Ipomoea aquatica
A semi-aquatic tropical vegetable widely cultivated in Asia.
Ipomoea aquatica, commonly known as water spinach or kangkung, is a semi-aquatic, tropical plant grown as a vegetable for its tender shoots. It is widely cultivated in Southeast Asia, East Asia, and South Asia.
- common_names
- water spinach, kangkung, kangkong, pak boong, kōngxīncài, ong choy, tung choi
- family
- Convolvulaceae
- native_region
- generally believed to be Southeast Asia
- growth_habit
- semi-aquatic, stems 2–3 meters or longer
- flower_color
- white with mauve centre
- culinary_use
- common ingredient in East, South and Southeast Asian dishes
- known_for
- edible shoots, phytoremediation potential, traditional medicine
Lore & Background
The origin of Ipomoea aquatica is not quite clear, but it is generally believed to be native to Southeast Asia and was first cultivated there. Several sources have also cited China or India as the location of the plant's domestication. However, these claims have no supporting evidence other than the appearance of the plant's name in historical records. The first clear mention of I. aquatica in Chinese records is in the Nanfang Caomu Zhuang written by the Chinese botanist Ji Han (AD 263-307). Ji Han specifically identifies I. aquatica as being 'a strange vegetable of the south' with a foreign origin brought over by 'western countries'. The claim for an Indian origin is based on the presence of the old name for the plant in Sanskrit, presumed to be from around 200 BC, but this is putative.
Reader's Guide
Ipomoea aquatica grows in water or on moist soil. Its stems are 2–3 m or longer, rooting at the nodes. The hollow cavity within the stem makes the plant buoyant. The leaves vary from typically sagittate to lanceolate, 5–15 cm long and 2–8 cm broad. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, 3–5 cm in diameter, and usually white with a mauve centre. Propagation is either by planting cuttings of the stem shoots, which will root along nodes, or by planting the seeds from flowers that produce seed pods. It flourishes naturally in waterways and requires little if any care.
Did You Know?
- Mercury in water spinach is composed mostly as methylmercury and has the highest potential of becoming a threat to human health.
- Water spinach has great potential as a purifier of aquatic habitats and is an efficient accumulator of cadmium, lead, and mercury.
- The edible parts of the plant have a lower heavy metal concentration; stems and bottom of the edible portion are higher and should be removed to minimize heavy metal intake.
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