Ryukyu

Ryukyu (scientific name: Colocasia gigantea) is an evergreen perennial vegetable native to tropical Asia and belongs to the taro family. It bears white flesh-eared inflorescences covered with white bracts in the leaf axils. The male inflorescence blooms above and the female inflorescence below. The appearance of the flowers is similar to that of skunk cabbage. It is similar to a {{lotus}}, with many lotus-like holes inside the stem. It is also known as the lotus potato. In Kochi and Tokushima prefectures, it was introduced from Okinawa Prefecture, so it is called "Ryuukyu". The small underground potatoes (tubercles) are small, hard and inedible and eat the long petioles (zuiqi). To make it edible, peel the stems and soak them in water for a bit to remove the lye, then sprinkle lightly with salt and squeeze out the water. Dishes include vinegar, salads, sushi, miso paste, sashimi garnishes, boiled vegetables, and miso soup. It is in season from winter to early summer, but its light green color and crunchy texture make it a cool summer vegetable. It contains insoluble plant fiber, which cleanses the intestines and helps excrete cholesterol. It is also attracting attention as a diet vegetable because of its high vitamin content.

Common name: Ryukyu, scientific name: Colocasia gigantea, origin: tropical Asia, life type: evergreen perennial, grass height: 3 m, petiole length (edible part): 80 cm Leaf shape: shield-shaped and slit; whole plant (leaf and stem color): light green; inflorescence: white fleshy inflorescence; bract color: white; flower color: white; inflorescence length: 30 cm; use part: petiole (stem); season: winter to early summer.

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