Bower spinach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bower spinach |
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| Tetragonia implexicoma | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Tetragonia
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| Species: |
implexicoma
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| Synonyms | |
Bower spinach, also known as Tetragonia implexicoma, is a type of plant. It belongs to the Aizoaceae family, which is also called the ice-plant family. It's a bit like another plant, Tetragonia tetragonioides. However, bower spinach has smaller leaves and flowers for a longer time.
Where Bower Spinach Lives
Bower spinach grows mostly along the coasts of New Zealand and southern Australia. You can also find it on many nearby islands. It lives in different places. These include sandy beaches and rocky shores.
It also grows in coastal woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands. Sometimes, it grows on cliffs and sea stacks. Here, strong winds and salt spray prune the plants. You might even find it far from the coast. It can grow in farm areas, often in barberry hedges. It also likes rocky areas made of limestone in thick forests.
What Bower Spinach Looks Like
Bower spinach is a scrambling plant. It forms thick, leafy patches. These patches can spread up to 4 meters wide. Its stems are long and trail along the ground. When they are young, they are often juicy and red or pink. As they get older, they turn dark green to brown-black and become woody.
The leaves grow in groups and are somewhat juicy. They are shaped like a diamond or an egg with angles. When they are young, they might have rough hairs. The flowers are yellow and grow alone. They have a strong smell and 12 to 20 stamens. They also have two styles. This plant flowers from August to November. Its fruits are berries, 5 to 8 mm long. They are pink to dark red and juicy. Birds and lizards like to eat these berries.
