Asian vegetables grown in Ontario

Edible amaranth

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English

Edible amaranth

Latin

Amaranthus mangostanus A. gangeticus

Chinese

Cantonese: Hinn choy

Mandarin: Xian cai

Japanese

Hi yu na

Vietnamese

Rau den do

Korean

Chambirum

Notes of interest

• Used like spinach in salads or as a cooked vegetable.
• Common crop production problems include tarnished plant bug, fungus stem and leaf blight and weed control.

Bitter melon

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Bitter melon

Latin

Momordica charantia

Chinese

Cantonese: Fu gua

Mandarin: Ku gua

Japanese

Nigauri

Vietnamese

Muop dang, kho qua

Korean

Ssunoi

Notes of interest

• Used dried as an herbal medecine and fresh in cooked and stir-fried dishes. Do not eat seeds. Can also be pickled.
• Common crop production problems include cucumber beetles and powdery mildew.

Edible burdock

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Edible burdock

Latin

Arctium lappa

Chinese

Cantonese: Ngao pong

Mandarin: Niu pang

Japanese

Gobo

Korean

Uang

Notes of interest

• Usually cooked in small pieces or pickled.
• Very distinctive flavour.
• It also has medicinal uses.

Chinese broccoli/kale

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Chinese broccoli/kale

Latin

Brassica alboglabra

Chinese

Cantonese: Gai lan

Mandarin: Jie lan

Japanese

Kailaan

Vietnamese

Cai ro

Notes of interest

• Used in stir-fried and other cooked dishes.
• Common crop production problems include cabbage maggot, flea beetles, downy mildew and nutrient deficiencies.

Chinese chives

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Chinese chives

Latin

Allium tuberosum

Chinese

Cantonese: Gow choy

Mandarin: Jiu cai

Japanese

Nira

Vietnamese

He

Korean

Buchu

Notes of interest

• Leaves are used like traditional chives. Flowers are also edible and both have a garlic flavour. Also used in herbal medicines.
• Common crop production problems include onion maggot, onion thrips and downy mildew.

Chinese okra

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Chinese okra

Latin

Luffa acutangula, Luffa cylindrica

Chinese

Cantonese: Si gua

Japanese

Hechima

Vietnamese

Muop khia, muop huong

Notes of interest

• Not a true okra. Belongs to the cucurbit family but has similar appearance to okra.
• Edible when immature and can be used like zucchini in a range of fresh, cooked and pickled dishes.
• Mature fruits can be used as a sponge.

Big leaf mustard

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Big leaf mustard

Latin

Brassica juncea var. involutus, var. foliosa

Chinese

Cantonese: Dai gai choy

Mandarin: Da jie cai

Japanese

Karashina

Vietnamese

Cai xanh

Korean

Gat

Notes of interest

• See red and green mustards.

Chinese squash

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Chinese squash

Latin

Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita maxima

Chinese

Cantonese: Nam gua

Mandarin: Nan gua

Japanese

Kabocha

Vietnamese

Bi ro

Korean

Ho bak

Notes of interest

• Used similarly to traditional squash.
• Common crop production problems include squash vine borer, cucumber beetles, squash bugs and powdery mildew.

Chrysanthemum greens

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Chrysanthemum greens

Latin

Chrysanthemum coronarium

Chinese

Cantonese: Tong ho choy

Mandarin: Tong hao cai

Japanese

Shungiku

Vietnamese

Tan o, cai cui

Korean

Ssukgat

Notes of interest

• Used as an herbal medicine and as a cooked vegetable combined with other vegetables and in various stir-fried dishes.
• Flower petals can be eaten also, either dipped in Japanese saki or pickled.

Flat flowering Chinese leaf cabbage

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Flat flowering Chinese leaf cabbage

Latin

Brassica campestris Chinensis group var. utilis

Chinese

Cantonese: Nai yow choy

Notes of interest

• Grows in rosette with crinkly green leaves.
• May also be called baby choy sum.
• Uses and crop production concerns similar to choy sum and yow choy.

Flowering edible rape

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Flowering edible rape

Latin

Brassica chinensis var. oleifera

Chinese

Cantonese: Yow choy

Mandarin: You cai

Japanese

Aburana

Vietnamese

Cai ngot

Korean

Yuchaeip

Notes of interest

• Uses the same as bok choy and choy sum.
• Glossier green colour and more upright than choy sum.

Flowering Chinese leaf cabbage

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English

Flowering Chinese leaf cabbage

Latin

Brassica campestris Chinensis group var. utilis

Chinese

Cantonese: Choy sum

Mandarin: Cai xin

Vietnamese

Cai ngot non

Notes of interest

• Often referred to as "baby bok choy". Similar uses and production problems as bok choy.

Shanghai pak choy

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Shanghai pak choy

Latin

Brassica campestris Chinensis group var. utilis

Chinese

Cantonese: Shanghai choy sum

Japanese

Chingensai

Notes of interest

• Olive green versions of bok choy, pak choy, or choy sum are referred to as "Shanghai" types by growers.

Fuzzy squash

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Fuzzy squash

Latin

Benincasa hispida var. chieh-qua

Chinese

Cantonese: Tsit gua

Mandarin: Mao gua, Jie gua

Japanese

Tohgan

Vietnamese

Bi chanh

Korean

Ho bak

Notes of interest

• Called fuzzy squash when harvested immature but called winter melon if left to mature. Cooked in soups or pickled.
• Common crop production problems are similar to other cucurbits grown in Ontario.

Malabar spinach

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Malabar spinach

Latin

Basella alba, B. rubra

Chinese

Cantonese: Lo kwai

Mandarin: Zi luo kui, Lu luo kui

Japanese

Tsuru-murasaki

Vietnamese

Mong toi

Notes of interest

• Used in fresh and cooked dishes similarly to traditional spinach. Red and green varieties exist. Mucilaginous quality makes it good as a thickener in soups and stews.
• Common crop production problems include tarnished plant bug.

Nappa cabbage/celery cabbage

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Nappa cabbage/celery cabbage

Latin

Brassica campestris Pekinensis group var. cephalata

Chinese

Cantonese: Siew choy, won bok

Mandarin: Da bai cai, Huan ya bai

Japanese

Hakusai

Vietnamese

Cai bac thao, cai dai

Korean

Baechu

Notes of interest

• Oblong, headed type called "Nappa"; elongated, cylindrical types referred to as "Michihili" types. Used in salads, cole slaw, cooked and pickled dishes.
• Common crop production problems include cabbage maggot, flea beetles, clubroot, slugs, diamondback moth larvae, Alternaria spot, downy mildew, soft rot, virus diseases and nutrient deficiencies.

Potherb mustard

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Potherb mustard

Latin

Brassica juncea var. japonica

Chinese

Mandarin: Shui cai

Japanese

Kyona, Mizuna

Notes of interest

• Used in salads, soups, steamed and stir-fried dishes as well as in pickled preparations.
• Common crop production problems include flea beetles and cabbage maggot.

Purple mint/beefsteak plant

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Purple mint/beefsteak plant

Latin

Perilla frutescens, P. crispa

Chinese

Mandarin: Zi su

Japanese

Shiso

Vietnamese

Tia to

Korean

Dulketip

Notes of interest

• Aromatic and distinctive herb used in salads and cooked dishes. Sprouts used as flavouring and as a garnish.

Asian radish

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Asian radish

Latin

Raphanus sativum

Chinese

Cantonese: Lo bok

Mandarin: Luo bu

Japanese

Daikon

Vietnamese

Cu cai

Korean

Moo

Notes of interest

• Many shapes, sizes and colours grown. Usually cooked or pickled (Japanese takuan, tsukemono and Korean kimchi) but can also be used in salads. Foliage also makes a good edible green and is used in soups.
• Common crop production problems include cabbage maggot, flea beetles, virus diseases, soft rot and Alternaria spot.

Red and green mustards

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Red and green mustards

Latin

Brassica juncea var. rugosa, var. crispifolia

Chinese

Cantonese: Gai choy

Mandarin: Jie cai

Japanese

Karashina

Vietnamese

Cai xanh

Korean

Gat

Notes of interest

• Several varieties are found in this group. A wide range of uses in salads, boiled, steamed and stir-fried dishes. Can also be pickled.
• Common crop production problems include flea beetles, cabbage maggot, clubroot, virus diseases and nutrient deficiencies.

Snow peas/snow pea shoots

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Snow peas/snow pea shoots

Latin

Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon

Chinese

Cantonese: Ho lan dow (peas); Dow miu (shoots)

Mandarin: He lan do (peas); Dou miao (shoots)

Japanese

Saya endo, tohbyo

Vietnamese

Dau Hoa-lan

Korean

Wandokong (peas); Wandusaan (shoots)

Notes of interest

• Used in a variety of stemaed and stir-fried dishes.
• Common crop production problems include weed control and root rot.

Water spinach

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Water spinach

Latin

Ipomoea aquatica

Chinese

Cantonese: Tung choy

Mandarin: Kongxin cai

Japanese

Kankon, Asagaona, Ensai

Vietnamese

Rau muong

Korean

Kongshimchae

Notes of interest

• Hollow-stemmed green used in cooked and stir-fried dishes. Often grown in summer greenhouses and under floating row covers in the field.
• Common crop production problems include tarnished plant bug, grasshoppers, thrips, spider mites, aphids, fungal leaf blight and edema.

Thick petiole white Chinese leaf cabbage

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Thick petiole white Chinese leaf cabbage

Latin

Brassica campestris, Chinensis group var. communis

Chinese

Cantonese: Bok choy

Mandarin: Bai cai

Japanese

Shakushina

Vietnamese

Cai thia, cai be trang

Korean

Bok choy

Notes of interest

• Entire plant can be used in stir-fried, steamed dishes, soups and salads.
• Common crop production problems include flea beetles, soft rot, downy mildew, white leaf spot, virus diseases and clubroot.

Thin petiole white Chinese leaf cabbage

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English

Thin petiole white Chinese leaf cabbage

Latin

Brassica campestris, Chinensis group var. communis

Chinese

Cantonese: Pak choy

Mandarin: Xiao bai cai

Japanese

Shakushina; Chingensai (if green-stemmed)

Vietnamese

Cai thia; cai trang con

Korean

Pak choy

Notes of interest

• See bok choy.

Image

Typical field view of yow choy (middle), Shanghai choy sum (left) and tung choy (right, under cover).

Cool season types (Brassicas, radishes, peas) are grown in Ontario from mid-April until mid-October. Warm season types (Cucurbits, water spinach, amaranths) are grown from mid-May until mid-September outdoors.