Tag: Yuheng Qiu

Production Guide of Vegetable Amaranth for Florida

Vegetable amaranth flowers two weeks after blooming. Credit: Guodong Liu, UF/IFAS

Vegetable amaranth is a beautiful and nutritious vegetable in the family Amaranthaceae. This vegetable has been cultivated in China for more than 400 years and has been introduced to several US states, such as Mississippi and Missouri. Florida’s mild climate combined with amaranth’s exceptional taste, nutrients, and colorful foliage suggest amaranth is a potential crop for commercial production for Florida. This new 7-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department is intended to provide Florida growers with a production guide for vegetable amaranth to enhance its competitiveness and boost the economy by introducing this potential cash crop to growers. Written by Yuheng Qiu and Guodong Liu.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1407

Chinese Mustard Cultivation Guide for Florida

Chinese mustard and finely chopped ginger root served in a salad mix (left) and stir-fried with oil (right). Credit: Guodong Liu, UF/IFAS

Chinese mustard is a nutritious leafy vegetable in the family Brassicaceae. Chinese mustard also goes by many common names, such as brown mustard, mustard greens, leaf mustard, Indian mustard, Oriental mustard, and vegetable mustard. Although it is considered a weed in a few states, such as Michigan, this species is not listed as invasive in Florida and has been cultivated in several counties, including Levy, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade. This new 8-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department provides a short cultivation guide as well as information on the uses and marketability of Chinese mustard. Written by Yuheng Qiu, Mary Dixon, and Guodong Liu.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1402

Florida Cultivation Guide for Malabar Spinach

Malabar spinach flower. Credits: Chunfang Li, FDACS-DPI

Malabar spinach (Basella spp.) is a nutritious vegetable in the family Basellaceae. Malabar spinach goes by many names, including Indian spinach, Ceylon spinach, vine spinach, and climbing spinach. Malabar spinach has long been established in cultivation in China and India. This spinach is a novel crop to Florida and is currently grown only for niche markets. However, Florida’s suitable climate coupled with Malabar spinach’s great taste and nutritional quality suggest that this crop has great potential for commercial cultivation. This new 8-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department describes in brief how to grow Malabar spinach, manage pests, harvest, and market it. Written by Yuheng Qiu and Guodong Liu.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1371