Fishwort ‘Chameleon’

A vegetable, herb and medicine all at once, the fishwort 'Chameleon' this perennial ground cover floods many gardens with light all over the world, and almost always in its tricolor variegated form. While many Westerners complain about seeing their flowerbeds invaded by this otherwise delectable ground cover, Asians take advantage of it to fill their bellies and treat themselves with it.

Everything is edible in it! Its thick, firm-textured blade contains some of the most exotic flavors! Slightly spicy coriander, a mixture of peppers, orange or lemon zest. What seems to be a difference in perception is explained by the existence of different strains with varying compositions of essential oils. A Japanese strain, rather fragrant with citrus and ginger, stands out from its brother, with the regional names of Chinese pepper and fish plant, which reveals a smell of coriander.

Some find it smells of copper, others, of fish. In any case, we are dealing with complex flavors, which require to be well prepared before being tamed. Its young leaves will be very slightly bitter, while the bitterness increases in proportion as the summer progresses. You will have no choice but to taste it to form your own opinion. And don't worry, its Japanese name, dokudami (where doku means poison and dami, the neutralization of it), labels it as an antidote neutralizing toxic substances.

A condiment plant in the cuisines of Southeast Asia, Vietnam and Cambodia, the one also called fish mint accompanies imperial rolls and spring rolls, essential in this festive dish among other lettuce leaves, mint, coriander and cucumber slices. It is also found in Indian curries and pakoras.

Its roots, almost white, with a fresh and peppery taste are also eaten as a vegetable in China and used in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. They are served in a refreshing salad, with rice vinegar, chili pepper, coriander and soy sauce. A traditional Yunnan variant, consumed for its purifying virtues, consists of a pleasant harmony where mustard and peanuts soften its powerful perfume. In the province of Guizhou, the well-rinsed rhizome is stir-fried in a wok with spicy sauces of ancestral origins.

With this local alternative for creating an orange-flavored dish, you might revisit the classic duck à l’orange or even chocolate-orange mousse. In fresh garnishes, its tangy touch similar to sorrel enhances fish and Spanish omelettes. Chopped, it replaces clementines with spinach and almonds, is a candidate for a sweet and sour soup, while its fruity notes infuse yogurts and vinaigrettes.

Native to Southeast Asia, China, Japan and the Himalayas, this semi-aquatic plant establishes itself vigorously in our climate. Four plants per square meter are enough to plant an edible cover barely 15 cm high.

With an original appeal, the Chameleon variety, sometimes called Variegata or Tricolor, changes color depending on the exposure. Its tricolor foliage, irregularly variegated with green and spotted with creamy yellow, is flanked by pink and carried by beautiful bright red stems. Its white summer blooms bring out the colors of the leaves, like shiny hearts painted on a background of pastry cream. It needs a few hours of sunshine to keep these sparkles. This variegated form is colorful and vibrant, while the natural dark green form, barely edged with red, creates a more tranquil effect, supported by the white of the flowers.

No matter the soil, it will always be beautiful if it does not dry out, but will still resist drought. The cordate houttuynia is also a pond plant, whose roots can be submerged in water.

There is a catch. Fast, it aggressively traces its path in rich and soggy soils, crossing streams, threatening to colonize territories.

It proliferates quickly when conditions are good and can become invasive in marshy environments. It will be wise to try to contain it, if not to reserve it for specific uses. It can be limited with low walls, containers or pots, because the rhizomes are capable of traveling more than a meter under the ground to develop their stems later.

I understand the lack of interest in the perpetual control of a plant that some accuse of being an unwanted weed. But considering its utilitarian aspect, we see things from another angle.

Because what if, when we were enlightened by the culinary uses it offers, we stopped seeing the pulling of roots as a chore, but rather as a harvest, the persistence of which ensures the constancy of yields? It is already less likely to escape if we redirect it towards the kitchen. Thus, the concerns of some would be appeased and their food security, reinforced.

Be aware, however, that the variegated variety is slightly less vigorous. Plan for minimal maintenance, because it happens that monochrome stems appear among the variegated ones. They will have to be removed as soon as they appear, otherwise they risk taking over the variety. Do not forget that to control it is to harvest it and that to harvest it is to control it.

Despite these good intentions, what to do if its expansion becomes problematic? It will be a question of tearing off the leaves until the roots are exhausted. Its vigor will decrease between each regrowth, until the regrowth stops.

A great help for greening difficult places, too shady or too humid, it is also suitable around ponds or in undergrowth, even in heavy and clayey soil. It can be grown in a submerged pot to limit its growth. Beautifully hanging, it lends itself to the creation of hanging planters, from where it taunts slugs, because in other cases, it can be prey to them. In our demonstration gardens, where the potted plant is immersed in a pond, the frogs, companions of the chameleon, do not let any pass!

You will find some at the Paysage gourmand nursery. Creators of edible landscapes! https://paysagegourmand.quebec/en/produit/fishwort-chameleon-houttuynia-cordata/