Katuk
Sauropus androgynus
Pea-flavoured leaf tips picked year-round; eat in modest portions.
Hardiness: zones 10 to 12
Light: part shade
Size: about 6 ft tall, 3 ft wide
Harvest: year-round
From: SE Asia
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food.
Native to: South & Southeast Asian tropics. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.
The story
Katuk is the sweet-leaf shrub of Southeast Asian kitchen gardens, grown in Malaysia, Vietnam and Borneo for its pea-flavoured leaf tips and tiny edible flowers, picked daily for soups and stir-fries; it is one of the most productive leaf crops in the tropics.
Planting
Part shade or sun, moist rich soil, heat, and humidity; plant a cutting. A 6-foot shrub that makes a hedge.
Growing
Keep moist and clip often; it grows faster than you can pick. Feed lightly.
Harvest and use
Pick young leaf tips and flowers year-round; cook lightly. Eat in normal portions; excessive raw juice has caused lung injury.
What to watch for
Cold; overconsumption raw.
See if Katuk fits your yard
Free planner: enter your ZIP for frost dates, climate fit and a sowing calendar. No account, no ads, no tracking cookies.
More perennial vegetables, greens and herbs
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home