Succeeds in ordinary garden soil, but it prefers a well-drained fertile soil in full sun. It will tolerate light shade in the summer. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.2 to 7.5. Plants do not grow well at temperatures above 25°c, tending to become bitter in hot weather. Plants withstand light frosts. Chop suey greens are commonly cultivated as a vegetable in the Orient and are becoming better known in the West. There are many named varieties. It takes 4 - 5 weeks from sowing the seed to the first harvest when plants are grown on the cut and come again principle. Plants often self-sow when they are well-sited and the soil is disturbed by hoeing etc.

Young shoots and stems - raw or cooked. Strongly aromatic, they are used as a flavoring or as a vegetable. Cooked leaves become bitter if overcooked at a high temperature. Young leaves are excellent in salads. The leaves quickly wilt once they have been picked so it is best to harvest them as required. They contain about 1.85% protein, 0.43% fat, 2.57% carbohydrate, 0.98% ash. They are rich in vitamin B1, contain a moderate content of vitamin C and a little vitamin A. Flowers - raw. Blanched briefly and added to salads. The centre of the flower is bitter so only the petals are normally used. A fragrant pickle known as 'kikumi' is made from the petals in Japan.

Seed - surface-sow in spring to early autumn in situ. The seed usually germinates within 10 - 18 days at 15°c. Successional sowings can be made at intervals of a few weeks in order to ensure a constant supply of young plants. Autumn sowings succeed in mild areas. An autumn sowing under cover will often supply leaves all winter.

Cultivated ground and waste places.