water spinach; swamp morning glory; kangkong
A semi-aquatic tropical vegetable (Ipomoea aquatica) used in Southeast and East Asian cuisines. In Japanese, usually referred to by the katakana name ヨウサイ.
In Thai cuisine, water spinach is often used in stir-fries.
Water spinach grows well in wet soil.
Morning glory (Ipomoea nil), a related ornamental plant, not eaten.
Katakana spelling is standard for this plant name; usually written in kana.
Rare kanji form; not in common use.
Rare kanji form; not in common use.
The Japanese name ヨウサイ (ようさい) is derived from Chinese 蕹菜 (wèngcài), referring to the same plant. The kanji forms 雍菜 and 甕菜 are rare and reflect the Chinese characters.