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.
Beautiful shots & really informative.
I write and edit http://www.teleflora.com/flowerblog and I’m hoping to start a dialogue on gardening.
Hope you’ll check out the blog.
Best,
Jacqueline
I have not come across this spinach before. Very interesting
I live in Adelaide, South Australia and I love to grow Asian vegetables. Although our summers are dry, growing things such as kang kong (or water spinach) in water gives them the humidity they need. It is not easy to get the seeds here but I am having some success taking cuttings from vegetables available in local markets.. Lots of Asian greens such as bok choy, wombok etc grow beautifully here during autumn and winter, despite the cold. Check my blog for posts by my seedsavers group
http://hillsandplainsseedsavers.blogspot.com/
Nice and a very informative article.
Kangkong is a common vegetable in the Philippines and I used to grow the variety as pictured. We call this the upland kangkong, as distinguished from the marsh kangkong since the latter grows on water bodies such as ponds and rivers. It’s a very prolific plant and multiplies well if harvested often. It tastes fantastic too, whether in soups, stews, or plainly stir-fried.
Upland kangkong is propagated by seed while marsh kangkong grows by cuttings. This vegetable is very easy to grow.