Emperor

Family: Amaranthaceae Leafy Green

Planting Schedule

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Tender, fast-growing Emperor Asian spinach arrives with a velvet-soft bite and a sweet, clean green flavor that feels luminous from the first harvest.

Its leaves form an upright, lush rosette of deep green foliage with a smooth, succulent texture—ideal for quick, vibrant use in stir-fries, sautés, and silky sauces, or for fresh salads when you want that crisp, garden-fresh snap. For home gardeners, Emperor is a dependable 40-day performer that keeps rewarding with steady, leafy growth.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 40 DaysHabit: Rosette

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Emperor Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Direct Sow	Jun 1st	Jul 11th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Direct Sow	May 25th	Jul 4th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jun 24th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jun 24th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Direct Sow	May 19th	Jun 28th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jun 24th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Direct Sow	May 13th	Jun 22nd – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Direct Sow	May 8th	Jun 17th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Direct Sow	May 4th	Jun 13th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Direct Sow	May 1st	Jun 10th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Direct Sow	Apr 25th	Jun 4th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Direct Sow	Apr 20th	May 30th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Direct Sow	Apr 10th	May 20th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Direct Sow	Apr 1st	May 11th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Direct Sow	Mar 23rd	May 2nd – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Direct Sow	Mar 6th	Apr 15th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Direct Sow	Feb 9th	Mar 21st – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 10th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	40
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Rosette
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Surface
Germination Temp (°F)	65
Min Soil Temp (°F)	40
Min Night Temp (°F)	30
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Emperor Asian spinach is built for speed: its tender leaf collapses quickly into glossy, sweet-greens flavor without turning fibrous. Use it hot and brief—this is the kind of green that stays crisp-tender under high heat and drinks up salty, nutty seasonings beautifully.

Best Uses

hot wok stir-fries (toss fast so it stays succulent)
quick sauté with a light glaze of fat and salt
silky blended sauces or braised greens where it melts into a smooth coating
fresh salads where you want snap without toughness

Flavor Profile

sweet, clean green flavor velvet-soft yet crisp-tender bite gentle vegetal savor with a silky finish

Kitchen Pairings

ginger sesame oil soy sauce garlic-free scallion lemon silken tofu

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Spinacia oleracea (Emperor spinach) leaves turning yellow and getting blotchy spots, and what should I do?

Yellowing with dark or pale blotches is often downy mildew or leaf spot on spinach, especially when leaves stay wet overnight. Water at the soil line and thin plants so air moves through the canopy; remove and discard badly infected leaves right away. If the problem keeps spreading, switch to disease-resistant spinach starts for the next sowing and avoid planting spinach where it grew in the last season.

How often should I water Emperor spinach during the main growing phase?

During the 30–40 days when leaves are rapidly expanding, keep the top 1–2 inches of soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. In hot weather, this usually means watering deeply about 2–3 times per week, more often if the bed dries quickly; in cool weather you may only need 1 time per week. Mulch lightly to steady moisture, and never let the soil fully dry out because it can trigger early bolting in Spinacia oleracea.

How do I know when Emperor spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is ready to harvest?

Harvest when leaves are about 4–6 inches long and the plants are still tender, which is typically around 40 days from sowing. Pick outer leaves first so the center can keep producing, or harvest the whole plant when it reaches a good rosette size. If leaves start getting tougher or the plant shoots upward, harvest immediately to avoid bitterness and bolting quality loss.