Why is Tetragonia tetragonoides valuable when dealing with summer heat compared to true spinach?

It maintains consistent leaf production because it resists bolting when temperatures rise.

The primary advantage of New Zealand Spinach during hot weather is its inherent resilience to high temperatures, which contrasts sharply with traditional spinach (*Spinacia oleracea*). Standard spinach is notorious for quickly undergoing the process of bolting—prematurely transitioning from leaf production to flowering and setting seed—when exposed to sustained warmth. Because *Tetragonia tetragonoides* does not readily bolt, it allows gardeners to continue harvesting fresh, edible leaves steadily throughout the summer months when other greens might become unavailable or produce bitter foliage. This reliability ensures a consistent supply of fresh produce even when growing conditions are stressful for less tolerant plants.