Anredera cordifolia

Anredera cordifolia, commonly known as the Madeira vine or mignonette vine, is a South American species of ornamental succulent vine of the family Basellaceae. The combination of fleshy leaves and thick aerial tubers makes this a very heavy vine. It smothers trees and other vegetation it grows on and can easily break branches and bring down entire trees on its own. Other names include lamb's tail and potato vine.

Description

A climber or vine. The stems are 3-7 m long. It has aerial potato like tubers along the stem. They are 1-3 cm long. The leaves are small, fleshy and closely arranged. They are simple and 3-15 cm long by 2-10 cm wide. The leaf stalks are 5-15 cm long. The flowers are small, white and fragrant. The are in racemes in the axils of leaves. The flowers are about 6 mm across. They are white with green or white bracts. They have a scent. The fruit is a nut about 1 mm across.

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Root Edible Uses: Root - cooked. We were supplied this plant by a friend who said that the root is edible. We have not seen any reports on its edibility. The raw root is crisp and pleasant when first put in the mouth, but soon degenerates into a mucilaginous mass described by some people as 'like eating catarrh' and in rather less flattering terms by others!. When well baked, the root loses this quality and is quite pleasant to eat. Leaves cooked. Used as a spinach.

Traditional Uses

The leaves can be eaten raw in salads or used as a potherb or prepared with sesame oil and soy sauce. The tubers are boiled and eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

Antiinflammatory Hepatic The plant has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, and liver-protective effects.

Known Hazards

Eating the leaves can cause temporary diarrhea in pigs and sheep. Its effects on other livestock are not well researched.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in South China. It becomes invasive in warm, moist climates. It needs light well-drained soil. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 720 m altitude. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 2,000 m above sea level. It is damaged by drought and frost. Tasmania Herbarium. It grows in Sichuan.

Where It Grows

Africa, Andes, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Brazil, Central America, Chile, China, Easter Island, Eswatini, Europe, France, Hawaii, India, Indonesia, Malta, Mediterranean, Mexico, New Zealand, North America, Pacific, Paraguay, Portugal, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America*, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Helena, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tasmania, Uruguay, USA, West Indies,

Cultivation

It can reproduce from small tubers along the stems. It can be grown from cuttings.

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this plant, but, if seed can be obtained, suggest sowing it in a greenhouse in the spring. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in spring after the last expected frosts. Softwood cuttings. Division. Dig up the tubers at any time from late autumn to early spring. Store them in a cool but frost-free place and either pot them up in the greenhouse in early spring or plant them directly outside in late spring.

Other Uses

An ornamental succulent vine. For landscaping purposes. Fast growing possessing fragrant white flowers, easily trained to twine up trellises, fences, or rock walls for decoration or for screening. Special Uses Scented Plants

Other Information

It is cultivated. It is sold in local markets.

Notes

There are 5-10 Anredera species. It can become invasive.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Ala-niviti, Bartelha-coracao, Binahong, Bridal wreath, Cascade creeper, Jalap, Lamb's tail, Mei dang sha, Mignonette vine, Pa bang

References (33)

• Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 43 (As Anredera baselloides)
• Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 62 (As Boussingaultia baselloides)
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 87
• Cao, Y., et al, 2020, Ethnobotanical study on wild edible plants used by three trans-boundary ethnic groups in Jiangcheng County, Pu’er, Southwest China. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2020) 16:66
• Chao, Pi-Yu, et al, 2014, Antioxidant Activity in Extracts of 27 Indigenous Taiwanese Vegetables. Nutrients 2014, 6, 2115-2130

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