The kang kong as it is commonly known here is another popular leafy vegetable. It has another common English name that is the water spinach, which indicates its growth habit and adaptation – the ability to grow in water. There are several cultivars that are being grown locally, most can be differentiated by the shape of the leaves. I know there is one that is called the broad leaf kang kong and another is the narrow leaf kang kong.
I would call it a marginal plant because it grows near the water edge and somehow floats on the water surface. It has hollow stems which is probably how it keeps itself afloat? Because of this characteristic, this vegetable is known by the Chinese as “空心菜” which translates into “hollow stem vegetable”.
It is a fast-growing green and can be harvested 30 days after seeds are being sown, if growing conditions are ideal. The tender growing tips are harvested for food. It can be grown like a ‘cut-and-come-again’ vegetable where stumps can be allowed to regenerate after the growth tips have been harvested.
Due to this practice, many of us do not have the chance to see what the kang kong’s flower looks like. In fact, if allowed to grow on its own, this plant can become a sprawling vine and yes, it does climb up any support, by twining its stems around it! Sounds like the habit of a morning glory isn’t it?
Indeed, the kangkong is a close relative of the morning glory! Its scientific name is Ipomoea aquatica, which translates into “aquatic” morning glory. The flowers of the kang kong are a pure white and like its morning glory counterparts, are rather fragile and not very long lasting.
