Shungiku

Glebionis coronaria, also known as shungiku or garland chrysanthemum, is an annual leafy vegetable in the Asteraceae family, native to the Mediterranean and widely used in East Asian cuisine. Its deeply lobed, aromatic leaves have a fresh, distinctive flavour unlike most common salad greens. The plant is fast-growing, tolerates both full sun and partial shade, and produces ornamental yellow-white-orange chrysanthemum-like flowers on tall stems when allowed to bolt. It is well suited to successive sowings throughout the growing season.

Growing

Sow seeds directly outdoors 1 cm deep once soil consistently reaches 5 °C. Space plants 5–15 cm apart with rows 25–35 cm apart; broadcast sowing in beds and raised beds also works well. Sow in successive batches to extend harvest. In a greenhouse or cold frame, sowing can begin earlier when air temperatures remain above 5 °C at night. A late-season sowing when temperatures begin to drop again in late summer extends harvest well into autumn.

Care

Water regularly to keep the soil evenly moist, especially during dry spells, as drought encourages premature bolting. No heavy feeding is needed; a light application of balanced fertiliser at sowing is sufficient. Shungiku is a long-day plant, so it will bolt and flower as days lengthen — harvest leaves promptly to delay this. Remove flower stems to extend the leaf harvest, or leave some plants to set seed for next year's crop.

Harvest

Begin harvesting outer leaves and shoot tips when plants reach 10–15 cm tall. Leaves are tastiest while young and tender. Use scissors to snip stems just above a lower leaf node to encourage regrowth. Harvest before flowers fully open for best flavour. Once plants bolt and flower fully, leaf quality declines rapidly.

In the kitchen

Use young leaves and stems raw in salads or lightly dressed with sesame oil. They are excellent stir-fried, added to hot pot dishes, steamed, or sautéed with garlic. The flavour is aromatic and slightly bitter, complementing rich broths and sauces. Flowers are also edible and can be used as a garnish.

Storing

Store freshly cut leaves loosely wrapped in a damp cloth or paper towel inside a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer preservation, blanch briefly and freeze. Leaves do not dry well; use fresh or frozen for best results.