Botanical Name: Rungia Klossii
Some other names: Rungia, Kenkaba, Moku, Tani
How to Grow It
The Mushroom Plant is an evergreen perennial shrub that grows in dense clumps up to about 60 cm tall. It has glossy green leaves, delicate little blue flowers, and a habit that makes it just as much at home in an ornamental border as it is in a food garden.
Native to Papua New Guinea, it thrives in tropical and subtropical climates but can be grown in warm temperate zones if protected from frost. In cold regions, you’ll need to keep it in pots and move it to a sheltered spot over winter.
It loves warmth and moisture, doing best in rich, well-drained soil with a good layer of mulch. While it prefers partial shade, it will handle full sun if you keep the soil damp. In hotter months, a bit of afternoon shade will keep the leaves plump and tender.
Mushroom plant is wonderfully low-maintenance. A handful of compost or a splash of seaweed fertiliser now and then will boost leafy growth, but it will still produce even if you forget about it for a while.
Propagation is as easy as it gets – just break off a tip cutting, stick it in a pot or straight into the ground, keep it moist, and it will strike. You can also divide established clumps for instant new plants.
Grows beautifully in pots. Perfect if you want to keep it near the kitchen for quick picking.
Herbal & Nutrient Value
The Mushroom Plant is a nutritional powerhouse disguised as an ornamental shrub. The leaves are unusually high in protein (about 3% fresh weight) – rare for a leafy green – as well as calcium (higher than spinach), iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, and B vitamins.
Eating it regularly means you’re getting a boost for bones, blood, and immunity without even thinking about it. It’s a great plant for anyone who wants an easy, ongoing source of greens that’s genuinely nourishing.
Traditionally, the plant has been used in its native range as a general tonic food – something to “keep the body strong.” While there’s not a heap of Western research on it, the nutrition alone makes it worth having in your diet.
Traditional & Home Remedies
Leaf tea for vitality – Simmer handful of fresh leaves in hot water, drink daily.
Wound poultice – Crushed leaves applied to minor cuts or bites (traditional PNG practice).
Nutritive soup – Leaves added to broth for convalescents.
Using It in the Kitchen
As the name suggests, some people say Mushroom Plant has a mild mushroom-like flavour – others think it’s more of an earthy, spinachy taste. Either way, the leaves are crisp, fresh, and delicious.
Eat it raw – toss the young leaves into salads and sandwiches for crunch and a subtle earthy kick.
Cook it lightly – stir it into stir-fries, curries, omelettes, or casseroles right at the end so it stays bright green and doesn’t lose its flavour.
Treat it like spinach – it’s interchangeable in most recipes, but with the bonus of extra crunch.
Harvest tip: Snip 5–10 cm stem tips rather than just plucking leaves – this encourages new, bushy growth.
Storage tip: Like most soft greens, it’s best used fresh, but it will last a couple of days in the fridge wrapped in a damp tea towel.
leaves – delicious!
Simple recipes ideas:
– Fresh Garden Salad Boost – Toss Mushroom Plant leaves with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and a citrus dressing for crunch and nutrition.
– Stir-Fry Pop – Add leaves in the last 30 seconds of a veggie stir-fry for a glossy, bright green finish.
– Mushroom Plant Omelette – Fold chopped leaves into beaten eggs with cheese and chives for a fresh, savoury breakfast.
– Herb & Leaf Sandwich – Layer Mushroom Plant leaves with avocado and tomato for a crisp, earthy addition to lunch.
– Coconut Curry Greens – Add handfuls of leaves to coconut-based curries right before serving for colour and extra nutrients.
Other Uses
- Ornamental value: Mushroom Plant has attractive foliage and delicate blue flowers, making it lovely for edible landscaping.
- Living mulch: Its dense clumps shade the soil, helping keep weeds down and moisture in.
- Great for containers: Grow it in a large pot on the verandah for instant “cut and come again” greens.
Why it’s a survival plant:
Super easy to grow and propagate – almost impossible to lose once established.
Year-round greens in warm climates, even when other salad plants sulk in the heat.
Nutritious and versatile – high protein, calcium, and iron make it a real asset in tough times.
This is the kind of plant that quietly keeps you fed, nourished, and healthy – no fuss, no drama, just leaves whenever you need them.
