''Houttuynia cordata'', also known as fish mint, fish leaf, rainbow plant, chameleon plant, heart leaf, fish wort, or Chinese lizard tail, is one of two species in the genus ''

Houttuynia ''Houttuynia'' is a genus of two species in the Saururaceae native to Southeast Asia. One species, '' H. cordata'', is widely cultivated as a culinary herb. The genus was originally described in 1783 by Carl Peter Thunberg when he formally ...

'' (the other being ''H. emeiensis''). It is a

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...

native to

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...

. It grows in moist, shady locations. It was named after Martinus Houttuyn.

Growth

''Houttuynia cordata'' is a

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition o ...

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

that can grow to , spreading up to . The proximal part of the stem is trailing and produces

adventitious root Important structures in plant development are buds, shoots, roots, leaves, and flowers; plants produce these tissues and structures throughout their life from meristems located at the tips of organs, or between mature tissues. Thus, a living pla ...

s, while the distal part of the stem grows vertically. The

leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

are alternate, broadly heart-shaped, long and broad. Its

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanis ...

s are greenish-yellow and borne on a terminal spike long with four to six large white basal

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or o ...

s. It normally blooms in the summer. It is considered an invasive plant because of its ability to regrow rhizomes from any segment of its foliage.

Cultivation

''Houttuynia cordata'' grows in moist to wet soil or slightly submerged in water, as long as it is exposed partially or fully to the sun. It can become invasive in gardens and difficult to eradicate as their roots run deep and actively spread. It propagates by division. It is usually found in one of its cultivated forms in temperate gardens. The 'Chameleon' variety (synonymous with ''H.cordata'' 'Court Jester', 'Tricolour', and 'Variegata') is slightly less vigorous than the parent species, with stubbier leaves mottled in both yellow and red. Another common variety, 'Flore Pleno', has masses of white bracts and retains the vigor of the parent species. ''Houttuynia cordata'' has been naturalized in North America.

Usage

Culinary use

It is commonly grown as a leaf vegetable, and is used as a fresh herbal garnish. The leaf has an unusual taste that is often described as 'fishy' (earning it the nickname "fish mint"). In northeastern India, it is commonly used in salads, salsas, or cooked with other vegetables, and as a garnish over side dishes. The tender roots can also be ground into

chutney A chutney is a spread in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion or mint dipping sauce ...

s along with dry meat or fish, chilies, and

tamarind Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is probably indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the family Fabacea ...

. It is taken raw as salad and cooked along with fish as fish curry. In Japan and Korea, its dried leaves may be used as an herbal tea, which is believed to have healing properties. It is called ドクダミ茶 ("dokudami-cha") in Japan. In Vietnamese cuisine, it is called '' diếp cá'', and it is used with grilled meat and noodle salad dishes.Vietnamese Herbs: Fish Mint
Accessed 9 October 2018. Fish mint may be used as a garnish with several Vietnamese dishes, such as '' gỏi cuốn,'' stir-fried beef with fish mint salad, and ''

bánh xèo ''Bánh xèo'' (, ) is a crispy, stuffed rice pancake popular in Vietnam. The name refers to the sound (from ''xèo'' – 'sizzling') the rice batter makes when it is poured into the hot skillet. It is a savoury fried pancake made of rice flour, ...

''.

''Zhé'ěrgēn'' ( Chinese: 折耳根, "broken ear-root") is the edible rhizome of ''Houttuynia cordata'' (''yuxingcao'', 鱼腥草 "fish-smelling grass") with a fresh, spicy, peppery flavour that is used in southwestern Chinese cuisine, i.e. that of

Guizhou Guizhou (; Postal romanization, formerly Kweichow) is a landlocked Provinces of China, province in the Southwest China, southwest region of the China, People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Guiyang, in the center of the pr ...

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of t ...

Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the ...

and western

Guangxi Guangxi (; ; alternately romanized as Kwanghsi; ; za, Gvangjsih, italics=yes), officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in South China and bordering Vietnam ...

. Typically the leaves are eaten in Sichuan and the root in Guizhou. ''Zhé'ěrgēn'' fried with cured ''la rou'' (a dried meat resembling 'Chinese bacon') is one of the staple dishes of Guizhou. Notable uses include: *part of the extensive

fried rice Fried rice is a dish of cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or a frying pan and is usually mixed with other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. It is often eaten by itself or as an accompaniment to another dish. ...

cuisine of

*a condiment to ''

migan Migan () is a type of rice noodle from the Dai people, a Tai cultural group from Yunnan Province, China. It is made from ordinary non- glutinous rice, and it is only sold fresh. Difference from other noodles Unlike the circular '' mixian'', ''m ...

'' and '' mixian'' noodles when served in broth *as a component of dipping sauces used with the Shiping and Jianshui tradition of barbecued tofu *raw consumption as part of cold-tossed salads, when it is most frequently combined with

coriander Coriander (;

vinegar Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to eth ...

, fresh chilli, and

soy sauce Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or '' As ...

. The leaves are also a little peppery and are frequently consumed in the region.

Traditional medicine

''Houttuynia cordata'' was used in

traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of acti ...

, including by Chinese scientists in an attempt to treat SARS and various other disorders, although there is no high-quality

clinical research Clinical research is a branch of healthcare science that determines the safety and effectiveness ( efficacy) of medications, devices, diagnostic products and treatment regimens intended for human use. These may be used for prevention, treat ...

to confirm such uses are safe or effective, as of 2018. When administered via injection, ''H. cordata'' can cause severe allergic reactions.

Aroma profile

Chemical compounds that contribute to the aroma of ''H. cordata'' include

β-myrcene Myrcene, or β-myrcene, is a monoterpene. A colorless oil, it occurs widely in essential oils. It is produced mainly semi-synthetically from ''Myrcia'', from which it gets its name. It is an intermediate in the production of several fragrances. α ...

and 2-undecanone.

References

External links

* *''Flora, The Gardener's Bible'', ABC Publishing, Ultimo, NSW, Australia, 2006 {{Taxonbar, from=Q164091 Saururaceae Leaf vegetables Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine