Plectranthus kamerunensis

Gurke

LamiaceaeLeavesPotential hazards — see below

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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

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MBG

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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves

The leaves are edible. No further details

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

A tropical plant.

Africa, Central Africa, Congo,

Countries: Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Comoros, Liberia, Lesotho, Libya, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Identify

A tropical herbaceous plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae) with edible leaves.

How to Grow

Propagation: Seed - sow in well-drained soil, covering lightly with a thin layer of sand, and place in a warm but shaded spot. The seed germinates in about three weeks. Cuttings of Plectranthus species generally root easily - soft tips root faster than semi-hardwood growth. The cuttings are best taken 60 - 100mm long with three or four nodes, making the cut just below a node. Place them in sand, perlite, vermiculite or peat, or any mixture of these, keep them moist and shaded and they should root in 2 - 3 weeks

Medicinal Uses

The plant is used in the treatment of digestive complaints and skin problems.

Other Uses

A decoction of the leaves is used in bathing newborn babies.

Notes

There are about 250 Plectranthus species. They are mainly in the tropics.

References (2)

Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 95
Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 196