Tendergreen — a mild, smooth-leaf mustard spinach that grows fast and laughs at heat. A reliable Southern garden green for the hot months when collards and spinach struggle.
Tendergreen's heat tolerance and speed make it a dependable summer green for Southern Black gardeners, filling the gap between the cool-season collard and turnip harvests.
Tendergreen is a Brassica rapa green carrying glucosinolates that become sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol/DIM for cancer protection and estrogen metabolism, dietary nitrate for nitric-oxide blood pressure lowering, and vitamin K1 with calcium for bone and arterial health. It is notably rich in vitamin A and C. Its heat tolerance keeps fresh greens — and their folate and vitamin C — on the table through the Southern summer when most greens bolt.
Cooks quickly, 10-20 minutes braised or a few minutes sauteed. Milder than broadleaf mustard, so it needs less cooking to tame. Strip thicker stems on mature leaves.
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