Water spinach profile

Water spinach, also known as Ipomoea aquatica, is a semi-aquatic, tropical plant grown as a vegetable for its tender shoots and it is not known where it originated.

Water spinach grows in central and southern China, especially in Fujian, Guangxi, Guizhou, Fujian, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Guangdong, etc.. It should be planted in the north, where the climate is warm and moist, the soil is fertile and wet. If grown, it will not tolerate cold, and its stems and leaves will die when exposed to frost. Water spinach is distributed throughout tropical Asia, Africa and Oceania. In addition to edible vegetables, it can also be used medicinally, internal medicine, antidote diet poisoning, external application for fracture, ascites and unknown swelling poison. Water spinach is also a good source of food.

Water spinach picture

Morphological characteristics of Water spinach

Water spinach is an annual herb, growing or floating in Water. The stem is cylindrical, nodes hollow, nodes rooting, glabrous. The leaf blade shape and size are varied, ovate, long ovoid, long ovoid, lanceolate or lanceolate, 3.5-17 cm long, 0.99-8.5 cm wide, apex acute or acuminate, with small short cusp, base cordate, halberd or arrow-shaped, occasionally truncate, entire or undulate, or sometimes base with a few coarse teeth, sub glabrous or occasionally sparsely pilose on both surfaces; Water spinach petiole is 3 -- 14 cm long, glabrous.

Cymes are axillary peduncles 1.5 -- 9 cm long, base pilose, ascending glabrous, with 1 -- 3 (-5) flowers; Bracts are small scaly, 1.5-2 mm long; Pedicels are 1.5 -- 5 cm long, glabrous;Sepals are nearly equilong, ovate, 7-8 mm long, apically obtuse, with a small short cusp, glabrous outside; Water spinach corolla is white, reddish or purplish red, funnelform, 3.5 -- 5 cm long; Stamens are unequal, filaments basally hairy. The ovary is conical, glabrous.

Water spinach capsule is ovoid to globose, ca. 1 cm, glabrous. Seeds densely are pubescent or sometimes glabrous. 

Water spinach growing environment

Native to the south, Water spinach prefers warm, humid climate, heat and frost resistance, and can be grown throughout the Yangtze River region from April to October.

Water spinach distribution range

Water spinach is widely grown as a vegetable, or sometimes in the wild. It is commonly cultivated in central and southern Provinces of China. Water spinach is distributed throughout tropical Asia, Africa and Oceania. 

Water spinach value

Nutrition

If eaten, Water spinach contains potassium, chlorine and other elements that regulate the balance of Water and liquid. If eaten, it will reduce the acidity of the intestinal tract and prevent the imbalance of intestinal flora, which is beneficial to cancer prevention. The niacin that contains vitamin C can reduce cholesterol, triglyceride, and have the effect of falling fat to reduce weight. The chlorophyll in water convolvulus has "green spirit" to say, can clean teeth to prevent caries to get rid of halitosis, strong and handsome skin.

Water spinach contains abundant crude cellulose, which is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pulp and pectin. It can promote peristalsis, relieve constipation and detoxify the intestine.

Cool Water, vegetable juice can inhibit staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, etc., and prevent infection. Accordingly, if the summer often eats, Water spinach can prevent heat dissolves heat, cool blood detoxification, prevent and cure dysentery. Young shoots contain four times more protein, 12 times more calcium and more carotene than tomatoes of the same size. 

Medicinal

Traits: Stems and leaves often twine into twines. Water spinach stem is oblate, shrunken, longitudinally furrow, with nodes, surface bluish yellow to light brown, nodes or branched, nodes darker, near lower nodes with a few light brown minke roots; Water spinach is tough, not easy to break, hollow section. The leaf blade is shrivelled, grayish green, flat, oval, triangle or lanceolate; The smell is faint. Water spinach has stem and leaf thick, gray - green color for the better.