The Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) belongs to Chenopodiaceae (the Goosefoot family). It is an annual or biennial herb that is native from eastern Turk to Afghanistan of Central Asia. This herb was cultivated and used for foods in Ancient Persia. Since then it was propagated to Eastern and Western, and the new cultivar-groups were breeded differently. This harb is dioecism and the small greenish yellow flowers come in April to June. The male flowers are born on the apex spikes, and the female ones are born on the axils. The Japanese name "菠薐" means "boleng" (Persian) in Chinese.
It was introduced to Japan from China in the early Edo period (1603-1868). It is an oriental variety with spiny seeds. It was cultivated throughout the Edo period and came to be known as"Japanese spinach". In the Meiji period (1868-1912), various Western spinach varieties were imported. As a result, a fixed hybrid type of "Japanese spinach" and "Western spinach" was also created. Today, Western F1 varieties are the mainstream.