🍃 Tree spinach (*Cnidoscolus aconitifolius*)
🔤 Name English / nombre español / Name Deutsch
Tree spinach / Chicasquil / Baumspinat
📄 General description
🌿 Cnidoscolus aconitifolius, locally known as chicasquil, is a perennial leafy shrub cultivated in tropical regions for its highly nutritious leaves. It is a traditional food plant in Costa Rica, often grown in home gardens as a low-maintenance, productive vegetable source. The plant is valued for its high protein, vitamin, and mineral content, as well as its resilience to heat and drought. The leaves must always be cooked or fried before consumption to eliminate toxic compounds, making them safe and palatable.
🌿 Botanical Characteristics:
Family
Euphorbiaceae / (Spurge family)
Growth and Structure
This fast-growing perennial shrub can reach 2–6 m in height, with multiple woody stems and a bushy form when regularly pruned. The stems contain a white latex typical of the Euphorbiaceae family.
Leaves
Leaves are large, deeply lobed (3–7 lobes), and resemble those of certain ornamental maples. They are dark green, tender when young, and covered with a thin, almost imperceptible fuzz.
Flowers
The plant produces small, white, star-shaped flowers arranged in loose clusters at the branch tips.
Pollination
Pollination is by insects, especially small bees and flies attracted to the flowers.
Sexual System
Monoecious
Sexual System Notes
The same plant bears both male and female flowers, enabling reproduction without the need for separate male and female individuals.
🌤️ Soil and Climate Preferences
Chicasquil prefers well-drained soils with moderate fertility and thrives in full sun to partial shade. It tolerates a wide range of conditions, from coastal lowlands to mid-elevation areas, and is highly drought-resistant once established.
🍃 Fruit and Use:
General Use
The young leaves are cooked or fried and eaten as a nutritious green vegetable, often prepared with eggs, onions, or tomatoes. Rich in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C, the leaves are considered a valuable food security crop. ⚠️ The leaves must never be eaten raw, as they contain cyanogenic glycosides that can be toxic if not destroyed by heat.
Ripening Season in Costa Rica
Leaf production is continuous throughout the year, with the most abundant flushes occurring during the rainy season.
Common Fruit Traits
The plant produces small, inconspicuous capsules containing seeds, but these are not used for human consumption.
Climacteric Category
Non-climacteric
👉🏿 Climacteric category overview
Climacteric Category Notes
The fruit is not part of human diets; the edible portion of the plant is the leaf, which does not undergo post-harvest ripening.
🌱 Propagation and Grafting
Propagation is almost exclusively by stem cuttings, which root easily when planted in moist soil. No grafting is practiced for this species.
✂️ Care & Challenges:
Pruning
Regular pruning encourages leaf production, maintains a manageable height, and promotes branching.
Diseases and Pests
Generally pest-resistant, though young shoots may occasionally be attacked by caterpillars or leaf miners.
Soil and Fertilization
🧺 Harvest Notes
Leaves are harvested by hand, selecting young and tender ones for best flavor and texture. They should be cooked for at least 5–10 minutes to ensure safety and enhance palatability.
📍 Individuals in the field
Will be added soon
📷 Photos
🎬 Related Media
Will be added soon.
🍽️ Recipes
Will be added soon.