Spiny vegetable
Aralia armata

Family: Araliaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 1-2 m tall. The stems are thin and have curved spines. The branches are drooping. The leaves are twice divided into leaflets along the stalk. The smaller sections have 9-10 leaflets that are egg shaped. They are 4-8 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. There are small spines on the veins. The flowers are small and yellow-green on long stalks. The fruit are round and fleshy and black.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. In Vietnam it grows in the highlands. In southern China it grows in valleys and on the edges of forests below 1,600 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Malaysia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The young leaves are boiled and eaten. They are used to flavour meat and fish. The young unopened flowers are cooked and eaten.

Leaves are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable, flowers, fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ci bao cai, Cuong, Dinh lang gai, Don chau chau, Dong gong lu, Lingdon, Naosek nambi, Pa dan, Tataterang, Tengnang, Thang ao, Turei, Saifok

Synonyms

Aralia tengyuehensis C. Y. Wu; Panax armatus Wall. ex G. Don;