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Sunday, June 15, 2014

EDIBLE WEEDS : PART 8

KREMA

This is the previous series of the Edible Weeds Series.
Krema or Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeriodes) is a common weed on the rice field or home garden.
This plant is usually found on the damp and muddy area.
But it can grow well on the dry land.
As an aquatic plant,  the leaves and the stem is much bigger when it grow on the muddy than on the drier area.
The flower is  whitish, papery-ball shaped a ball shaped and grow on a stalk that bear at the leaf axil.
The stem is long, hollow,and branched.


The whole of the plant (especially the shoot and the young leaves) is usually steamed or boiled, and eaten with sambal (ground chili sauce).
Sometime it's cooked as a soup.  
Krema is also well known as medicinal plant to treat urination disorder and a home remedy for cough.



This plant is very invasive, especially on the wet land.
When this weed invades waterways it can reduce water flow and quality by preventing light penetration also oxygenation of the water.


Enjoy your week... and check your weeds...
Perhaps they are so useful...

20 comments:

  1. It's very interesting, I like using weeds in many ways. They really can be useful :)

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    1. Thank you. Sometime their benefits are unpredictable, so fantastic.

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  2. Di kampung saya di panggil daun keremak. Banyak tumbuh di sekeliling rumah. Saya tahu boleh makan tetapi tidak pernah mencuba. Kawan ibu saya seorang India, selalu datang mengutipnya untuk disayurkan.

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    1. Disini juga ada yg menyebutnya bayam kramek. Sering dijual di pasar tradisional di daerah kami, bersama weeds yg lain.

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  3. You will not go hungry with your knowledge of plants!

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    1. Yeah... like a deer on the meadow. Sometimes my friends call me 'pretty deer' cause I eat too much leaves, especially weeds. LOL...

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  4. It is amazing how many edible weeds are ignored. I guess it's the thought of getting iot wrong and eating the wrong thing or something that has been used by animals

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    1. Every time we learn more about a plant, we will know more about its benefit. Some 'waste' may have so many benefit, so useful. I'm sure nothing in this world are useless. May be not all are explored yet.

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  5. Another useful plant. We call them weeds but they're anything but really when you know what to use them for.

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    1. We have never known about the benefit of something before we explore it. Especially about the plant.

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  6. Well it is good to know that even though it is invasive it has so many uses! i would grow it in a pot! How awesome! Happy week to you! Nicole xo

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    1. Yes, I'm agree with you. I think grow invasive plant in a pot is a good idea. Pot or other container will restrict it growth.
      Thank you for coming and have a nice week!

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  7. Every plant is weed to someone and edible fruit to others. Every year I see dozens of people that harvest Black bryony in forest around my house, they all swear that it's delicious and I hate it. It kills my plants with it's aggressive vines.

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    1. Yes, I think you're alright. It means 'Right plant on the right place'.

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  8. I can’t say I have heard of this one before, but I know of lots of plants that are edible that no one eats anymore because we simply don’t know or think about that we can eat them. All fuchsia plants are edible and I often leave some of the flowers to produce berries as they taste lovely and sweet. I don’t think many people do that :-)

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    1. Wow... I have never known that fuchsia produce edible berries. I have never seen the berries. I hope you will share about the berries on your post forward. Thank you.

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  9. Nice to know about the weeds and it's importance. Thanks for sharing!

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  10. salam endah, i never see this kind of weeds in my garden...look so fresh!

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    1. Salam Ana, you may find this weed on the edge of the pond, river, rice field, lake or other damp areas.
      Thank you for visiting.

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