Night-scented flower, Night-coming scent, Fragrant telosma
Telosma cordata

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A woody climbing creeper. The stems are slender. They are hairy. The leaf stalks are 4-6 cm long. The leaves are broadly heart shaped. They are thin and often wrinkled. They are pointed at the tip. The flower buds are pale green. They open to yellow 5 petalled flowers. They have a scent at night. The fruit are slender pods and 10-14 cm long. The seeds are up to 1 cm long. They are grey-brown.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is best in full sun. It does well in hot, dry, lowland tropical locations. It needs a well drained and fertile soil. It grows in limestone areas. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, China, Europe, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, South America, Thailand, USA, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The young leaves and flowers are eaten in soup. It is also stir fried with egg. A sweet meat is made out of the roots.

It is a cultivated food plant.

Edible parts

Leaves, flowers, fruit, roots

How it is grown

It can be grown by cuttings, layering or seed.

Its other names

Local names

Bak kik, Bunga siam, Bunga tongkeng, Cowslip creeper, Cowslip, Dok kig, Dok kik, East-coast creeper, Guaal manda, Kanjalata, Kha jon, Melati tongkeng, Pakalana, Phak kik, Primrose-creeper, Salit, Seetamanoharam, Thien ly, Tonkin creeper, Yelaixiang, Yexianghua

Synonyms

Asclepias cordata N. L. Burman; Cynanchum odoratissimum Loureiro; Oxystelma ovatum P. T. Li & S. Z. Huang; Pergularia minor Andrews; Pergularia odoratissima (Loureiro) Smith; Telosma minor (Andrews) Craib; Telosma odoratissima (Loureiro) Coville;