Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Asystasia gangetica

Edible: Leaves, Stems, Flowers, Vegetable

An erect herb. It can clamber over other objects. It can keep growing from year to year. It can also be grown each year from seed. It grows 60-100 cm high. The leaves are oval or heart shaped. They are 3-6 cm long. The flowers are bell shaped. They have lobes which flare out. They are light violet with a light yellow throat. They can be all yellow. They occur in spikes. The flowers are 3-5 cm wide. The fruit is a capsule that splits open. It is cylinder shaped and 2.5 cm long.

It is a tropical plant. It grows near Chennai in India. It grows naturally in India and Malaysia and probably East Africa. It prefers moderate moisture but can tolerate dry periods. It can grow in full sun or light shade. It grows in the lowlands. It suits hardiness zones 9-12. In Yunnan.

Common Names: Chinese violet, Aconge, Acongwe wang-gweno, Acwe, Anamala, Akoussimekpe, Atchelekman, Atolleta, Azeman, Avokombiby, Candindjaon, Coromandel, Degnuman, Ecoto, Enkosida, Futsure, Futswe, Ganges primrose, Ganges-violet, Hedul, Huyet bo, Isihobo, Kianjoro, Lanjokobi, Lavana-valli, Liman, Lobiri, Mampody vady, Medday keerai, Mella, Midchy keeray, Mungera tappeta, Namu, Nasubgwi, Odipa ikong, Oak oumsrab, Omigalin, Owuru, Pobunga, Redampa, Tala-kushe, Temba, Tikini, Torbol, Tropical primrose, Tropical violet, Umegarin, Upputhali, Yefe

Synonyms:

Asystasia coromandelina Wight ex Nees;
Asystasia podostachys Klotzsch;
Asystasia violacea Dalz. non C.B.Clarke;
Justicia gangetica L.;