Saluyot/Molokhia from Seed: Heat-Loving Greens Made Simple

What Is Saluyot / Molokhia?

Saluyot, also known as Egyptian spinach, Molokhia, or jute mallow, is a leafy green that thrives in hot weather. Its scientific name is Corchorus olitorius, and it’s widely used in Filipino, Middle Eastern, and African cuisines. Many people use it like spinach: young leaves in salads, older leaves and tips cooked into soups and stews.

It’s an annual plant, meaning it completes its life cycle in one season, but it self-sows readily in warm climates, so you may find new plants appearing on their own year after year. The leaves are rich in nutrients and the plant is known for being fast and easy to grow once conditions are right.

Why Grow It?

If you’re in a warm or hot climate, Saluyot / Molokhia can be a low-maintenance, productive green. It grows quickly, often ready to harvest in about 60 days from sowing, and can be cut repeatedly over the season. In ideal conditions, it may reach up to 2 meters (6 feet) tall if left uncut, forming a bushy, shrub-like shape.

Because it loves heat and sun, it can fill a niche when cool-season greens like lettuce and regular spinach struggle. Many gardeners appreciate that it’s relatively pest-resistant and can thrive in containers or in-ground beds with basic care.

Choosing a Location

Saluyot / Molokhia prefers full sun – at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight per day. It does best in warm to hot weather and may slow down or bolt when temperatures drop in fall.

Choose a spot with fertile, well-draining soil. If growing in containers, use a good-quality potting mix amended with compost. A container that’s at least 30–40 cm deep and wide enough to space plants about 30–50 cm apart works well.

Starting from Seed

Seeds can be sown directly in the garden or in containers once the soil has warmed and all danger of frost has passed. In cooler climates, you can start seeds indoors about 6 weeks before the last expected frost and transplant them out once the weather is reliably warm.

Sow seeds about 5 mm deep and at least 5 cm apart. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Germination typically takes 7–10 days under warm conditions.

Because the plant doesn’t like having its roots disturbed, many gardeners prefer direct sowing. If starting in trays or flats, consider using biodegradable pots or transplanting very carefully to minimize root disturbance.

Soil and Water Needs

For best growth, plant in soil rich in organic matter. Mixing in compost or well-rotted manure at planting time can help support rapid growth. Many people find that continuing to add compost or a balanced organic fertilizer through the season keeps plants productive.

Saluyot / Molokhia likes steady moisture. Water regularly, especially during dry spells, and consider mulching around the base to help retain soil moisture and keep roots cool. A layer of straw or compost as mulch can also suppress weeds and improve soil health over time.

Spacing and Thinning

Plants grow outward into a shrub-like form, so they need space. When seedlings are a few centimeters tall, thin them so they’re spaced about 30–50 cm apart. This spacing helps improve air circulation and reduces the risk of fungal issues.

If growing in containers, adjust spacing based on pot size, but avoid overcrowding. Overcrowded plants may compete for light and nutrients, leading to leggy, weaker growth.

Harvesting Tips

Once plants reach about 30–60 cm in height, you can begin harvesting. Many gardeners cut the top 15–20 cm of growth, including the tender tips and young leaves. These are usually the most tender and flavorful parts.

Regular harvesting encourages bushier growth and more side shoots, which means more harvests over the season. If you prefer, you can also harvest the entire plant when very young and tender, especially if you’re succession-sowing every week or two for a continuous supply.

Leaves can be used fresh or stored in the refrigerator for a few days. For longer storage, some people blanch and freeze them, similar to how spinach is preserved.

Succession Sowing

To keep a steady supply of tender leaves, consider sowing small batches of seeds every 1–2 weeks during the warm season. This way, you’ll always have young plants coming into harvest while older ones are being cut back.

Succession sowing is especially helpful if you’re using the greens frequently in cooking, as it spreads out the harvest window and prevents a glut of mature, fibrous leaves all at once.

Common Challenges

Saluyot / Molokhia is generally hardy and fast-growing, but a few things can affect it:

• Temperature: It’s a tropical plant and may suffer in cold weather or frost. In cooler climates, it may behave more like a short-season annual.
• Water stress: Irregular watering or very dry soil can lead to tough, stringy leaves and early flowering (bolting).
• Root disturbance: Transplanting can be tricky; many gardeners report better results when seeds are sown directly where they’ll grow.

If the plant bolts and produces small yellow flowers, that’s a sign it’s responding to cooler temperatures or stress. The flowers turn into long, thin seed pods that can be left to dry on the plant for seed saving.

Saving Seeds

Saluyot / Molokhia produces seed pods that dry naturally on the stem. When the pods turn brown and feel dry, they can be harvested and opened to collect the small, greenish seeds.

Store seeds in a cool, dry place in a paper envelope or airtight container. Many gardeners save a few seeds each season as insurance in case plants don’t survive a cooler winter or if they want to share with others.

Expert Insight

“Molokhia is very fast growing, usually ready to harvest about 60 days after planting. If it goes uncut, it can reach as tall as 6 feet in height.”

— Liz Baessler, Senior Editor, Gardening Know How – Gardening Know How

Key Terms

• Saluyot / Molokhia: Common names for Corchorus olitorius, a heat-loving leafy green.
• Direct sowing: Planting seeds directly in the garden or container, rather than starting indoors.
• Succession sowing: Planting small batches of seeds at regular intervals to extend harvests.
• Bolting: When a plant flowers and sets seed prematurely, often due to temperature stress.
• Self-sows: A plant that drops seeds that germinate on their own the following season.

Sources

• Growing Egyptian Spinach – Gardening Know How
• Egyptian Spinach – Growing Fruit Forum
• Molokhia – Plant It Forward Farms

TL;DR

Saluyot / Molokhia (Egyptian spinach / jute mallow) is a fast-growing, heat-loving annual green that can be grown from seed in containers or garden beds. Sow after frost danger passes in full sun, in fertile, well-draining soil with steady moisture. Begin harvesting tender top growth once plants reach about 30–60 cm tall, and consider succession sowing for a continuous supply. It may reach up to 2 meters tall if left uncut and can self-sow in warm climates.