Mukunuwenna is a very popular herb as food for the people of Sri Lanka.  This plant is a spreading plant that is often found in waterlogged environments.  The most common type is purple and green is the most common.  There is also a small white round flower. Also in Ayurveda, this plant is also known as “Meenakshi” as it resembles the eye of a fish in the Mukunuwenna plant.

Botanical Name	Alternanthera sessilis
Kingdom	Plantae
Order	Caryophyllales
Family	Amaranthaceae
Genus	Alternanthera
Species	A.sessilis

According to the style of growth, Mukunuwenna can be divided into two main types as vines and shrubs.

• Vine forms
• Shrub forms

Shrub type

Shrub-like mukunuwenna comes in a variety of colours.  These are red, green, yellow and mixed colours and are mostly grown as ornamental plants.  Of these, the green variety seems to be the most edible.  Apart from this, there are several practical varieties called Rata Mukunuwenna with very large leaves.  Their yield is high but their popularity is low due to their low taste. Used for decoration.

This is how it is grown commercially. These can be divided into several types according to the shape of the leaves and the colour of the stem.

Climate requirements for Mukunuwenna

Lowland wet zone is more suitable for cultivation.  Mukunuwenna can be easily cultivated in any other area if the water is available throughout the year. A leafy vegetable that has spread as a commercial crop containing vitamins and calcium.  The lowland wet zone is suitable for cultivation.

It is one of the most nutritious plants.  Therefore, people from foreign countries like South India are also very fond of this type of herb.  Also, all parts of this plant are used medicinally. This plant is a valuable plant that can be used as a medicine for many ailments and as a food and has many benefits for the body.