Translate this page:

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Talinum fruticosum is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.4 m (1ft 4in) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects.
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 dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Some works treat T. fruticosum (L.) Juss., and T. triangulare (Jacq.) Willd., as separate and distinct species, whilst others treat T. triangulare as a synonym of T. fruticosum. Calandrinia andrewsii (Sweet) Sweet. Calandrinia lockhartii Sweet. Calandrinia pachypoda Diels. Claytonia triangularis (Jacq.) Kuntze. Portulaca crassicaule Jacq. Portulaca crassifolia Jacq. Portulaca fruticosa L. Portulaca racemosa L. Portulaca triangularis Jacq. Ruelingia triangularis (Jacq.) Ehrh. T. andrewsii Sweet. T. attenuatum Rose & Standl. T. confusum Rose & Standl. T. crassifolium (Jacq.) Willd. T. fruticosum Macfad. [Illegitimate]. T. mucronatum Kunth. T. racemosum (L.) Rohrb. T. revolutum Kunth. T. triangulare (Jacq.) Willd.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers Leaves Shoots
Edible Uses: Colouring

Leaves and flowers - raw in salads or cooked [299, 300 ]. Young shoots, 15 - 20cm long, are used [300 ]. The shoots are used in making soups, stews etc. [300 ]. Combined with the leaves of eru (Gnetum species) and fufu (a starchy dish), it is considered a delicacy; the tender shoots of waterleaf acting to soften the tough leaves of eru [299 ]. Best lightly steamed, they should not be overcooked, or they will become excessively soft and mucilaginous [301, 317 ]. The leaves are used as a colouring agent in okra soup [299 ]. The leaves have a slightly sour taste; they can be finely chopped and added to salads [301 ]. Many forms of this plant have a high concentration of calcium oxalate (see notes above on toxicity), though this is easily destroyed on cooking [300 ]. T. fruticosum is rich in vitamins, including vitamins A and C, and minerals such as iron and calcium. It is cultivated in West Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the warmer parts of North and South America. Along with Celosia species, T. fruticosum is one of the most important leaf vegetables of Nigeria.

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.
Hypoglycaemic Tonic Vitamin C

The plant has some medicinal uses [317 ]. The plant (part not specified) is used as a treatment for measles and diabetes [299 ]. A tonic is made from the fleshy root [299 ].

References More on Medicinal Uses

Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens.

An important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth.

Other Uses

Ornamental enough for the flower garden. Showy pink flowers with interesting leaf shape and arrangement. Pots: needs excellent drainage. Bee-Attracting.

Special Uses

Food Forest

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It grows best in the humid conditions of lowland tropical areas, though it can succeed at elevations up to 1,000 metres [300 ]. It grows best in areas where the mean annual temperature is within the range of 22 - 30 ?c, though it can tolerate 15 - 36 ?c [418 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, tolerating 500 - 3,000mm [418 ]. Light shade can improve leaf production [300 ]. It prefers a well-drained but moist, humus-rich fertile soil, though it will succeed in relatively poor soils [300 ]. It prefers a pH in the range of 5 - 6.5 but can tolerate 4.5 - 7 [418 ]. The plant will grow adequately in poorer conditions, including some drought and a little shade. It can grow in arid places. Plants are relatively tolerant of drought, adopting a crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). This results in the effective use of available moisture, with carbon dioxide assimilation continuing during the night and increased growth [299 ]. Waterleaf was probably originally native of tropical America; it has now become a weed with pantropical distribution [418 ]. It can become a weed in cultivated or disturbed land, including roadsides and near homesteads, but few farmers worry about it since its roots are shallow and the plant is easy to remove [299 ]. Plants grown in short day-length conditions rarely exceed 45cm in height [300 ]. The leaves and tender stems can keep being produced for up to a year. Older plants can be cut back and allowed to sprout again. The first harvest can take place about 35 - 45 days after sowing the seed and continues every two weeks for about one year [300 ]. Leaf tips may be picked every two weeks for up to a year. Normally the top shoots are picked out first to let the side shoots grow. Yields have been estimated to be about 10 kilos per square metre of the crop [418 ]. The yield range is 10 - 60 tonnes per hectare[299 ]. There are some named varieties[300 ]. This species photosynthesize by a more efficient method than most plants. Called the 'C4 carbon-fixation pathway', this process is particularly efficient at high temperatures, in bright sunlight and under dry conditions[196 ]. Will Naturalize. Suitable as an annual. Pots: needs excellent drainage.

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Celsius Fahrenheit:

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.

Shop Now

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ or in a nursery seedbed. The small seeds are usually mixed with a fine sand before sowing[299 ]. Seed collection is difficult because the seed capsules split open very easily and the small seeds drop out. Germination takes place after about 5 days and subsequent growth is very rapid if adequate water is supplied. Seedlings can be transplanted into their permanent positions when 3 weeks old[299 ]. Cuttings of young shoots 15 - 20cm long root readily[300 ].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Ceylon spinach, waterleaf, cariru, Gbure, Philippine spinach, Florida spinach, potherb fameflower, sweetheart, and Kutu bataw. Adwera, Alfavaca, Alengalenga, Ama, Ambioko, Amlotshi pui, Born'de, oboro, Busum-muru, Carambola rosada, Caruru, Gbure, Guele guele, Gure, Kamplekankan'de, Konkolo, Kpame, Krokot belanda, Lagos Bologi, Lipopi, Makilmoron, Makwelekwele, Melelu, Neputu, Ngml-ongmle, Ngolu, Nti-0ke, Odondon, Pasali, Pinari, Potherb fameflower, Sam dat ba canh, Sansa banzenza, Sese, Surinam purslane, Sweetheart, Tho nhan sam ba canh, Yemontuou [1-4].

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

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

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Congo DR, C?te d'Ivoire, East Africa, East Timor, Fiji, Ghana, Guianas, Guinea, Guin?e, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Malaysia, Mexico, Niger, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, Philippines, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies [1-4].

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.

It can become a weed in cultivated or disturbed land, including roadsides and near homesteads, but few farmers worry about it since its roots are shallow and the plant is easy to remove[299 ].

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
Talinum aurantiacum	Orange Flameflower	Perennial	0.4	-		LMH	SN	M	1	0

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

(L.) Juss.

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.

Talinum fruticosum - (L.) Juss.