. It’s recommended that the leaves be cooked in water for at least 20 minutes to remove the high amounts of hydrocyanic acid, which can be toxic when consumed. Chaya is so nutrient dense that its considered to be 3 times greater than any other land-based leafy vegetable. 

Chaya can become quite a large shrub, reaching heights of 20 feet or more, but most gardeners choose to prune it aggressively and keep it shorter and smaller. Its an easy to manage plant with few insects besides the ones that like tender leaves, like worms and slugs. If left to flower Chaya shrubs will make beautiful clusters of white flowers that pollinators love to visit.