EFO SHOKO (LAGOS SPINACH)

From TrueLoveSeeds. Purchased in 2024.

Description and growing instructions below from TrueLoveSeeds.

Efo Shoko (sometimes called Lagos Spinach or Nigerian Spinach) is a type of Celosia eaten in soups, stews, and side dishes in parts of Nigeria, Benin, Congo, and Cameroon, as well as in Indonesia and India. Shoko leaves can be all green or more colorful, like this particular strain, and are harvested along with the young stems and flower spikes. A member of the Amaranth family, it is believed to be native to Africa and is easy to grow in climates with suitable soil moisture, attracting few pests or diseases and thriving in heat, unlike many other common greens. Our seeds come from a local farmer friend who grows Shoko for a Liberian customer.

PLANTING / HARVESTING NOTES

Expect germination between 8-14 days, and fast growth after that. At this point on our farm, celosia reseeds itself. We thin plants to about 2' space in each direction. Harvest cut flowers as they mature, and allow side branches to bloom for continual harvest until frost.