Elatostema laetevirens — Edible Plant Database

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves, Stem

Young leaves are edible when cooked.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It grows along the edges of rivers in the mountains. In Northeastern India it grows between 1,700-2,000 m above sea level.

Asia, India, Japan, Northeastern India,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A perennial reaching 30cm tall. Monoecious with male and female flowers on the same plant. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils across mildly acid, neutral, and basic alkaline pH levels. Grows in semi-shade and prefers moist soil.

How to Grow

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in most parts of this country. It is likely to require woodland conditions.

Propagation: No specific information is available for this species, but sowing seed in a cold frame in spring is suggested. Once seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow on in the greenhouse for at least the first winter. Plant out into permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring should also be possible.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Other Uses

None known.

Wikipedia

A perennial reaching 30cm tall. Monoecious with male and female flowers on the same plant. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils across mildly acid, neutral, and basic alkaline pH levels. Grows in semi-shade and prefers moist soil.

Notes

There are about 200 Elatostema species.

Names & Synonyms

E. sessile cuspidatum. non Wedd.

References (3)

Chen, B. & Qiu, Z., Consumer's Attitudes towards Edible Wild Plants, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. p 23 www.hindawi.com/journals/ijfr/aip/872413.pdf
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Tsering, J., et al, 2017, Ethnobotanical appraisal on wild edible plants used by the Monpa community of Arunchal Pradesh. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol 16(4), October 2017, pp 626-637