Kolmi-lota or Water spinach, ipomoea aquatica

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Kolmi-lota or Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica, family: Convolvulaceae) is an annual floating herb from Morning glory family. It is found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, most commonly in East, South and Southeast Asia. Stem is soft and creeping nature. It grows in water or on the edge of water bodies. 

Common names: Kalmilata, Water spinach, River spinach, Water morning glory, Water convolvulus, Swamp cabbage


The hollow stems of ipomoea aquatica are 2-5 meters or more long, rooting at the nodes. Leaves are long-petioled, green, ovate-cordate with pointed apex, 5-15 cm long and 2-8 cm wide, alternate. 


Flowers are whitish-violet or white, showy, single, axillary, funnel-shaped, 3-5 cm in diameter. Flower blooms mainly in autumn. 


Propagation is either by planting cuttings of the stem shoots that will root along nodes or planting the seeds from flowers that produce seed pods.

It is useful in pox and insomnia of children. It also used to prevent gonorrhea, tumor, to defuse poison of insect bite and to increase milk in breast. As a very popular vegetable, leaves are eaten frequently by the local people. According to Ancient, scriptures, like Charaka and others, it was called Kalamba, Kalambi, Karambi.

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