Its native origin is Southeast Asia and India.
Water spinach is popular among persons of Asian descent in Florida.
The species has become Florida's most problematic non-naturalized noxious weed species. The species is cultivated as an edible vegetable by Asian immigrants for personal use and for sale in oriental food markets throughout the United States. It is a vine-like species that can grow in a wide range of habitats and is quite aggressive in Florida's water bodies because of its prolific growth rate. The Florida Department of Natural Resources seized seeds and harvested plants from Oriental food stores and destroyed many water-spinach infestations in southern and central Florida drainage ditches and ponds. Many believe that establishment of the species in Florida is only a matter of time.