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Talinum fruticosum
Also called Verdolaga Francesa, Waterleaf, Philippine Spinach, Surinam Purslane, Sweetheart
In Singapore: Surinum Purslane, Ceylon Spinach, Waterleaf (Cultivated in Singapore)
Ceylon spinach is a fleshy-leaved herbaceous perennial grown as a leafy vegetable in warm tropical regions. It thrives in warm, sunny conditions with regular moisture and is harvested for its tender leaves.
Talinum fruticosum is a herbaceous perennial plant that is native to Mexico, the Caribbean, West Africa, Central America, and much of South America. Common names include Ceylon spinach, waterleaf, cariru, Gbure, Surinam purslane, Philippine spinach, Florida spinach, potherb fameflower, sweetheart, and Kutu bataw in Ghana from the Akan language . In Nigeria it is known as Mgbolodi in Igbo, Efo Gbure in Yoruba, Alenyruwa in Hausa,[1] and Moin-moin Ikong in Efik It is widely grown in tropical regions as a leaf vegetable. In the Mithila region of the Indian subcontinent, it is locally known as Raja Rani Saag.
As a leaf vegetable, T. fruticosum is rich in vitamins, including vitamins A and C, and minerals such as iron and calcium . Because it is high in oxalic acid, consumption should be avoided or limited by those suffering from kidney disorders, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis . It is cultivated in West Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the warmer parts of North and South America. In Brazil it is grown along the banks of the Amazon River, and is consumed mainly in the states of Pará and Amazonas.
[Contains information from Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Heritage Trees from data.gov.sg (National Parks Board), made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0]
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Talinum fruticosum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
