WATER LEAF (Sambar Cheera)

INTRODUCTION TO LESSER KNOWN

VEGETABLES AND FRUIT SPECIES OF KERALA

                                  VOL.5

Common Name:-    Water leaf

Malayalam Name:- Sambar Cheera

Water leaf flower

Other Names:-

                                 Ceylon Spinach

                 Surinam purslane,

                 Philippine spinach,

                 Florida spinach,

                                 Lagos bologi.

Botanical Name:- Talinum Triangulara

This is a shade loving leafy vegetable grown throughout the year. The crop is adapted to a wide range of soil conditions.  The leaves and succulent stems are used for preparing curries. Nutritive value is almost the same as amaranth.

Nutritive Value:-

       Water leaf is considered as an ethnic food with high nutritional value, it has a rich amount of protein in almost the same as amaranth.

The leaves and succulent stems are good sources of iron, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C.

Planting method:-

It is easy to propagate and very economical since we can plant it almost in any soil.

Prepare the land by ploughing or digging followed by levelling. Then shallow trenches of width 30-35 cm are made 30 cm apart.  Plant Semi hard stem cuttings of 10-15 cm length in the shallow trenches at a distance of 30 cm in two rows.

The average yield is 2.0-2.5 kg/m2.

Medicinal Value:-

        The experimental work in animals done by the University of Ilorin, has shown that  Water leaf   reduces fatty liver and cholesterol.

Food Value:-

Water leaf can be prepared just like spinach or amaranth. It can stir-fry or make curries just like  spinach.

Foot Note:-

Water leaf could absorb heavy metals more than other plants. So we should be careful that we use good soil for planting  Water leaf .