The difference between water shield and water spinach

Different appearance

Let’s first talk about the differences in their leaves. The leaves of the former are oval, 3.5 to 6 cm long and 5 to 10 cm wide; while the leaves of the latter are round or oval, with a diameter of about 1.5 cm. Then there is the difference in their petioles. The petioles of the former are 25 to 40 centimeters long, while those of the latter are 5 to 10 centimeters. The former is much longer.

Different distribution

They are widely distributed in the world, so I won’t go into details here. Their main difference lies in their distribution areas in our country. The former is mainly distributed in provinces such as Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Sichuan, etc., that is, mostly in southern provinces; however, the latter is slightly wider and is distributed in most provinces of our country.

Different edible value

As for water shield, its consumption is very common. There are many dishes made with it among the people, and it has even been used as an ingredient since ancient times. As for water chestnut, it is not that it cannot be eaten, but it is rarely used as a food ingredient, and there are also taboos. For example, because it has aphrodisiac effects, children cannot eat it casually.

Different flowering and fruiting periods

For water shield, its flowering period is around June and its fruiting period is around October; while for water shield, its flowering and fruiting period is from April to October. Therefore, in comparison, its flowering and fruiting period is slightly longer.