Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is an edible annual flowering plant thought to have originated in ancient Persia. When introduced to India and China it was known as the “Persian vegetable”.
The earliest written record comes from China around 647 CE and, by the 12th century, spinach was a popular vegetable in the Arab Mediterranean.
Its popularity in England and France in the 14th century was due to its appearance in early spring when there were few other vegetables available.
The name Florentine given
