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Summary

Gynura procumbens, also known as Longevity Spinach or Sambung Nyawa, is a perennial climbing plant native to Southeast Asia. The leaves of the plant are used in traditional medicine. The leaves are green and fleshy and taste like green beans. Young leaves and shoots are eaten fresh in salads or added to rice or noodle dishes. Cook like spinach, sauté in butter or oil and a little garlic or add to soups or stews. They are used as a vegetable or as a flavouring for food. The specific epithet procumbens means lying flat on the ground or creeping forward. Harvesting: Leaves throughout the growing season from spring to early autumn.

Physical Characteristics

Gynura procumbens is an evergreen Perennial Climber growing to 2 m (6ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Cacalia cylindriflora Wall. [Invalid]. Cacalia finlaysoniana Wall. [Invalid]. Cacalia procumbens Lour. Cacalia reclinata Roxb. Cacalia sarmentosa Blume. Cacalia sarmentosa Lesch. ex Blume. Crassocephalum baoulense (Hutch. & Dalziel) Milne-Redh. Crassocephalum latifolium S.Moore. G. buntigii S.Moore. G. affinis Turcz. G. agusanensis Elmer. G. baoulensis Hutch. & Dalziel. G. cavalerei H.L?v. G. clementis Merr. G. finlaysoniana DC. G. latifolia (S.Moore) Elmer. G. lobbiana Turcz. G. piperi Merr. G. pubigera Bold. G. sarmentosa (Blume) DC. G. scabra Turcz. Senecio baoulensis A.Chev. Senecio mindoroensis Elmer.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Shoots
Edible Uses: Condiment

Edible Uses Leaves - cooked [332 ]. The leaves are green and fleshy and said to taste like green beans. Young leaves and shoots are eaten fresh in salads or added to rice or noodle dishes. Cook like spinach, sauté in butter or oil and a little garlic or add to soups or stews. They are used as a vegetable or as a flavouring for food [301, 332 ].

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

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Antidiarrhoeal Antirheumatic Dysentery Febrifuge Hypoglycaemic Hypotensive Kidney

The plant is febrifuge [332 ]. It is used in the treatment of fevers, kidney troubles and dysentery [332 ]. The semi-succulent leaves are applied externally to relieve rheumatic pains and general body pains [332 ]. As a folk medicine in Singapore, the leaves are used to lower blood pressure and reduce blood sugar levels.

References More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Agroforestry Uses: This plant can be used as a ground cover and is beneficial for soil health. It also attracts pollinators and can be integrated into a permaculture garden. The plant is grown in the rice area of Mindanao in the Philippine Islands as a 'remedy for rice aphids', but the manner of its action is not clear [332 ]. Other Uses: A useful forage plant for poultry. Pots; Suitable in 3 gallons (12L) or larger. 1. Nectary - Flowers rich in nectar and pollen: Yes – Gynura procumbens produces flowers that can attract pollinators, providing nectar and pollen. 2. Wildlife - Food (Fruit, Seeds, Leaf litter, Shelter, Nesting, Roosting): Yes – The leaves are edible and consumed by various insects and herbivores. The plant itself can offer some cover, but it is not specifically noted for nesting or roosting. 3. Invertebrate Shelter (Overwintering sites, Leaf litter, Groundcover): Yes – The dense foliage can provide some shelter for invertebrates, and the leaf litter can support beneficial insects, although it may not be a primary overwintering site. 4. Pest Confuser (Smell): Yes – The aromatic properties of the leaves may help confuse pests and attract beneficial insects, though specific studies on its effectiveness in this regard are limited.

Special Uses

Food Forest

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Gynura procumbens is a small tropical perennial herb or climber grown indoors in colder climates. It is a close relative of Okinawa Spinach (Gynura crepioides). They are growing to 1 - 3 m in height with a scandent (climbing) growth habit. The specific epithet procumbens means lying flat on the ground or creeping forwards, in reference to the growth habit. The branches are trimmed to make a bushy plant or staked. Position: Sun / part shade. Soil preference: Well-drained. Leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season, generally from spring to early autumn. Gynura procumbens typically flowers in late summer to autumn. Longevity spinach is a fast-growing perennial, with the ability to reach maturity within a few months under optimal conditions.

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Plant Propagation

Seed. Longevity spinach is very easy to grow and propagate from cuttings.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Longevity Spinach, Longevity Greens, Akar sebiak, Akar, Bau dat, Daun dewa, Ebure, Gipoi, Kacham akar, Kelemai merah, Kim that, Phti angkam, Rau hung lui, Sambung nyawa, Mollucan Spinach, Leaves of the Gods, Bai Bing Ca.

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Guangdong Sheng, Guizhou Sheng, Hainan Sheng, Yunnan Sheng,China. TROPICAL ASIA: India, Arunachal Pradesh, Papua New Guinea, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, AFRICA: Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria.

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so itâ€™s worth checking.

None Known

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Not Listed.

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Gynura segetum		Perennial	0.0	-		LMH	SN	M	0	2

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

Expert comment

Author

(Lour.) Merr.

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

Gynura procumbens - (Lour.) Merr.