Growing Molokhia (Egyptian Spinach): A Complete Profile
By Growing Home Greens Team · August 20, 2026
Molokhia solves a problem most of the greens here have: it produces through high summer, when spinach, lettuce and chard have long since given up.
Wait for warm soil, then keep cutting
University of Minnesota Extension says to wait until the soil is 65°F before sowing outdoors, and to barely cover the seed. That patience matters; sown into cold ground it germinates poorly, and the seed is small enough that consistent germination outdoors is difficult regardless.
Harvest starts around 40 days. For a bed you are picking from continuously rather than cutting whole, space plants 6 to 12 inches apart, take the top shoots and young leaves, and the plant branches and regrows. That cycle runs every two to three weeks for the rest of the summer.
It gets big if you let it
Left uncut it reaches three to five feet, so it belongs on the north edge of a bed. Regular cutting keeps it lower and bushier, which is both the harvest and the maintenance.
What it does in the pot
Cooked, the leaves release a mucilage that thickens the liquid around them, in the way okra does. That texture is the entire point of the Egyptian soup it is named for, and it is also the reason people who were not expecting it are surprised. Chopping the leaves finely before cooking makes it more pronounced, not less.
Source: University of Minnesota Extension, growing staple vegetables from around the world.
Companion planting guide for Molokhia (Egyptian Spinach) · Find your planting dates
Typically viable in USDA zones 4-11. Not sure your zone? Look it up by ZIP code.
Mature height: 3-5 ft
Method: Direct sow: Direct-sow outside. It doesn't transplant well, or doesn't need the extra time indoors.
When to plant molokhia (Egyptian spinach), by zone
Every zone molokhia (Egyptian spinach) grows in. Pick your zone in the header and it will be highlighted here. Each zone links to its full page.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a & 4b | Not usually | May 29–Jun 5 | Jul 18–Jul 25 |
| 5a & 5b | Not usually | May 24–May 31 | Jul 13–Jul 20 |
| 6a & 6b | Not usually | May 9–May 16 | Jun 28–Jul 5 |
| 7a & 7b | Not usually | Apr 24–May 1 | Jun 13–Jun 20 |
| 8a & 8b | Not usually | Apr 8–Apr 15 | May 28–Jun 4 |
| 9a & 9b | Not usually | Mar 1–Mar 8 | Apr 20–Apr 27 |
| 10a & 10b | Not usually | Feb 13–Feb 20 | Apr 4–Apr 11 |
| 11a & 11b | Not usually | Jan 15–Jan 22 | Mar 6–Mar 13 |
Harvest dates are about 50 days after the sow or plant-out date.
See exact start-indoors, direct-sow, and harvest dates for your zone →
How many Molokhia (Egyptian Spinach) plants fit per square foot?
Spacing: 4 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 3-5 ft.
Where to buy molokhia seeds
True Leaf Market (each supplier's molokhia seeds)
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing molokhia (Egyptian spinach)" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
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Growing Molokhia (Egyptian Spinach): A leafy green that thrives in the heat that makes spinach and lettuce bolt, cut repeatedly through summer.
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