Outside its original distribution area in northern East Asia, the Japanese knotgrass is a dreaded neophyte. It spreads rapidly over hollow stems, can survive for a long time and sprout again and again via regularly formed rootstocks. These “ramets” or sprouts are eatable young. As long as they are very tender and have barely broke through the soil, they can even be prepared as bleached vegetables such as asparagus. Aboveground shoots can be eaten like rhubarb as long as they are not too woody. But you have to hurry, because the ramets can grow between 10 and 30 cm per day. Be careful, because the plant contains even more oxalic acid than rhubarb.

• Edible Sprouts
• Culinary Group Sprouts Wild vegetables
• Taste sour
• Trivial Names Japanische Staudenknöterich, Japanknöterich, Kamtschatka-Knöterich, Itadori, Asian knotweed, Japanese knotweed, Fleeceflower, Himalayan fleece vine, Monkeyweed, Monkey fungus, Hancock's curse, Elephant ears, Pea shooters, Donkey rhubarb, sally rhubarb, Japanese bamboo, American bamboo, Mexican bamboo, Renouée du Japon, Renouée à feuilles pointues
• Size 30 cm
• Taxonomy Polygonaceae (Knotweed family) Fallopia japonica
• Origin East-Asia (Map)
• Locality Palmengarten Frankfurt 2017