Katuk (Sweet Leaf) (马尼菜)
Herbaceous shrub, up to 6m tall as wild understorey forest plant, but normally kept to around 2m under cultivation. Form is slender, with short lateral branching.
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Breynia androgyna (L.)
Chakrab. & N.P.Balakr.
COMMON NAME
Cekur Manis, Chekur Manis, Cekuk Manis, Sayur Manis, Pucuk Manis, Star Gooseberry, Sweet Leaf Bush, Katuk, 守宫木, 马尼菜
CLASSIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS
Plant Division Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) Plant Growth Form Shrub (Herbaceous) Lifespan (in Singapore) Perennial Mode of Nutrition Autotrophic Plant Shape Shrubby Maximum Height 1 m to 3 m PLANT CARE AND PROPAGATION
Light Preference Full Sun Water Preference Moderate Water Plant Growth Rate Fast Transplanting Tolerance Good Maintenance Requirements Low Propagation Method Seed, Stem Cutting Propagule Establishment Remarks USES
- It is a traditional crop of Southeast Asia and a popular vegetable in Malay cuisine -- where leaves and young stems are eaten raw, steamed, boiled with beansprouts, cooked with eggs, or added to soups. It is recommended to crush and soak the leaves in water to wash away the sap before cooking.
- Flowers and fruits can be eaten as well. The plant contains considerable amounts of papaverine, an alkaloid acting as smooth muscle relaxant. It is reported that excessive consumption of raw leaves may cause side effects such as breathing difficulty and other lung related sickness.)
- Medicinal ( Plants are used in folk medicine. Pounded leaves and roots are applied as poultice to treat fever and ulcers.)
Disclaimer
The information in this website is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.