More photos of periwinkle, a versatile medicinal plant

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Health, Gardening: Periwinkle, a wonder plant

Photos by me from Olavipe. Copyright reserved.

Click to enlarge.

Pandanus fascicularis: A tropical shrub of many uses

Have you seen this plant?

It is common along the coastal areas of India, and also in SE Asia. The botanical name is Pandanus fascicularis (syn. P. odoratissimus, nom. illeg). In English it is called screw pine or umbrella tree. Local names in India include Kewra, Kaitha, Ketaki, Kevadaa, Tale hoovu, Bonnong, Kia, Kaethakee, and Thazhai.

We have Pandanus fascicularis in abundance in Olavipe, my village in Kerala, India. In fact, all the photographs on this page are taken at Olavipe. The shrub grows wild, usually along the canal banks, by the lake shore and on the edges of the rice fields. It is an invasive shrub which spreads quite extensively unless controlled.

The blade like leaves are about a meter or longer and have spikes along the midriff and the edges. They used to have economic significance our area. Large mats which were mainly used for drying paddy were made from Pandanus leaves by a particular caste. They were sold at the church feasts just before the harvest. Now plastic sheets have replaced them.

But elsewhere, like the South Eastern countries, the leaves have an important part in the local cuisine. They are eaten raw, or cooked and also used as flavoring agent.

Other uses of the leaves include making of bags and decorative items. It is also said that good quality paper can be made from screw pine leaves.

An excellent perfume is made from the spadices of male screw pine flowers. These blossoms are beautiful. When they open the wet musk smell lingers in the area. The Ganjam District of Orissa is one of the places where Pandanus is cultivated commercially. There are about 130 distillation units producing aromatic oil in the area.

The entire plant is considered to have great medicinal value. The range of health problems treated with different parts of the shrub is amazing. Here are examples from a long list: leprosy and other skin diseases, antiseptic, brain problems, diabetes, ulcers and wounds, cardiac conditions.

A major benefit of planting Pandanus is that it offers protection against sea erosion. This aspect is often overlooked.

Pandanus fascicularis grows to a height 2 to 3 meters. The common method of propagation is by planting the offshoots. Seeds can also be germinated.

Pandanus fruit has great resemblance to pineapple. But I don’t think many people eat it.

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Click on photos to enlarge. Copyright reserved. Photo credits: Top: Karthiki. Second: TP. The rest taken by me.

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A pineapple story, with photos

Medicinal Plants: Noni (Morinda citrifolia) planting for profit?

Tropical Medicinal Plants: Thumpa, a vanishing beauty

Thumpa (Leucas aspera, Dronapushpi, Gumma Bhaji, Karukansoli, pansi-pansi, paysi-paysi, sipsipan, sula-sulasihan) is part of my childhood memories in Kerala, India. The plant can grow up to a height of two feet depending on the species. The bell-like flowers are normally white. In fact, in Malayalam, the native tongue of Kerala, thumpa flower is a synonym for pure white.

Thumpa used to grow wild all over the place. Even children knew it had medicinal value. The most common usage was in case of any skin problems. If you touch a poisonous weed or plant and there are itching and/or skin eruptions, take a few thumpa leaves, crush them in your hand and apply to the affected part. The relief is almost immediate.

The medicinal properties of Leucas aspera are accepted in all the areas where the 100 species of the plant grows (Indian Subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, China, Pacific Islands, South America, and Africa). The main uses of the plant are in treating psoriasis and other skin conditions, painful swellings, snake bites, insect stings, and coughs and colds. It is said that a decoction made from the plant hastens menstruation.

In some countries, Leucas aspera is used as a fragrant herb in cooking. It is also a natural insecticide. In Kerala, the plant is burnt to ward off mosquitoes.

What used to grow wild in our area and many parts of Kerala started disappearing about four decades back. We found that the use of chemical manure and pesticides was the cause. About twenty five years back we shifted back to organic farming. The thumpa plants returned to the scene as you can see in the photographs I took in Olavipe.

Click on photos to enlarge. Copyright reserved.

Leucas aspera can also be cultivated commercially. Seeds can be ordered online. Dry, sandy soil and full sunlight are required. The suggested planting distance is 12 to 15 inches apart. You could also have a few clusters of Leucas aspera in your garden, either on the ground or in pots.

These are great plants to have in the vicinity residential houses.

Also see: Amorphophallus, a medicinal plant with unique flower

Noni the medicinal plant, a thriving business

In my post Medicinal Plants: Noni (Morinda citrifolia) planting for profit? I mentioned that I had seen noni plants in Kerala. Recently I came across a plant beside a pond in Olavipe.

The photos of the plant I took (copyright reserved) are reproduced below. Click on them to enlarge.

Also see:

Medicinal Plants: Noni (Morinda citrifolia) planting for profit?

Tulasi the Incomparable

Tulasi - the very name has sanctity about it. One doesn’t call it just ‘basil’ but Holy Basil. Ocimum Sanctum. It is a symbol of purity, divinity and health. Tulasi is believed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and therefore incomparable. It is so much a part and parcel of Indian life and culture.

Visualize this scene. First rays of morning sun filtering through the trees around. A lady wearing damp clothes after bath stands in front of the tulasi plant in her house. It could be in the front, or in the nadumuttam (inner courtyard). Droplets of water drip down intermittently from her hair. She waters the plant, stands in front of it in prayer with folded hands and does pradishana (circling around).

A tulasi plant in the rain in an inner courtyard.

That is the routine of many an Indian woman before she gets immersed in the daily chores, pure in body and mind. Apart from the veneration part of it, spending time before tulasi is a healthy practice. Emissions from the plant are said to purify the air around it.

Skanda Purana says, "Just by touching Tulsidevi one's body becomes pure. By praying to her, all diseases practically become removed. If one waters her or makes her wet, the fear of Yamaraja (death personified) is destroyed.” (See http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Ocimum-tenuiflorum and similar sites.)

The medicinal values of Tulasi have been known and used in India for thousands of years. The claimed benefits are far too many to be listed here but one must mention that it is said to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Vastu also recognizes the importance of tulasi. The plant growing in the vicinity of a house is alleged to have highly positive influence.

I was surprised to learn that tulasi has religious significance in Christianity as well. It is said to have been found at Calvary where Jesus was crucified and near His tomb after the resurrection. Some Churches keep basil near the altar. It is also used in making Holy Water which is supposed to cleanse away sins and guard against evils.

Christians have two saints, father and son, named Basil. Tulasi has a prominent place in the Saint Basil’s Day celebrations.

The homeland of the tulasi is India, where it has been known from Vedic times. Later it spread to other countries. This Queen of Herbs is used for many culinary applications too.

Before concluding I must say this. My sister-in-law Rema (Mrs. Antony Tharakan) makes a delicious tulasi tea. It is a great drink first thing in the morning or just before bed time.

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Photos by me from Olavipe. Copyright reserved. Click on them to enlarge.

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Divine Strokes

Amorphophallus, a medicinal plant with unique flower

Gardening: Hibiscus, the Queen of Shrubs

Hibiscus is among the most stunning flowers in the world. Originally a native of Asia, it has spread to many countries. There are numerous varieties of hibiscus, with flowers of many hues, and petal arrangements like single, double and curlers which do not open fully. The size of the blooms can be anywhere from 2” to 10” in diameter.

The plant can be propagated from cuttings or seeds. Depending on the type, they grow from one foot height to shrubs and even trees. They are planted in gardens, as hedges, and for landscaping. A planned grove of hibiscus with flowers of different colors is an enchanting sight.

Almost all parts of hibiscus are useful. They have several medicinal properties. The famous karkade or hibiscus tea is considered invigorating. Excellent jams and squashes can be made from the flowers. Dried hibiscus flowers are delicacies in some countries. A shampoo made by wet grinding the flowers is considered to be very good for the hair

and cooling the head. The blooms can also be used for polishing shoes; perhaps that is the reason for the name ‘shoe flower’.

Some of the grass skirts the Polynesian ladies wear are made of the fibers obtained from the bark of the hibiscus plants. Hibiscus roots too have medicinal properties and are believed to cure different ailments.

Wouldn’t you like to grow these beauties? It is simple. Hibiscus grows best in easy draining soil with plenty of sunlight. Once the plant catches on hardly any care is required. Seasonal pruning can increase the number of flowers.

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Also see: Health, Gardening: Periwinkle, a wonder plant

Another strange flower

I took the following photograph (copyright reserved) at Peermade, Kerala, earlier this month.

The plant which belongs to the banana (musa) family is locally known as malavazha, kalluvazha and kattuvazha. Common names also include Sabbajaya, Wild plantain and Indian bead. From what I have learned from an internet search, the botanical name is Ensete superba (Roxb) Cheesman. (Musa superba Roxb) The plant which grows to a height of about four meters is a native of the Western Ghats. In Ayurveda it is considered to have several medicinal properties.

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Also see: Amorphophallus, a medicinal plant with unique flower

Amorphophallus, a medicinal plant with unique flower

Fellow blogger Nebu has correctly identified the photo in my previous post (Have you seen this flower?) as that of amorphophallus flower. The common names of amorphophallus ssp (botanical name) is ‘elephant foot yam’ or ‘elephant yam’.

The local names include Zaminkund, Anto, Balukund, Chena, Daga, Ilis-ilis, Kand godda, Karak-kavanai, Karnai kilangu, Oroy, Poong, Puung, Sooweg, Mo-yu, Suron, Teve, Tamari, Waloor, Arsaghna, Konjac, Konniaku, Konnyaku, Koe, Tigi, Ol kuchu, Kidaran, and Ol.

Elephant yam is considered to have several medicinal properties and effective in the treatment of amenorrhea, anorexia, arthritis, cough, dysmenorrhea, general debility, hemorrhage, hemorrhoids, inflammation, sexual weakness, and vomiting. The corms are used in different cuisines.

Though elephant yam is common in many tropical countries, its flower is rarely seen. It comes out from the center of some of the yams that are kept aside as seeds for planting. A few photos of the flower are given below:

Photos by Rose Petrov, AT (Copyright reserved).
Click on them to enlarge.

Also see:
Medicinal Plants: Noni (Morinda citrifolia) planting for profit?

Health, Gardening: Periwinkle, a wonder plant

Medicinal Plants: Noni (Morinda citrifolia) planting for profit?

Have you heard of Noni or Indian Mulberry that is US$3 billion business? Common names of this plant include great morinda, beach mulberry, nono, nonu, mengkudu and ach.

The plant which belongs to the Rubiaceae family is a native to India and South East Asia. It spread to Polynesian islands centuries back.

The health claims about noni are amazing. It is supposed to be good in preventing/managing diabetes, cardio-vascular problems, skin blemishes, arthritis, asthma, bone ailments, BP, migraines, AIDS, viruses and infections, impotency, malignancies, pain and hair loss. Several nations have been using noni medically for centuries.

But none of the claims have been proved scientifically so far. One reason for this could be that only in the early 1990s the West became aware of the ‘miracle’ plant. Marketing noni pulp powder in capsule form started in 1992. This was followed by noni juice which is fast gaining popularity in USA and Europe. It appears that certain herbal products do not require Food & Drugs Administration (FDA) clearance in the US. The European Union has approved noni juice as a ‘novel food’ in 2002 without endorsing the health claims.

While the US manufactures most of noni products the major portion of the raw materials come from Polynesia. Now other countries including India are also taking up noni cultivation.

Noni is a shrub that can grow to 20 feet height. Stem cutting is the normal method of propagation though seed germination is also possible. The planting distance is 10-15 feet, say, about 300 plants per acre. Grows well in sunny moist/dry sandy soil and tolerates salinity (hence perhaps the name beach mulberry), and drought. It thrives even in secondary soil.

Noni starts fruiting in 18 months and has a productive life span of 30 to 40 years. The average output is 4 to 8 kg of fruit per month per plant. Other parts of the plant are also useful. But the cultivation is mainly for the potato-sized fruits. The shrub is also effective in protecting beaches and as windbreakers. Noni farming is reportedly a highly profitable venture.

The case of noni in India presents a paradox. The natural growth has been widely destroyed because of the foul smell while the fruits ripen, and for other cultivation. So much so it is on the endangered list now. I have seen this plant in Kerala; nobody bothers about it. Now there is a concentrated effort to popularize noni planting in the country.

I believe that there are agencies that furnish free project reports and offer buy back arrangement. More details about noni planting can be obtained from:

Indian Noni Research Foundation
Research Centre
19 & 20 Bharath Nagar Annex, Medavakkam Road
Sholinganallur, Chennai - 600 119 India
e-mail : info@inrf.org Visit : www.inrf.org

Or you can visit the website of the World Noni Research Foundation : www.worldnoni.org

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Also see:

Noni the medicinal plant, a thriving business

Emu farming in India

Health, Gardening: Periwinkle, a wonder plant

Most of you would have seen the flowers shown on the left. It is periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus/ Vinca rosea), which belongs to the myrtle family. In Hindi the plant is called sadabahar, meaning ‘always in bloom’. The periwinkle flowers come in different colors. The plants grow wild in tropical areas. Now they are cultivated commercially because of their medicinal properties.

Interestingly, during the Middle Ages periwinkle was an essential ingredient in many magic potions. It was believed to have the power to dispel evil spirits. Consequently, the periwinkle plant with purple flowers was called by Europeans ‘sorcerer’s violet!

The pharmaceutical industry started discovering the value of periwinkle for treating several ailments only from the 1950s though it had been used in folk medicine in several countries for centuries. The reported medicinal qualities of periwinkle run into a long list. Here are some of them:

chemotherapy treatments for leukemia and Hodgkin's disease, managing blood pressure, diabetes, wasp stings, excessive bleeding, depression of central nervous system, circulatory disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, cold, cough, lung congestion and inflammation and sore throat, eye irritation and infections, digestive problems, muscle pain, wasp stings, eczema, and as tranquilizer and astringent. A warning: do not try any self medication with periwinkle.

Periwinkle is a good, easy to manage garden plant as well. It can be germinated from seeds, or cuttings can be planted. Sunlight or partial shade is required for proper growth. From our experience at Olavipe, the best planting distance is about two feet. It is drought resistant. The plant can grow up to three feet in height. Proper mixing of different colors, or clusters of single color, can have a stunning effect. Here are some photos of periwinkle from Olavipe :

Photos by me. Click on them for enlarged view.

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Also see:
Ixora coccinea (Rubiaceae) - flowers that gods and men love

Medicine men of Olavipe

During my childhood, the government apothecary at Thycattussarry was called to the house only rarely. The much respected Kuncharath Vaidyans provided medical care at our ancestral home, Thekkanatt Parayil. Members of this ancient Syrian Christian family were, traditionally, experts at Ayurveda.

Once a month or so the chief vaidyan would come to Thekkanatt and take stock of the health situation. He knew the medical history of each member of the family precisely without keeping any written records

Separate rooms and staff were maintained to provide the ayurvedic stuff that was required. We used to say that the entire area smelt of ‘nattuvaidyam’ (ayurveda). There were all sorts of fluids (kashayam), pills, powders, and pastes (lehyams) for oral consumption.

Then there were ointments (kuzhambu), pastes and various types of oils for external applications. Every Friday afternoon the children were to have oil bath. They hated the ritual mainly because they were not allowed to go outdoors after the oil bath, which meant no games.

The bathwater was heated with some medicinal leaves. The water drawn from the well was poured into a channel that ran inside to fill the large vessels in the bathroom. There was an opening on the wall, below the container, through which fire could be lighted and controlled from outside. It was necessary to maintain a particular temperature.

The responsibility to ensure that all the preparations were available was entrusted to Sanku, fair and handsome and Karutha, dark and not good-looking. Some of the items had shelf life while others had to be prepared afresh each time. Most of the herbs were available on our lands. Grandfather had a passion for medicinal and other rare plants as he had for birds and animals.

There is a story that when a particular herb was not available locally, Sanku went to the suppliers in nearby towns. None of them had it. Finally, a vaidyan told Sanku that the ingredient was available only at Thekkanatt Parayil. He even mentioned the precise location where the plant grew. Sanku tried to keep this instance of his ignorance secret, but somehow it leaked out.
Whether Sanku was present or not, Karutha, with his assistants, invariably attended to the tough job of almost incessant churning of whatever preparation was in process over fire in a large flat cauldron.

I still remember the impatience to get through with the oil bath, the smell of herbs that hung heavily in the air and the fuss about drying the hair properly. After a servant did the initial drying, either Ammachi or grandmother or one of the elder ladies of the house would check. And there was the ritual of rubbing ‘rasnadi podi’, an herbal powder, at the top of the head to ensure that no trace of moisture was left.

Only after that we would be released.

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Also see:

Oru Desathinte Amma.

The House That Grandfather Built.