Persicaria hydropiper

(L.) Delarbe

Water pepper, Marshpepper Smartweed

PolygonaceaeLeavesSeeds/NutsSpice/BeveragePotential hazards — see below

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What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves, Seeds, Leaves - spice, Leaves - tea

Young leaves and stems are eaten, with a strong peppery flavor used as a seasoning; they are finely chopped for flavoring. Stalks are roasted, peeled, and eaten. The acrid juice serves as a spice. Young seedlings are used as a garnish. Leaves can be dried for tea.

Known Hazards

The gland-dotted leaves are used as a fish poison. Although no specific mention has been made for this species, there have been reports that some members of this genus can cause photosensitivity in susceptible people. Many species also contain oxalic acid (the distinctive lemony flavour of sorrel) - whilst not toxic this substance can bind up other minerals making them unavailable to the body and leading to mineral deficiency. Having said that, a number of common foods such as sorrel and rhubarb contain oxalic acid and the leaves of most members of this genus are nutritious and beneficial to eat in moderate quantities. Cooking the leaves will reduce their content of oxalic acid. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It grows in shallow water along the edges of creeks and rivers. It grows in wetlands. It grows in open waste places. It suits sunny wet locations. It can grow from the seashore to 1500 m altitude. Tasmania Herbarium. In Yunnan. In Sichuan.

Asia, Australia, Balkans, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bosnia, Britain, Canada, Central Asia, China, Europe, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, SE Asia, Sikkim, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Thailand, USA, Uzkebistan, Vietnam,

Countries: Andorra, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Antigua & Barbuda, Albania, Armenia, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Barbados, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bahrain, Brunei, Bahamas, Bhutan, Belarus, Belize, Canada, Switzerland, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Spain, Finland, Fiji, Micronesia, France, United Kingdom, Grenada, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Croatia, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Kiribati, St Kitts & Nevis, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, St Lucia, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, Marshall Islands, North Macedonia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Malta, Maldives, Mexico, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Norway, Nepal, Nauru, New Zealand, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pakistan, Poland, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Palau, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Sweden, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, San Marino, El Salvador, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tonga, Turkey, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Taiwan, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan, St Vincent, Vietnam, Vanuatu, Samoa, Yemen

How to Identify

An annual herb. The stems are erect and curve upwards. It can be 80-100 cm tall. The stem has many branches. It forms roots at the nodes. The nodes are enlarged and they have a red ring at the base. The leaves are alternate and narrowly sword shaped. They have glands. The leaves narrow towards their base. The leaves have a peppery taste when chewed. There is a stipule or leaf like structures at the base of the leaf stalk. This has bristles. The leaf stalk is 2-5 mm long. The blade is sword shaped and 2-8 cm long by 0.5-2 cm wide. The flowers are in a slender spike. The spike is spread along the stalk. It tends to bend over. The flowering shoots can be 17 cm long. The individual flowers are small and white. There are 2 subspecies suited to temperate and tropical locations.

How to Grow

Persicaria hydropiper is a very widespread plant, found growing from the cold temperate zone to the tropics. Two subspecies are sometimes distinguished - subsp. hydropiper is found in temperate climates, all parts are larger and the fruits are mostly 2-sided, whilst subsp. microcarpa (Danser) Soják is found in tropical climates, all parts are smaller and the fruits are usually 3-sided. A water plant, growing in shallow water or wet soils. Succeeds in most soils if they are wet and dislikes shade. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits.

Propagation: Seed - sow in a pot standing in water or in situ. Germination is usually free and easy. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out when large enough

Medicinal Uses

Water pepper is eaten in Japan, where it is known as tade (蓼), or more specifically, yanagi tade (柳蓼). The leaves of cultivated plants are used as a vegetable, as the wild type has a far more pungent taste. The herb is usually sold in markets as seedlings. Young red sprouts are known as beni-tade (紅蓼), and are used to garnish sashimi, tempura, and sushi. It is popular for summer cooking. The seeds may also be added to wasabi. Water pepper sauce, known as tade-zu (蓼酢), is a sauce traditionally made from finely chopped water pepper leaves, soaked in vinegar, and a small amount of steamed rice. Occasionally, the juice from a squeezed kabosu is added. In Japanese cuisine it is traditionally used as a complement to grilled freshwater fish, but not saltwater fish. In China, water pepper is known as là liǎo (辣蓼) or shuǐ liǎo (水蓼), and used in traditional Chinese medicine. In Indian traditional medicine, leaves of P. hydropiper are used against intestinal helminth infections. A study has proved that P. hydropiper leaves possess noteworthy anthelmintic efficacy and justify their use in traditional medicine against intestinal worms. DOI: 10.1007/s12639-022-01559-2 In Europe, water pepper was once cultivated and eaten during war time as a substitute for pepper. The plant contains many acids, including formic acid, which makes it unpalatable to livestock. Though mammals do not eat wild water pepper, some insects do, giving rise to the Japanese saying "Tade kuu mushi mo sukizuki" (蓼食う虫も好き好き "Some insects eat water pepper and like it"), which may be translated as "There is no accounting for taste" or "Each to his own."

Other Uses

A yellow-gold dye is obtained from the stalks.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Persicaria hydropiper (syn. Polygonum hydropiper), also known as water pepper, marshpepper knotweed, arse smart or tade, is a plant of the family Polygonaceae. A widespread species, Persicaria hydropiper is found in Australia, New Zealand, temperate Asia, Europe and North America. The plant grows in damp places and shallow water. Cultivated varieties are eaten in East Asia for their pungent flavor.

Other Information

It is used as a hot spicy pepper for seaweeds in Japan. It is sold in local markets in China.

Notes

Chemical composition (Chinese sample): Protein = 7.54%. Fat = 1.86%. Carbohydrate = 7.99%. Ash = 1.99%. There are about 50 Polygonum species.

Names & Synonyms

Agagat, An ji ba qian, Behu, Bislangi, Buding, Cacabean, Chaokhong, Common smartweed, Daun senahun, Ganeri, Ngh(eer) n(uw)(ows)c, Ngh(eer) r(aw)m, Numshim-muk, Packur mul, Pani-maricha, Papreni lisac, Pha chi mi, Phak phai nam, Pungent smartweed, Ram-nuoc, Ratnaulo, Rumput tuboh, Si tuba sawah, Smartweed, Tade, Tuba, Tube seluwang, Water pepper, Yanagi-tade

Persicaria acris Gilib.Persicaria hydropiper (L.) OpizPersicaria hydropiper (L.) SpachPersicaria vernalis NakaiPeutalis hydropiper Raf.Polygonum hecasanthum SchurPolygonum hydropiper L.Polygonum koreense NakaiPolygonum obtusifolium SchurPolygonum oleraceum Schur.Polygonum shinzii J. Schust.

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