(Corchorus olitorius); aka Jute, Molokhia, West African Sorrel;
Turns out this nutritious crop is featured in a variety of dishes and goes by many names depending on its location including mulukhiyah, mrenda, ewédú, molokyiyya, molohiya, lalo, and saluyot. Regardless of where it is grown, it is the leaves that are used.
I start my seeds in flats late April, early May and transplant seedlings early June when the soil is warm enough for me to plant beans. Direct seeding is possible, though emergence is more random.
I begin to harvest leaves in ~6 inch branch segments off the main shoot when the plants reach 2 feet. Leaves regrow allowing continual harvest throughout the season. When frost threatens, you can pick the leaves to freeze or dehydrate.
Despite its common usage across the globe, C. olitorius is relatively absent from our diet. Its "plant-it-and-forget-it" robustness combined with an impressive nutritional content, is what motivated its inclusion in our inventory. As with other greens (the various Brassica greens and such,) Jute Mallow may be an acquired taste so starting with a small patch is advised (seeds are easily saved for future plot expansion.)
For a greater appreciation of this wonderful crop I encourage you to start with a browser search on its binomial latin name Corchorus olitorius.
(And apologies, the image is AI-generated, I've somehow misplaced a great many of my 2024 crop photos.)
