Sesbania (Sesbania grandiflora)

Common Names
Sesbania, scarlet wisteria, vegetable hummingbird (En); colbri vegetal, fagotier, papillon, pois valette, pois vallier (Fr); baculo, gallito, pico de flamenco, zapaton blanco (Sp); so ðua (Vn); 大花田菁, 木田菁(Cn)

Plant Distribution
South and Southeast Asia, Australia, tropical Africa

Edible Parts
Flowers with pistils removed (to reduce bitterness) are eaten raw in salads, boiled, deep-fried, or used in curries, soups, and stews. Young leaves and shoots are eaten in salad, stews, or as potherbs. Young pods are eaten boiled and sautéed.

Health values
Beta-carotene: extremely high in leaves, low in flower buds; vitamin E: high in leaves, low in flower buds; riboflavin: low in leaves and flower buds; folic acid: low in flower buds; ascorbic acid: extremely high in leaves, high in flower buds; calcium: extremely high in leaves, low in flower buds; iron: high in leaves, low in flower buds; protein: 8.0% in leaves, 1.5% in flower buds. Leaves have anxiolytic and anticonvulsive activities.

Read more: Sesbania, in Discovering Indigenous Treasures: Promising Indigenous Vegetables from Around the World. 2009. AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center