More On the Edibility of Sweet Potato Leaves

James Waddick jwaddick@kc.rr.com
Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:40:23 PDT
Dear Judy,
	A number of years ago I worked in a zoo that kept Colobus 
leaf monkeys. In the basement of the monkey house we had big troughs 
up on tables with overhead lights. We planted regular store bought 
sweet potatoes and grew them for the leaves which were harvested as a 
special treat for the monkeys.

	At least one of the ornamental sweet potatoes ,although I 
can't recall which one off hand, is the same cv (under a different 
name), from a commercial variety grown for tubers.

	The 'New Oxford Book of Food Plants" says that the tender 
above ground parts of sweet potatoes is routinely eaten as a 
vegetable in Asia.

	And finally, as has been mentioned, the water spinach aka 
Ipomaea aquatica is a morning glory which is a sweet potato in that 
all belong to the same genus.

	I am not suggesting that all parts of all species in the 
genus are edible, but I think all commercial tuber types have edible 
greens when young and tender. and "I think" this applies as well  to 
'Blackie', 'Margaritia', and other ornamental types which all produce 
edible tubers.

	Give us your taste test results and recipes 		Thanks	Jim W.
-- 
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph.    816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
	Summer 100F +


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