KangKong (Ipomea aquatica Torsk)

Scientific name: Ipomea aquatica Tors

English: Potato Vine, Swamp Cabbage;

Tagalog: Kangkong

A smooth, widely spreading vine, with the stems trailing on mud or floating on water. Leaves are oblong-ovatem 7-14 cm long, with a pointed tip and heart- or arrow-shaped base, long petiole, the margins entire or angular, and sub-lobed. The peduncles are erect, 2.5 to 5 cm long, with 1 or 2 flowers in the axis of the leaves. Sepals are green, oblong, about 8 mm. The corolla is narrowly bell-shaped, about 5 mm long, and purplish with the tube deeper purple inside.

DistributionThroughout the Philippines in stagnant streams, fresh-water swamps, and pools.

Parts used and preparationYoung leaves and stems

Nutritional Uses 

• Young leaves and stems eaten as a leafy vegetable.
• Young stems popular as achara (native pickles) ingredient.
• Good sources of iron, calcium, vitamins B and C.
• Tops are mildly laxative. The purplish variety used for diabetes because of assumed insulin-like principle it contains. Juice used as emetic. Dried latex is purgative. Poultice of buds used for ringworm.