Best Spinach Varieties to Grow for Flavor, Heat Tolerance

Choosing the right spinach variety can make all the difference in your garden’s success. After growing spinach for over 30 years in a variety of climates, I’ve tested numerous varieties and learned which excel in flavor, heat tolerance, and rapid growth.

Table of Contents

Top Spinach Varieties for Flavor

‘Bloomsdale Long Standing’: Classic heirloom with rich, sweet flavor and crinkled leaves. Excellent for salads and cooking.
‘Red Cardinal’: Attractive deep red stems and leaves with a mild, tender taste.

Best Varieties for Heat Tolerance

‘Tyee’: Bolt-resistant and thrives in warmer temps, ideal for late spring and early summer sowing.
‘Melody’: Slow bolting and good heat tolerance; smooth leaves with excellent flavor.

Fast-Growing Spinach Varieties

‘Space’: Produces tender leaves quickly—ready in about 30 days—perfect for early or succession planting.
‘Giant Winter’: Large leaves with fast growth and cold hardiness for fall and winter harvests.

My Personal Favorites

In my Zone 9b garden, ‘Bloomsdale Long Standing’ shines for flavor in cool weather, while ‘Tyee’ keeps my summer salads fresh without bolting too soon.

Final Tips

Choose varieties suited to your climate and planting season. Combining fast growers with heat-tolerant types ensures fresh spinach nearly year-round.

Spinach Variety Comparison Chart

Variety Name	Flavor Profile	Heat Tolerance	Days to Harvest	Best Use
Bloomsdale Long Standing	Rich, sweet, classic heirloom	Moderate	40–50 days	Salads, cooking
Red Cardinal	Mild, tender, slightly sweet	Moderate	40–45 days	Salads, fresh eating
Tyee	Mild, slightly earthy	High (bolt-resistant)	40–45 days	Late spring/summer planting
Melody	Smooth, balanced flavor	High (slow to bolt)	40–45 days	All-season, versatile
Space	Tender, mild	Moderate	~30 days	Quick harvest, succession
Giant Winter	Mild, hearty	Moderate–High	45–50 days	Fall/winter harvest

My Experience Tip:
From decades of hands-on growing, I’ve found mixing bolt-resistant varieties like ‘Tyee’ with flavorful classics like ‘Bloomsdale’ extends harvest windows and improves garden success.