The lower reach of Yangtze River blooms in splendor during spring. Spring is the best season to sample fresh wild vegetables in Jiangnan (south of Yangtze River).

Grown amidst fertile natural environs it should be prepared in a way that is light, fresh, colorful and delicious. These vegetables combine unique flavors, creating a delightful meal. Seasonal juhuanao are the tender chrysanthemum leaves used to make soup or congee stirred with eggs. Another edible wild herb malantou are tender leaves of boltonia indica, a plant also in the chrysanthemum family. Often served cold, it is first boiled in water, and then shredded into tiny bits. Mixed with dried bean curd and seasoned with salt, it becomes absolutely delicious. The aromatic xiangchun tastes best when fried with scrambled eggs or boiled, flavored with sesame oil.

The fondness for wild vegetables by Nanjing people is best described by a local saying: “Nanjingers are quite content living on rice and grass.” These vegetables possess high nutrition while naturally enhancing beauty. These herbs are known to increase the resistance to diseases (including cancer).