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Plants of Vietnam

VN · 14.06°, 108.28°

We catalogue 48 plants documented in Vietnam 10 native and 38 introduced. Of these, 48 are edible and 15 have medicinal uses.

I

Native species

10

Species naturally occurring in Vietnam — best adapted to local climate and soil.

Trapa japonica
Trapa japonica
Trapa japonica
edible
Tropical Kudzu
Tropical Kudzu
Pueraria phaseoloides
Fabaceaeedible
Tropical kudzu
Tropical kudzu
Pueraria pseudohirsuta
Fabaceaeedible
Vetiver
Vetiver
Chrysopogon zizanioides
edible
Viburnum
Viburnum cordifolium
Rubiaceaeediblemedicinal
Vietnamese coriander
Vietnamese coriander
Persicaria odorata
edible
Vitis parvifolia
Vitis parvifolia
Vitaceaeedible
Watho Tabashir Bamboo
Watho Tabashir Bamboo
Gigantochloa apus
edible
Winged Prickly Ash
Winged Prickly Ash
Zanthoxylum planispinum
edible
Yellow mahonia
Yellow mahonia
Mahonia flavida
Berberidaceaeedible
II

Edible for food + foraging

48

Plants with edible parts documented in Vietnam. Always identify positively before harvest.

Trapa japonica
Trapa japonica
Trapa japonica
edible
Tropical Kudzu
Tropical Kudzu
Pueraria phaseoloides
Fabaceaeedible
Tropical kudzu
Tropical kudzu
Pueraria pseudohirsuta
Fabaceaeedible
Vetiver
Vetiver
Chrysopogon zizanioides
edible
Viburnum
Viburnum cordifolium
Rubiaceaeediblemedicinal
Vietnamese coriander
Vietnamese coriander
Persicaria odorata
edible
Vitis parvifolia
Vitis parvifolia
Vitaceaeedible
Watho Tabashir Bamboo
Watho Tabashir Bamboo
Gigantochloa apus
edible
Winged Prickly Ash
Winged Prickly Ash
Zanthoxylum planispinum
edible
Yellow mahonia
Yellow mahonia
Mahonia flavida
Berberidaceaeedible
Asiatic tearthumb
Asiatic tearthumb
Polygonum perfoliatum
Polygonaceaeediblemedicinal
Barnyard Millet
Barnyard Millet
Echinochloa crus-galli
Poaceaeedible
Black Mustard
Black Mustard
Brassica nigra
ediblemedicinal
Carex nubigena
Carex nubigena
Carex nubigena
Caryophyllaceaeediblemedicinal
Chenopodium hybridum
Chenopodium hybridum
Chenopodium hybridum
Chenopodiaceaeedible
Chinese Artichoke
Chinese Artichoke
Stachys affinis
Lamiaceaeediblemedicinal
Chinese Lespedeza
Chinese Lespedeza
Lespedeza cuneata
Fabaceaeediblemedicinal
Coast Sandalwood
Coast Sandalwood
Santalum ellipticum
edible
Common sheep sorrel
Rumex tenuifolius
Polygonaceaeediblemedicinal
Dillen prickly pear
Dillen prickly pear
Opuntia dillenii
Cactaceaeedible
Giant Dogwood
Giant Dogwood
Cornus controversa
Cornaceaeedible
Guinea grass Green panic grass
Guinea grass Green panic grass
Panicum maximum
edible
Herb of Grace
Herb of Grace
Bacopa monnieri
Scrophulariaceaeediblemedicinal
Indian Madder
Indian Madder
Rubia cordifolia
ediblemedicinal
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed
Polygonum japonicum
ediblemedicinal
Langsat
Langsat
Lansium domesticum
Meliaceaeedible
Lentil
Lentil
Lens culinaris
Fabaceaeedible
Loquat
Loquat
Eriobotrya japonica
ediblemedicinal
Mountain Ebony
Mountain Ebony
Bauhinia variegata
Fabaceaeedible
Pea
Pea
Pisum sativum
edible
Photinia parvifolia
Photinia parvifolia
Photinia parvifolia
edible
Podocarpium podocarpum
Podocarpium podocarpum
Podocarpium podocarpum
Podocarpaceaeedible
Pyrus acidula
Pyrus acidula
Pyrus acidula
Rosaceaeedible
Pyrus macrostipes
Pyrus macrostipes
Pyrus macrostipes
Rosaceaeedible
Pyrus prematura
Pyrus prematura
Pyrus prematura
edible
Radish
Radish
Raphanus sativus
ediblemedicinal
River Club-Rush
River Club-Rush
Scirpus validus
edible
Salix matsudana
Salix matsudana
Salix matsudana
ediblemedicinal
Sapindus marginatus
Sapindus marginatus
Sapindus marginatus
Sapindaceaeedible
Smilax riparia
Smilax riparia
Smilax riparia
ediblemedicinal
Spiny Bamboo Spiny bamboo
Spiny Bamboo Spiny bamboo
Bambusa blumeana
Poaceaeedible
Sunberry
Sunberry
Physalis minima
Solanaceaeedible
Swamp Morning Glory
Swamp Morning Glory
Ipomoea aquatica
Convolvulaceaeedible
Sword Bean
Sword Bean
Canavalia gladiata
Fabaceaeedible
Upright Hedge Parsley
Upright Hedge Parsley
Torilis japonica
Apiaceaeediblemedicinal
Water Milfoil
Water Milfoil
Myriophyllum spicatum
Haloragaceaeedible
Yellow Avens
Yellow Avens
Geum aleppicum
Rosaceaeedible
Yellow Bristle Grass
Yellow Bristle Grass
Setaria pumila
Poaceaeedible
III

Medicinal traditional + clinical

15

Species with documented medicinal applications. See individual plant profiles for evidence + safety.

Viburnum
Viburnum cordifolium
Rubiaceaeediblemedicinal
Asiatic tearthumb
Asiatic tearthumb
Polygonum perfoliatum
Polygonaceaeediblemedicinal
Black Mustard
Black Mustard
Brassica nigra
ediblemedicinal
Carex nubigena
Carex nubigena
Carex nubigena
Caryophyllaceaeediblemedicinal
Chinese Artichoke
Chinese Artichoke
Stachys affinis
Lamiaceaeediblemedicinal
Chinese Lespedeza
Chinese Lespedeza
Lespedeza cuneata
Fabaceaeediblemedicinal
Common sheep sorrel
Rumex tenuifolius
Polygonaceaeediblemedicinal
Herb of Grace
Herb of Grace
Bacopa monnieri
Scrophulariaceaeediblemedicinal
Indian Madder
Indian Madder
Rubia cordifolia
ediblemedicinal
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed
Polygonum japonicum
ediblemedicinal
Loquat
Loquat
Eriobotrya japonica
ediblemedicinal
Radish
Radish
Raphanus sativus
ediblemedicinal
Salix matsudana
Salix matsudana
Salix matsudana
ediblemedicinal
Smilax riparia
Smilax riparia
Smilax riparia
ediblemedicinal
Upright Hedge Parsley
Upright Hedge Parsley
Torilis japonica
Apiaceaeediblemedicinal
IV

Introduced naturalized + cultivated

38

Non-native species established in Vietnam. Some are valuable; some are invasive. Check each plant's notes.

Asiatic tearthumb
Asiatic tearthumb
Polygonum perfoliatum
Polygonaceaeediblemedicinal
Barnyard Millet
Barnyard Millet
Echinochloa crus-galli
Poaceaeedible
Black Mustard
Black Mustard
Brassica nigra
ediblemedicinal
Carex nubigena
Carex nubigena
Carex nubigena
Caryophyllaceaeediblemedicinal
Chenopodium hybridum
Chenopodium hybridum
Chenopodium hybridum
Chenopodiaceaeedible
Chinese Artichoke
Chinese Artichoke
Stachys affinis
Lamiaceaeediblemedicinal
Chinese Lespedeza
Chinese Lespedeza
Lespedeza cuneata
Fabaceaeediblemedicinal
Coast Sandalwood
Coast Sandalwood
Santalum ellipticum
edible
Common sheep sorrel
Rumex tenuifolius
Polygonaceaeediblemedicinal
Dillen prickly pear
Dillen prickly pear
Opuntia dillenii
Cactaceaeedible
Giant Dogwood
Giant Dogwood
Cornus controversa
Cornaceaeedible
Guinea grass Green panic grass
Guinea grass Green panic grass
Panicum maximum
edible
Herb of Grace
Herb of Grace
Bacopa monnieri
Scrophulariaceaeediblemedicinal
Indian Madder
Indian Madder
Rubia cordifolia
ediblemedicinal
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed
Polygonum japonicum
ediblemedicinal
Langsat
Langsat
Lansium domesticum
Meliaceaeedible
Lentil
Lentil
Lens culinaris
Fabaceaeedible
Loquat
Loquat
Eriobotrya japonica
ediblemedicinal
Mountain Ebony
Mountain Ebony
Bauhinia variegata
Fabaceaeedible
Pea
Pea
Pisum sativum
edible
Photinia parvifolia
Photinia parvifolia
Photinia parvifolia
edible
Podocarpium podocarpum
Podocarpium podocarpum
Podocarpium podocarpum
Podocarpaceaeedible
Pyrus acidula
Pyrus acidula
Pyrus acidula
Rosaceaeedible
Pyrus macrostipes
Pyrus macrostipes
Pyrus macrostipes
Rosaceaeedible
Pyrus prematura
Pyrus prematura
Pyrus prematura
edible
Radish
Radish
Raphanus sativus
ediblemedicinal
River Club-Rush
River Club-Rush
Scirpus validus
edible
Salix matsudana
Salix matsudana
Salix matsudana
ediblemedicinal
Sapindus marginatus
Sapindus marginatus
Sapindus marginatus
Sapindaceaeedible
Smilax riparia
Smilax riparia
Smilax riparia
ediblemedicinal
Spiny Bamboo Spiny bamboo
Spiny Bamboo Spiny bamboo
Bambusa blumeana
Poaceaeedible
Sunberry
Sunberry
Physalis minima
Solanaceaeedible
Swamp Morning Glory
Swamp Morning Glory
Ipomoea aquatica
Convolvulaceaeedible
Sword Bean
Sword Bean
Canavalia gladiata
Fabaceaeedible
Upright Hedge Parsley
Upright Hedge Parsley
Torilis japonica
Apiaceaeediblemedicinal
Water Milfoil
Water Milfoil
Myriophyllum spicatum
Haloragaceaeedible
Yellow Avens
Yellow Avens
Geum aleppicum
Rosaceaeedible
Yellow Bristle Grass
Yellow Bristle Grass
Setaria pumila
Poaceaeedible
V

Frequently asked

How many plants are documented in Vietnam?

48 speciess — 10 native and 38 introduced. Of these, 48 are edible and 15 have medicinal uses.

What edible plants grow wild in Vietnam?

Common edible species include Trapa japonica, Tropical Kudzu, Tropical kudzu, Vetiver, Viburnum. See the Edible section above for the full list.

What medicinal plants grow in Vietnam?

15 medicinal plants catalogued for Vietnam, including Viburnum, Asiatic tearthumb, Black Mustard, Carex nubigena, Chinese Artichoke.

How is "native" vs "introduced" determined?

Status comes from TDWG botanical regions via Trefle. Native = naturally occurring there; introduced = brought in by humans, sometimes invasive. Both can be useful, but native species are typically the best fit for local conditions.

VI

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AE
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AF
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AM
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AZ
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BD
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BH
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