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Summary

Physical Characteristics

Rungia klossii is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Rungia klossii S.Moore is an unresolved name

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Shoots
Edible Uses:

Leaves and young shoots - raw, cooked or used as a flavouring[301 , 658 ]. The leaves are often cooked together with the leaves of Setaria palmifolia[317 ]. The mushroom flavor increases with cooking (in soups or stews). After harvesting, the leaves will only keep for 2 - 3 days[658 ]. A commercially cultivated vegetable. One of the main and most popular greens in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. A nutritious plant that is higher in protein than mushrooms, it contains calcium, vitamin C, beta-carotene, iron and other vitamins and minerals.

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Vitamin C

None Known

References More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Agroforestry Uses: It is mostly grown in mixed cropping situations with sweet potato or Setaria pitpit[658 ]. pot plant/house plant. Ornamental.

Special Uses

Food Forest

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

A plant of the moist tropics, where it is found mainly at elevations from 1,000 - 2,000 metres, though it can also be grown down to sea level[658 ]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 12 - 17°c, but can tolerate 12 - 29°c[418 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 1,200mm, but tolerates 500 - 2,000mm[418 ]. Prefers a sunny position[418 ]. It prefers a reasonably fertile soil, preferably moist, but will grow in most soils[658 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.2, tolerating 5 - 7[418 ]. The plant grows reasonably slowly[658 ]. The shoot tips and upper leaves can be harvested from about 2 - 4 months after planting out, with harvesting continuing at 1 - 2 monthly intervals for 2 years or more[658 ]. Regular picking keeps the branches short and productive of leaves[658 ]. A commercially cultivated vegetable. One of the main and most popular greens in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. The tips are picked with 2 - 3 leaves on then, each tip weighing about 0.8g. Total yields can be 2 kg/plant/year. If the plants were spaced at 50cm spacing this would give a yield of 4 kg per square metre of garden[658 ].

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Propagation

Seed. Stem cuttings. The plant is grown from cuttings which are about 25cm long. A clump of stems are sown together - these often already have roots developing from the nodes, or very quickly develop roots. It can be planted at any time of the year[658 ].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Acanth spinach; shombay; moku; tani; kenkaba

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Asia, Australia, Indonesia, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Nigeria, SE Asia, Tasmania, USA, West Africa.

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 :

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other

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

S.Moore

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.

Rungia klossii - S.Moore