Okinawa Spinach - Gynura crepioides

Another mainstay species in food forest gardening, this showy plant with dark purple leaf undersides works great as a border or tall groundcover level in a food forest situation. 

Edible raw or cooked, we tend to take the tender growth tips with leaves attached and use them in stir frys, it has fleshy leaves and thicker but tender stems that work nicely in this style of cooking. 

Native to southeast Asia, this perennial plant is found in the cuisines of many cultures of the region. In the winter this species gets leggy growth tipped with small orange flowers.