Sauropus androgynus
(L.) Merr.
Sweet leaf
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(c) surunivrse, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) surunivrse, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves, Fruit, Flowers, Vegetable
Young leaves make a good addition to salads raw, while older leaves are better cooked — added to soups or cooked with rice. Young shoots about 7cm long, harvested as the leaves unfurl, have a flavour similar to asparagus and a sweet taste reminiscent of fresh garden peas. The leaves are a good source of protein, approximately 6–10%, and are very nutritious overall. Ripe fruits can be made into sweetmeats. A green dye obtained from the leaves is used for food colouring.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It occurs commonly in SE Asia. It can grow in partial shade or full sun. It suits the hot humid lowlands. It will grow in heavy clay soils and will grow in acid soils. In Java it grows up to 1,600 m above sea level. At MARDI. In Yunnan.
Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Ecuador, East Timor, Fiji, FSM, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Pohnpei, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, USA, Vietnam,
How to Identify
A low growing shrub with small red flowers. It continues to grow from year to year. It grows 0.8-2 m tall. It can grow 6 m tall. It tends to grow upright then falls over due to its weight. It branches little. Compound leaves on the sides of the stems bear flowers along their underside. Male and female flowers are on the same plant. The flowers are in drooping clusters. The fruit are purple. The fruit are about 1 cm across and open and drop their seed at maturity. See Breynia androgyna.
Nutrition Score: 58/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaves | 81 | 244 | 58 | 4.8 | 133 | 85 | 2.7 | — |
How to Grow
It is grown from cuttings. Cuttings grow easily. Pruning encourages more upright shoots. It can also be grown from seed. Seed only remain viable for a few months. It is often grown as a hedge. Cuttings for this are placed 10 cm apart. Adding shade (shade cloth) and fertiliser can be used to force the leaf tips to grow rapidly. Normally bushes are planted about 60 cm apart.
Propagation: Seed is produced abundantly and germinates readily. Cuttings also strike readily; somewhat woody shoots 20–30cm long are used.
Medicinal Uses
The leaves are used medicinally to treat coughs and soothe the lungs, as a general tonic, and as a febrifuge to relieve internal fever.
Other Uses
Plants can be grown as a hedge provided they are trimmed regularly to keep them in check. They are commonly used as a living fence or to provide shade for vegetable crops.
Wikipedia
Sauropus androgynus is a fast-growing evergreen shrub reaching 3 meters tall and wide. Hardy to UK zone 10, it adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils, preferring well-drained conditions but tolerating heavy clay and poor nutrition. It grows across mildly acidic to mildly alkaline pH ranges and tolerates both semi-shade and full sun, adapting to dry or moist soil conditions.
Production
Young leaves can be harvested 4 months after planting. The top 15 cm of young leaf tips are picked. It gives a high yield of leaves. Production continues year round. Shrubs last a long time.
Other Information
It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is a popular vegetable often sold in local markets.
Notes
Demo. There are about 50 Sauropus species. It is high in Vitamin A and Vitamin B. It is also high in alpha-tocopherol or Vitamin E - 79.6 mg per 100 g. They have also been put in the family Euphorbiaceae. It possibly has anti-cancer properties.
Names & Synonyms
Babing, Boa kaalhulun, Bo ngot, Cekur manis, Chakur mani, Changkok manis, Chekkurmensis, Chekup manis, Chekurmanis, Chermela hutan, Chinese malunggay, Daun katuk, Dieng-soh-pit, Gam oying, Hanvoti, Kakul, Kantong, Katu, Katuk, Katukan, Malunggay hapon, Ma-shaw, Mella dum kola, Midum-an, Mithapotro, Nasi-nasi, Ngop, Ngub, Pak-wan, Pakwan, Pakwanban, Pamao, Pa wan, Pawing, Phak waan baan, Phak waan, Phak wan ban, Poshi, Qi du, Rau ngot, Rau nyot, Ruridama no ki, Sengtungrung, Shou gong mu, Shu tian cai, Simani, So-kun-mu, Star gooseberry, Sweet shoot, Tarok manis, Taruak manih, Thavasai murungai
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