Common Name: Justicia

General Information

Justicia is an annual or perennial herb growing up to 2 metres tall[].
This is one of the most appreciated of the sweet green vegetables of Africa[]. It is cultivated in home gardens in West and Central Africa, especially in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon and DR Congo[]. A low value vegetable, it is marketed in village markets and occasionally in urban markets[]. The plant is also occasionally planted as an ornamental[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Senegal to Somalis, south to DR Congo, Uganda and Kenya.

Habitat

Occurs in a wide range of habitats from moist rainforest to dry savannah regions, from sea-level up to elevations of 2,600 metres[]. It is also found in waste and cultivated land, refuse heaps, grassland and forest edges[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	2.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Insects, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of low to moderate elevations in the moist tropics. It thrives with an annual rainfall ranging from 1,000 - 2,000 mm, daytime temperatures of 25 - 35°c and night temperatures of 20 - 27°[]. It does not tolerate low temperatures[].
It can be found on sandy and loamy soils, but requires rich humus soil and slight shade for optimum growth[].
The vegetative growth is slow; it takes several weeks after sowing to cover the soil[].
Flowering occurs at the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the dry season[]. The production of shoots is concentrated at the base of the plant, 10 - 15 cm above the soil surface, and shoot production continues after flowering[].
Young plants can be harvested by uprooting when 3 - 5 weeks old, but the main harvest is by cutting[]. The first cutting is at a height 5 - 6 cm above the ground when the plant height is 20 - 25 cm, or 6 - 7 weeks after planting from seed or cutting[]. Repeated cuttings promote rapid production of shoots[]. Harvesting can be carried out at 10-day intervals[].
A yield of fresh leaves of up to 20 kg per 10 m2 bed may be obtained from repeated harvests over a 4-month period[].
The ability of the plant to produce leaves from the rainy season until well into the dry season makes it a good source of a regular supply of vegetables for the family[]. Its potential use as a dry season vegetable should also be investigated[].
The stigma is receptive at the same time as the anthers are mature. The style exceeds the anthers, and one of the stigma lobes gradually bends down, coming very close to the anthers after some days, thereby gradually increasing the chance of self-pollination. Pollination is effected by insects[].

Edible Uses

The tender and slightly slimy leaves and shoots are an appreciated leafy vegetable[]. They are also cooked into soup or stew[]. Leaves of the sweet potato are sometimes added when preparing soup, rendering the preparation less gluey[]. The leaves are also added to groundnut soup[].

Medicinal

The leaves, mixed with oil and salt, are eaten to treat cardiac disorders[]. A leaf decoction is given to children for the treatment of indigestion[].
The leaves are used externally for the treatment of wounds[].

Other Uses

The boiled up leaves are used as a soap-substitute[].

Propagation

Seed. The seed remains dormant during the dry season and germinates readily with the onset of rains[]. The seed may be drilled in rows spaced at 40 - 50 cm. Young seedlings are thinned, allowing 30 - 40 cm between plants in the rows[]. Spontaneous seedlings can be uprooted and transplanted on vegetable beds[].
Seed production is difficult because the seeds are scattered when the fruits split open. The fruits can be gathered immediately when the colour changes from green to white, or whole branches with infructescences are harvested and dried[].
In cultivation it is easiest to take rooted cuttings obtained from the basal parts of the stem[]. Stem cuttings about 15 cm long can also be planted 30 - 40 cm apart[].

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