Polyscias (ming aralia)

Polyscias spp.

leaf

Round, cupped leaves, raw as lalap or cooked in soup in Indonesia, blanched like a vegetable in the Pacific.

Origin

Southeast Asia and the Pacific

Where to find it

In Europe, it is sold in pots as a houseplant, as aralia.

Season (United States)

all year round

Preparation

The young leaves are washed and eaten raw or cooked for a few minutes; houseplants, often treated, are not picked.

Molecules

Beta-carotene (vitamin A) · Lutein and zeaxanthin · Vegetable nitrates · Chlorophyll

Did you know?

In Indonesia it is planted as a hedge; its name, “bowl leaf”, comes from its cup-shaped leaves.