Good King Henry Seeds
The perennial spinach of medieval cottage gardens
Good King Henry was the everyday green vegetable of medieval cottage gardens — a perennial spinach that returns every spring without replanting. Young shoots can be cut and cooked like asparagus in April. The arrow-shaped leaves are harvested through summer as a spinach substitute. Even the flower buds are edible.
Once established, a patch of Good King Henry will feed you for decades with almost no maintenance. It tolerates partial shade and most soil types, though it prefers rich, well-drained ground.
Species Included
Blitum bonus-henricus (Good King Henry)
Sowing Instructions
Sow March–May, 1cm deep. Germination is slow and erratic (2–6 weeks). Cold stratification helps — sow in autumn or refrigerate seed for 2 weeks before spring sowing. Plant out 40cm apart in rich soil. Harvest leaves from year 2. Cut shoots like asparagus in spring.
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