Ong choi is most commonly known in English as water spinach
or water morning glory.
You may have seen warnings news like this in the media informing
citizens that they may want to forgo lettuce for now:
“Social media is buzzing with debate and speculation around the
dreaded summer ‘stomach bug’ that is spreading like wildfire and
seeding mistrust in supermarkets and restaurants across the
United States. The country is in the grip of a growing outbreak
of cyclosporiasis, a foodborne parasitic illness that can sideline
people for weeks at a time, and questions about where it’s coming
from are spreading almost as fast as the illness itself.”
SOURCE
I have tried to grow lettuce in Arkansas where I live and I have
never had success. So, the research began. The goal was to find
some kind of green that would stand a hot and humid climate.
The best of several choices was the one pictured above.
It is called Ong choi and the picture above shows this year’s
crop ready to harvest. It is nutritious and lasts until the bugs
get to it late in the summer. Most of the crop shown here has
already been eaten.
On a scale of 1-10, I would give it an 8.
If you are looking for a replacement for lettuce, Ong choi would
be a good choice.
I hope those of you who had a garden this year were successful.
God’s blessings,
Chris Reimers
Thanks for this advice, Chris. My eldest daughter grows everything around here. We’ve had an unusually dry, warm summer – right into September, with not so much rain which wasn’t so great for certain fruit we grow. Covid seems to be on the rise here again.