The Long Fruited Vegetable Ewedu

The Long Fruited Vegetable-"EWEDU" "

Corchorous Olitorius”

 "Ewedu"- the long fruited vegetable, is a very popular and useful vegetable. The botanical name of "ewedu" is "Corchorous Olitorius, Family Tiliaceae" It derives its English name, the long-fruited vegetable from the appearance of its fruit. Though the fruit of the vegetable is edible i.e. usage against fever locally- it is often kept for seed multiplication and propagation.

The "ewedu" or the "long fruited" vegetable is a semi-woody herb that can grow up to 90cm high and its widespread in the tropics. The leaves are the valued part of the plant and are much favoured as a spinach vegetable, and in soups and sauces. They are mucilaginous, a condition greatly appreciated by the populace. The leaf is rich in protein and is reported to have a high mineral content. Nutritionally, the leaves are recommended to counter malnutrition. The "ewedu" or the long "long fruited" vegetable is very useful indeed!