Houttuynia cordata#Culinary use

Houttuynia cordata is a herbaceous perennial plant that can grow to {{convert|0.6|-|1|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, spreading up to {{convert|1|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The proximal part of the stem is trailing and produces adventitious roots, while the distal part of the stem grows vertically. The leaves are alternate, broadly heart-shaped, {{convert|4-9|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|3-8|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} broad. Its flowers are greenish-yellow and borne on a terminal spike {{convert|2–3|cm|in|frac=4|abbr=on}} long with four to six large white basal bracts. It normally blooms in the summer.

It is considered an invasive plant because of its ability to regrow rhizomes from any segment of its foliage.{{cite web |title=Houttuynia cordata (Chameleon Plant, Rainbow Plant) |url=https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/houttuynia-cordata/|access-date=2020-09-29 |work=North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox}}

It is native to Nepal, Taiwan, Myanmar, Bhutan, Sikkim, India, Indonesia, Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam and Korea.{{cite web |title=생물종 상세정보 약모밀 |trans-title=Species details - Houttuynia cordata |url=https://species.nibr.go.kr/home/mainHome.do?contCd=009002&ktsn=120000060081 |access-date=2025-05-27 |work=National Institute of Biological Resources |language=ko}} In South Korea, it is found in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Ulleungdo, and the Southern region.

File:Houttuynia cordata Chameleon.jpg

Houttuynia cordata grows in moist to wet soil or slightly submerged in water, as long as it is exposed partially or fully to the sun. It can become invasive in gardens and difficult to eradicate as its roots run deep and actively spread. It propagates by division.

It is usually found in one of its cultivated forms in temperate gardens. The 'Chameleon' variety (synonymous with H.cordata 'Court Jester', 'Tricolour', and 'Variegata') is slightly less vigorous than the parent species, with stubbier leaves mottled in both yellow and red. Another common variety, 'Flore Pleno', has masses of white bracts and retains the vigor of the parent species.

Houttuynia cordata has been naturalized in North America.[http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=854 Global Invasive Species Database: Houttuynia cordata] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206171023/http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=854 |date=6 February 2009 }}, accessed 2008-07-06

File:Yakmomil-kkot-cha.jpg]]

It is commonly grown as a leaf vegetable, and is used as a fresh herbal garnish. The leaf has an unusual taste from its volatile oil decanoyl acetaldehyde (3-oxododecanal), a taste that is often described as "fishy", earning it the nickname "fish mint".

In northeastern India, the leaves are commonly used in salads, salsas, or cooked with other vegetables, and as a garnish over side dishes. The tender roots can also be ground into chutneys along with dry meat or fish, chilies, and tamarind. It is used raw as a salad and cooked along with fish as fish curry. In Japan and Korea, the dried leaves may be used as an herbal tea. It is called dokudami-cha ({{lang|ja|どくだみ茶}}) in Japan and eoseongcho cha ({{lang|ko|어성초차}}) in Korea.

In Vietnamese cuisine, the plant is called diếp cá and is used with grilled meat and noodle salad dishes.[https://vietherbs.com/herb-directory/fish-herb/ Vietnamese Herbs: Fish Mint], Accessed 9 October 2018. Fish mint may be used as a garnish with several Vietnamese dishes, such as gỏi cuốn, stir-fried beef with fish mint salad, and bánh xèo.[https://www.npr.org/2011/10/18/141470565/banh-xeo-sizzling-crepes, NPR Inc.:Banh Xeo (Sizzling Crepes)], Accessed 10 October 2018

File:Houttuynia_roots_vegetable_china.jpg

Zhé'ěrgēn (Chinese: {{lang|zh|折耳根}}, "broken ear-root") is the edible rhizome of Houttuynia cordata (yúxīngcǎo; {{lang|zh|魚腥草}}; "fish-smelling grass") with a fresh, spicy, peppery flavour that is used in southwestern Chinese cuisine, i.e. that of Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan and western Guangxi. Typically the leaves are eaten in Sichuan and the root in Guizhou. Zhé'ěrgēn fried with larou (cured pork belly) is one of the staple dishes of Guizhou.

uses:

• part of the extensive fried rice cuisine of Guizhou
• a condiment to migan and mixian noodles when served in broth
• as a component of dipping sauces used with the Shiping and Jianshui tradition of barbecued tofu
• raw consumption as part of cold-tossed salads, when it is most frequently combined with coriander, vinegar, fresh chilli, and soy sauce.

Houttuynia cordata was used in traditional Chinese medicine, including by Chinese scientists in an attempt to treat SARS{{Cite journal|pmid=18479853|year=2008|last1=Lau|first1=K. M|title=Immunomodulatory and anti-SARS activities of Houttuynia cordata|journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology|volume=118|issue=1|pages=79–85|last2=Lee|first2=K. M|last3=Koon|first3=C. M|last4=Cheung|first4=C. S|last5=Lau|first5=C. P|last6=Ho|first6=H. M|last7=Lee|first7=M. Y|last8=Au|first8=S. W|last9=Cheng|first9=C. H|last10=Lau|first10=C. B|last11=Tsui|first11=S. K|last12=Wan|first12=D. C|last13=Waye|first13=M. M|last14=Wong|first14=K. B|last15=Wong|first15=C. K|last16=Lam|first16=C. W|last17=Leung|first17=P. C|last18=Fung|first18=K. P|doi=10.1016/j.jep.2008.03.018|pmc=7126383}} and various other disorders,{{cite journal|pmc=3931198|year=2014|last1=Kumar|first1=M|title=A current update on the phytopharmacological aspects of Houttuynia cordata Thunb|journal=Pharmacognosy Reviews|volume=8|issue=15|pages=22–35|last2=Prasad|first2=S. K|last3=Hemalatha|first3=S|doi=10.4103/0973-7847.125525|pmid=24600193 |doi-access=free }} although there is no high-quality clinical research to confirm such uses are safe or effective, as of 2018. When administered via injection, H. cordata can cause severe allergic reactions.{{cite journal|pmid=21349062|year=2010|last1=Wang|first1=L|title=Adverse events to Houttuynia injection: A systematic review|journal=Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine|volume=3|issue=3|pages=168–76|last2=Cui|first2=X|last3=Cheng|first3=L|last4=Yuan|first4=Q|last5=Li|first5=T|last6=Li|first6=Y|last7=Deng|first7=S|last8=Shang|first8=H|last9=Bian|first9=Z|doi=10.1111/j.1756-5391.2010.01091.x|s2cid=25810338|doi-access=free}}

Extracts of this plant are a major ingredient in Korean skincare products.{{Citation needed|date=March 2025|reason=unreferenced fact}}

Chemical compounds that contribute to the aroma of H. cordata include β-myrcene{{cite journal

|last1 = Lu

|first1 = Hongmei

|title = Variation in Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activities of Essential Oils from Two Species of Houttuynia Thunb

|journal = Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin

|volume = 54

|issue = 7

|pages = 936–940

|year = 2006

|doi = 10.1248/cpb.54.936

|pmid = 16819207

|last2 = Wu

|first2 = Xianjin

|last3 = Liang

|first3 = Yizeng

|last4 = Zhang

|first4 = Jian

|display-authors = etal

|doi-access= free

}}{{cite journal

|last1 = Ch

|first1 = Muhammad Ishtiaq

|title = Gas Chromatographic/Mass Spectrometric Analysis of the Essential Oil of Houttuynia cordata Thunb by Using On-Column Methylation with Tetramethylammonium Acetate

|journal = Journal of AOAC International

|volume = 90

|issue = 1

|pages = 60–67

|year = 2007

|pmid = 17373437

|last2 = Wen

|first2 = YF

|last3 = Cheng

|first3 = Y

|doi = 10.1093/jaoac/90.1.60

|display-authors = etal

|doi-access= free

}} and 2-undecanone.{{cite journal

| last1 = Liang

| first1 = Minmin

| last2 = Qi

| first2 = M

| last3 = Zhang

| first3 = C

| last4 = Zhou

| first4 = S

| last5 = Fu

| first5 = R

| last6 = Huang

| first6 = J

| title = Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of volatile compounds from Houttuynia cordata Thunb after extraction by solid-phase microextraction, flash evaporation and steam distillation

| journal = Analytica Chimica Acta

| volume = 531

| issue = 1

| pages = 97–104

| year = 2005

| doi = 10.1016/j.aca.2004.09.082

| bibcode = 2005AcAC..531...97L

| url = http://ir.rcees.ac.cn/handle/311016/23180

| display-authors = etal

| access-date = 7 October 2020

| archive-date = 14 September 2020

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200914184859/http://ir.rcees.ac.cn/handle/311016/23180

| url-status = dead

| url-access = subscription

}}

• Kampo herb list
• Sichuan cuisine
• Yunnan cuisine

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons}}

• {{Wikispecies-inline|Houttuynia cordata}}
• Flora, The Gardener's Bible, ABC Publishing, Ultimo, NSW, Australia, 2006 {{ISBN|0-7333-1439-2}}

{{Herbs & spices}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q164091}}

Category:Saururaceae

Category:Leaf vegetables

Category:Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine