WATER SPINACH: Officials are keeping an eye on Popeye's 
favorite food. Find out more on Passport to Texas.

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife 

I'm strong to the finish, 'cause I eats me spinach. I'm Popeye the 
sailor man. :7



By eating water spinach, you won't become as strong as 
Popeye. But in the 1970s water spinach was imported to 
the U.S. from Asia because of its nutritional value. 

It does grow very fast, which makes it a good plant to cultivate for 
food. :3.4



For this same reason, many people worry that if water 
spinach isn't regulated, it could invade waterways, 
creating problems such as becoming a breeding ground 
for mosquitoes. 

Currently, growing and consuming water spinach is legal, 
but stores can't sell it. But TPWD is changing their 
regulations so distributors can legally sell the plant if 
they buy it from an approved cultivator. 

Earl Chilton is a TPWD aquatic habitat enhancement 
director. He says the regulations are just a precaution.

Here in Texas it may not be that dangerous anyway because it's been 
completely unregulated for almost 30 years. It has been sold at HEB and 
Wholefoods and restaurants without any permits because our law 
enforcement people and us simply didn't know about it. We have yet to 
find it established in the wild anywhere, despite the fact that in the area 
where they're growing it, there have been any number of hurricanes over 
the last 30 years that have destroyed greenhouses and washed plants 
here and there. :28.6








That's our show ... with research and writing help from 
Gretchen Mahan. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I'm Cecilia 
Nasti.

Total sound bite time:			0:39.0
Maximum Script time:			0:46.0	 	 Suggested show time: 85.0 = 1:25