Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Ipomoea aquatica - Kangkong

Edible Portion: Leaves, Vegetable, Fruit, Roots

Kangkong is a creeping sweet potato like plant. It has hollow stems and can float on water. The leaves are green and are normally not divided like some sweet potato leaves, but the shape and size varies a little between different kinds. The trumpet shaped flower looks like a sweet potato flower and is normally white. The runners develop roots at the nodes and also branch.This branching increases when tips are picked off. Some variation in leaf shape can be observed. Leaf shape is less variable than in the related sweet potato, but narrow and broad leafed kinds occur. White and green stemmed kinds occur. Green stemmed kinds have more cold tolerance than white stemmed.

Common Names: Kangkong, Ajuwaella, Antarika, Arkala, Ballesoppu, Bhui koohala, Bilebo, Bola-bola, Boong, Chidledelane, Demblamuna, Dine thamnunglai, Djambo, Efo odo, Emene, Emenninodo, Engtsai, Galatgat, Ganthian, Itambeleta, Jal kalmi, Kalamasaga, Kalamba-saga, Kalembula, Kalmi ara, Kalmi sag, Kalmi shak, Kalmi-sag, Kalmisak, Kalmou, Kalmua, Kamli basak, Kangkung, Kango, Kankon, Kankoon, Kankun, Kangkuang, Karamta, Karembua, Karmbhu, Kaoasang, Karmi ara, Karmotabhaji, Kazun-galay, Kazun-ywet, Kholmo, Koilangu, Kolamni, Kollamni, Kolom sak, Kolmi, Kolmou, Kolmow sak, Kozhuppa, Kulum, Mande, Mandemaigong, Monde moigong, Nadishaka, Nal, Nalanibhaji, Nali-ka-sag, Nali, Nallibhaji, Nari, Narini bhaji, Nelichi bhaji, Ong choy, Pak boong, Pak bung, Panbhaji, Patua-sag, Phak bong, Phak bung, Pond Morning Glory, Quelo, Rau muong che, Rau muong, Sarnali, Sarkareivalli, Swamp Morning Glory, Tach, Talata, Tegada, Te kangkong, Trakuen, Tutikura, Tuti-saga, Ung tsai, Ung ts'oi, Vellaikeerai, Vellay keeray, Weng cai, Ye-kazun

Synonyms: 

Convolvulus repens Vahl;
Ipomoea natans Dinter & Suess.;
Ipomoea repens Roth;
Ipomoea reptans Poiret;
Ipomoea sagittaefolia Hochr.;
Ipomoea subdentata Miquel;