Ham-ech, Chinese lizard's tail
Saururus chinensis

Family: Saururaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows up to 1 m tall. It is often 30-40 cm high. The leaves are oval and pale green. They are 10-13 cm long. The flowers are naked and along a stalk. They are creamy white.

There are 2 Saururus species.

Where it is found

It grows in bogs. In China it grows between 100-1,700 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, India, Indochina, Japan, Korea, Philippines, SE Asia, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The rhizomes/tubers are boiled and eaten.

Edible parts

Rhizomes, root

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seed or division.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Spathium chinense Lour.; Saururopsis chinensis (Lour.) Turcz.; etc