Malabar spinach is native to South-West Asia. Its heart-shaped, dark green leaves are edible and can be used as a substitute for spinach. Regular spinach, unfortunately, can't be grown in summer, but Malabar spinach, on the contrary, can because this plant originally comes from a warm tropical climate. The taste of the leaves is somewhat similar to spinach, only spicier and more citrus-like. Malabar spinach is mainly used in Asian cuisines.