Common Name:

General Information

Justicia insularis is an annual to perennial plant growing up to 2 metres tall.
The edible leaves are gathered from the wild for local use. They are sometimes sold in local markets in west Africa during the rainy season[]. The plant is currently (2009) undergoing trials as a cultivated crop[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - widespread but full extent unknown.

Habitat

Found in a wide variety of habitats, from moist forests to dry savannah regions. It is also found in cultivated land, refuse heaps, grasslands and forest edges[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a humus-rich, fertile soil for optimum growth, but can succeed in sandy or loamy soils[617[.
A very variable plant.

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked[]. Generally prepared as a sauce to accompany a main staple[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - in the wild, the seed remains dormant during the dry season, germinating with the return of the rains[]. Seed should be harvested before the fruit is fully ripe, or the fruit splits and scatters the seed[]. Spontaneous seedlings can be transplanted into the garden[].
Root cuttings obtained from the basal portion of the stem[].
Stem cuttings about 15cm long[].

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