What kind of wild vegetable is the yellow apricot flower during flood season that traders compete to buy whenever they pick it in Long An?

Mr. Nguyen Van Tung Sau (Vinh Tri commune, Vinh Hung district, Long An province) shared: “During the flood season, we often paddle boats to pick Sesbania flowers, earning about 200,000 VND per day. This season, Sesbania flowers are priced from 30,000-40,000 VND/kg.”

The flood season brings not only fish and shrimp, but also various wild vegetables such as water hyacinth, water chives, water lilies, and morning glory, creating a distinctive feature of the Mekong Delta.

The arrival of water means that people have an additional source of income from seasonal produce.

"Yellow apricot blossoms" during the flood season

The flood season is also when the Mekong Delta is at its most vibrant. Not only are there bustling scenes of people fishing, but everywhere – from canal banks and pond edges to rice paddies – is covered in a golden hue of Sesbania grandiflora flowers, interspersed with images of people harvesting them to sell or use in family meals. Sesbania grandiflora is often likened to the "golden apricot blossom" of the flood season.

Water hyacinth flowers typically bloom when the water level rises, and can be used to prepare many delicious dishes such as sour fish soup with water hyacinth flowers, stir-fried water hyacinth flowers with garlic, water hyacinth flower salad with freshwater shrimp, fish sauce hot pot with water hyacinth flowers, water hyacinth flower pancakes, etc.

When enjoying dishes made from Sesbania grandiflora flowers, it's hard to forget the distinctive flavor of this wildflower.

Water hyacinth is a specialty wild vegetable of the flood season, often referred to as the "golden apricot blossom of the flood season" in Long An.

To harvest Sesbania grandiflora flowers, people paddle their boats out to the fields early in the morning, selecting only the buds. When the sun comes up and the flowers open wide, they will no longer be sweet and crispy when used in cooking.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tung Sau (Vinh Tri commune, Vinh Hung district, Long An province) shared: “During the flood season, we often paddle boats to pick Sesbania flowers, earning about 200,000 VND per day. This season, Sesbania flowers are priced from 30,000-40,000 VND/kg.”

When the water comes in, the fields are covered in the golden color of the Sesbania flower, and this flower also provides the people with a considerable income.

Stable income from harvesting wild vegetables.

When mentioning the specialties of wild vegetables during the flood season, it would be a mistake not to mention water chives, water spinach, water lilies, etc. Of course, these vegetables also appear in the dry season, but they are more tender during the flood season.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thy earns a stable income from harvesting water lilies and water chives during the flood season.

Recognizing this need, many farmers take advantage of the flood season to earn extra income and improve their lives. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thy (Vinh Dai commune, Tan Hung district) said: "Water chives usually grow in acidic soil areas, while water lilies usually grow in low-lying areas and only bloom at night; during the day, the water lilies wither and then sink underwater."

"When the water comes in, the water chives thrive, and the water lilies also stretch upwards with the rising water. A month ago, I earned over 400,000 VND per day selling water chives and water lilies. On average, water chives cost 25,000 VND/kg, and water lilies cost 20,000 VND per bunch of about 100 flowers."

Similarly to Ms. Thy, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hung (Vinh Dai commune, Tan Hung district) also earns a stable income from selling water chives. On average, he harvests 20-30 kg per day, depending on the quantity ordered by traders. Mr. Hung confided: "Harvesting water chives is very hard work; you have to immerse yourself in water. Harvesting for several consecutive days causes water damage to your hands and feet. Even so, harvesting water chives is a way to make a living during the flood season, and on average, I earn over 500,000 VND per day."

Ms. Ho Thi Lan harvests water spinach to weigh for traders. Water spinach sells for 12,000 VND/kg.

Many people believe that water spinach grown naturally during the flood season is more fragrant and sweeter than cultivated water spinach, especially since there's no need to worry about pesticide residue. Therefore, in recent years, Mrs. Ho Thi Lan's family (Vinh Tri commune, Vinh Hung district) has been utilizing the Lo Gach canal to grow wild water spinach during the flood season.

Ms. Lan said: “Water spinach is suitable for growing in areas with flowing water. When planted during the flood season, water spinach grows quickly, with thick, crisp stems. I usually harvest water spinach at 1 AM to weigh for traders because harvesting it early in the morning keeps it fresh, which traders really appreciate. On average, I harvest 40-50 kg per day, selling it for 12,000 VND/kg. Besides income from water spinach, I also earn from harvesting morning glory, selling it for 4,000 VND/kg.”

The flood season, whether with little or much water, brings income to the people, including harvesting wild vegetables. Nowadays, wild vegetables are not only a simple dish but have become a specialty of the Mekong Delta and are favored by many city dwellers.

Source: https://danviet.vn/mai-vang-mua-nuoc-noi-thuc-ra-la-thu-rau-dai-gi-ma-o-long-an-he-hai-thuong-lai-tranh-nhau-mua-20241105132652189.htm