Pucai (typhalatifolial) is said to have a long history of 3000 years. Nanjing people call it Haoercai though in fact it refers to Pucai.

There was a folk song collection in Zhou Dynasty called Book of Songs. The article Hanyi, in the part of the book called Daya, once mentioned pucai: “What’s the vegetable for the occasion? The tender Pucai and the tender Sun (bamboo shoot).”

The notes for the character Pu are “Pu is actually puhao” and “the long-root pu is puhao with a long part growing in water”. Pucai grows in water, mainly in reed ponds.

As a seasonal vegetable sold in the market in April and May every year, it is extremely popular on the locals in Nanjing.