Sokoyokoto Lagos Spinach
Sokoyokoto Lagos Spinach - Celosia argentea - Efo Shoko - ṣọkọ̀ yòkòtò.
Efo Shoko
ṣọkọ̀ yòkòtò.
- Annual
Full Sun
- Germination Tested November 11, 2025: 54%
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A stunning dual-purpose food+flower crop that takes the heat and laughs.
From Skye, the grower: "Celosia argentea, the “plumed cockscomb”, is a common ornamental flower in the Amaranth family. But what is less known is that in some parts of the world the leaves are a staple cooked green.
This culinary variety — “Sokoyokoto Lagos Spinach” — tolerates heat and drought. Leaves can be eaten raw but are much better cooked.
Thank you to Edmund Frost, who produced our stock seed. He says that “the cooked greens have a taste and texture similar to spinach” and notes its resilience to pests and disease. I have been impressed how well it grows despite my benign neglect.
After a period of vegetative growth, the plant sends up showy spikes of pink to magenta flowers that last quite a while. I’d like to try it as a dry flower."
Lagos spinach is a culturally important leafy green from Nigeria and West Africa that's been gaining popularity on Turtle Island. It's essential for making Efo Riro, a Nigerian stew, and is one of the most important leafy greens in West Africa.
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Seeds are grown by our friends Skye and Maple at Tardigrade Seeds on Salt Spring Island, BC.
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Growing:
Transplanting recommended. Sow tiny seeds on the planting medium surface, lightly press into soil, and cover with a ~1/8” dusting of starting medium. Place on heat pad.
Start transplants ~4 weeks before you plan to put it out. Sokoyokoto wants a lot of heat, so choose your warmest location for it, and transplant once danger of frost has passed and you’re getting some decent summer warmth. May also do well in pots (I haven’t tried it). Space plants 12-18” apart.
Dry growing (growing without irrigation):
We haven’t irrigated either of the two times we’ve grown Sokoyokoto. It hasn’t seemed to struggle too much, producing a decent amount of leaves and flowers each time. Authorities regard it as having medium drought tolerance. May benefit from wider plant spacing and mulching if growing without irrigation.
Growing Instructions
Growing Instructions
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
By placing an order, customers agree to the shipping & refund policies detailed on this page.
Most orders are sent via Canada Post to keep costs low.
Shipping within Canada
We ship seeds via Canada Post within Canada for $6 to $8 depending on weight.
We ship seeds in Canada via regular letter mail, which is an untracked service, and usually takes 1-3 weeks to arrive once we fulfill your order, but occasionally orders take longer, especially to the Eastern provinces and rural areas.
Customers can now opt for tracked, express shipping options at checkout if you require faster delivery.
Larger bulbs and plants are usually sent via tracked flat rate box.
Shipping to the US
We require all US shoppers to obtain a Small Seed Lot Import Permit before we can mail your seeds. It's free to apply, and you will likely be granted the permit instantly, although some require additional verification via mail.
We recommend obtaining a permit BEFORE placing your order.
Please email your permit and shipping label PDFs to us promptly before or after you order.
If you do not email us your permit documents after one week, we will refund your order minus a $10 processing charge.
How to apply for your Small Seed Lot Import Permit:
- Please follow these instructions carefully so you don't end up with the wrong type of permit!
- Go to https://efile.aphis.usda.gov/s/
- Select PPQ-587 in the dropdown menu and click "Get Started".
- Please use the exact same name and address as on your order.
- Login and follow the instructions to obtain a permit.
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Under the Commodity Type drop down, make sure you select the "Small Lots of Seed". See screenshot below.
- It's best to list "Eligible Taxa" instead of listing all the species you'd like to import so you don't need to worry about missing any species you ordered.
- Once you receive your permit, promptly email us 2 PDFs: a copy of your permit and a copy of the yellow/green shipping labels. Tell us which USDA station you want us to send the seeds to. If not mentioned we will choose one close to you. Our email is grow@cicadaseeds.ca
- Once we've accepted your documents, please contact the plant inspection station we are shipping to and let them know to expect your shipment. Station phone numbers can be found here (select "United States" then "Plant Inspection Stations" in the top 2 fields, then click "Search"). This reminds stations to check for your package, otherwise they may forget about it.
Need help? Contact the APHIS plant permit team at:
EMAIL: plantproducts.permits@usda.gov
PHONE: 877-770-5990
What happens next?
After receiving your documentation, we will mail your seeds to an inspection facility in the US. We will ship via tracked parcel, and you will receive the tracking number when your order has shipped. Orders will be mailed first to a plant inspection facility in the US, then they forward the package on to your address after inspection. Tracking is only available to the inspection facility, not to your address.
The mail and inspection process can take several weeks, depending on how long the inspection takes. Unfortunately we are not able to replace packages that are confiscated or destroyed by customs, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order.
Shipping Internationally
International customers can select tracked or untracked shipping at checkout. The package will list the contents as "Garden Seeds". It is your responsibility to ensure you have the required import permit. We are not able to send any live plant materials internationally. Cicada Seeds will not be responsible for any orders held or confiscated by customs, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order.
International shipping countries include: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.
This list may change without notice. Sometimes Canada Post will not allow us to ship to certain countries due to wars or natural disasters, see this page for delivery service alerts.
Please reach out if your country is not on this list, email us and we will try to arrange an alternate shipping option.
Refund Policy
Refunds: We stand behind our seeds, so if for some reason you are not satisfied with your purchase, please reach out to us via email and we will do our best to make it right. Please note that shipping costs are non-refundable.
Cancelled orders: If you wish to cancel an order after purchasing, we may refund your order minus card processing and admin fees at our discretion.
Refused orders: We cannot issue a refund if you refuse to accept an order we've sent to you.
Incorrect addresses: Please double check your mailing address, and let us know ASAP if you've entered an incorrect address at checkout. We may need to charge for additional shipping fees to resend orders.
Ecologically Grown
Ecologically Grown
Seeds are grown ecologically without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
