Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets

Vitex negundo

Edible : Seeds, Roots - tea, Leaves - tea, Fruit, Leaves,

A small bush. It loses its leaves during the year. It can grow 5-10 m high. The leaves are compound and with 3-5 leaflets. These are sword shaped and have stalks. They are 4-12 cm long. They are dark green on the upper surface and have whitish hairs underneath. The flowers are in a spreading cluster. They are light blue or purple. The flowers are about 1 cm long. The fruit are about 1 cm across.

It grows in subtropical uplands. It grows in moist places and near water and up to 1,700 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zone 8. At MARDI.

Common names : Chinese vitex, Indian Privet, Five-leaved chaste tree, Aggla-chita, Banna, Begundia, Beyguna, Dhunnika, Huang ping, Kyaungban-gyi, Lakkigida, Lala tea, Leban, Leggundi, Marwan, Nagaol, Nagoda, Nakkilu, Nekki, Nigudi, Nirgundi, Nirkkundi, Nishida, Nishindra, Nisind, Nisinda, Pachatia, Pasotia, Pasutia, Pohon suci daun lima, Posotia, Samalu, Sambhalu, Shambalu, Shan pu jiang, Shivari, Shiwali, Shwari, Simali, Tellavaaviti, Urik-shibi, Vaavili, Vellai-nocohi, Vellanocchi, Venmochi, Vorke abap, Warek-lou, Wu-chih-kan,

Synonyms :

Vitex paniculata Lam.;
Vitex cannabifolia;

Agastache rugosa

Edible: Leaves, Seeds, Flowers, Leaves - tea, Spice

A perennial plant which grows to 1 m tall and spreads to 60 cm wide. The stems are erect. They are finely hairy. The leaves are gradually reduced upward. The leaf stalk is 1.5-3.5 cm long The leaf blade is heart shaped to oblong. It is 4.5-11 cm long by 3-6.5 cm wide. The spikes are compact. They are 2.5-12 cm long by 1.8-2.5 cm wide. The leaves near the flower are narrow. The flower is purple-red.

It is a temperate to subtropical plant. It grows naturally in valleys all over Japan. It does best in sunny positions in well drained soil. It is frost hardy. It can tolerate temperatures down to -5°C or -10°C. It suits plant hardiness zones 7-11. In Melbourne Botanical garden. It grows in Sichuan.

Common Names: Korean mint, Wrinkled great hyssop, Chinese giant hyssop, Huo xiang

Synonyms: 

Agastache formosana (Hayata) Mayata ex Makino & Nemoto;
Agastache lophanthus Kuntze;
Agastache rugosa f. alba Y. N. Lee;
Elsholtzia monostachya H. Leveille & Vaniot;
Lophanthus argyu H. Leveille;
Lophanthus formosanus Hayata;
Lophanthus rugosus (Fischer & C. Meyer) Kuntze;
Cedronella japonica Hassk.

Ageratum conyzoides

Edible: Leaves - oil, Flowers - oil, Seeds - oil, Leaves, Vegetable, Salt, Leaves - tea

A small annual under shrub. It grows to 0.6 m tall and spreads to 1 m across. The stem is erect and branching. The leaves are oval and opposite. They are 6 cm long by 4 cm wide. They taper towards the tip and are hairy. The edges have teeth. The flowers are white and insignificant. They occur in small clusters at the ends of branches. The fruit are dry, black hairy capsules.

A tropical plant. It does best in well composted well drained soils. It suits a sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. It can grow in arid places. In Sikkim it grows between 200-2,000 m above sea level.

Common Names: Billygoat Plant, Goatweed, Adwowakuro, Ahimaimbo, Ajagandha, Anatsiataolana, Bái huā chòu dì wén, Bakariabish, Balquiama, Balquiana, Bandotan, Barba de chivo, Baume, Berokan, Bhusuripata, Blue floss flower, Blue top, Boksunga, Bolbol, Boroboro-menchena, Botebotekoro, Bulak-manok, Dholi sadodee, Elame, Elamey, Gandhe, Gandhari, Gane, Ghaneraosadi, Gua kubo, Gumdrya, Gunyato, Hapon-hapon, Hierba de chivo, Ilamejhar, Jukut bau, Kadu-hpo, Kaziraruguma, Kondre, Koobhi, Laboel, Luboel, Lulubye, Matamocemoce, Mentrasto, Mpata kasakula, Nayitulasi, Ngonamshu, Ntongola, Osari, Poksunga, Pumpillu, Puru, Quicala-pure, Rumput sekedok, Sahadevi, Selaseh dandi, Sesumpate, Seto ghandhe, Sinnapo-ompillu, Tekote tea, Teteco, Timimbo, Uchanti, Uchunti, Uru ute, Yima

Synonyms: Many

Aglaia odorata

Edible: Flowers - flavouring, Leaves,Vegetable

A small tree. It grows 5-8 m tall. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. There are 3-7 leaflets opposite each other and these are 1-7 cm long by 1-4 cm wide. The flowers are golden yellow. They grow in clusters along the branches. They droop and have a scent. They smell like cymbidiums and look like rice grains which gives it its Chinese name. Trees are separately male and female.

A tropical plant. It grows in rainforest. It needs a rich, fertile soil. It can grow in sun or light shade. It can grow in midly acidic or neutral soils. It needs a temperature above 15-18°C. In XTBG Yunnan. In Sichuan.

Common Names: Chinese rice flower, Rice grain orchid, Hom klai, Kai thian, Ka sum nok, Juran, Mi zi lan, Mizilan, Mock lime, Pacar cina, Peppery orchid tree, Prayong, San-yeh-lan, Thanatka-wa, Thanathka-pan, Trayang, Tro yong,

Synonyms: 

Aglaia chaudocensis Pierre;
Aglaia duperreana Pierre;
Aglaia oblanceolata Craib;
Aglaia odorata var. microphyllina C. DC.;
Aglaia pentaphylla Kurz;
Aglaia repoueuensis Pierre;
Aglaia sinensis Pierre;
Cammumium sinensis Rumph.;
Camunium chinense Roxb.;
Opilia odorata (Lour.) Spreng.

Albizia procera

Edible: Leaves, Pods, Vegetable, Bark

An erect medium sized tree. They are 10 to 25 m high. The twigs sometimes have hairs. The leaves are about 40 cm long and the pinnae are 6 to 10 in number and 15 to 20 cm long. The leaflets are 12 to 20 cm long. The flower is yellowish white in round heads at the ends of small branches. The pods are oblong, thin, smooth and flattened. They contain 8 to 10 seeds.

It is a tropical plant. They are common in forests throughout the Philippines. It grows in Nepal at 300-1100 m altitude. In Java it grows from the lowlands up to 1,200 m above sea level. It is damaged by frost. It suits warm tropical places near the coast. It can grow in arid places. In Yunnan.

Common Names: Forest Siris, Brown Albizia, Akleng-parang, Bellate, Doon siris, Karo, Karunthagara, Kayun, Kinhai, Konda vagei, Koroi, Mai-tawn, Phak thon, Pu wu, Safed Siris, Seto siris, Sibok, Silver bark rain tree, Sit, Tella chinduga, Thit-pyu, Tram kang, Vang-fek, Weru, White siris, Women’s Tongues

Synonyms: 

Acacia elata Voigt;
Acacia procera (Roxb.) Willd.;
Feuilleea procera (Roxb.) Kuntze;
Lignum murinum-majus Rumph.;
Mimosa coriaria Blanco;
Mimosa elata Roxb.;
Mimosa procera Roxb.;
 

Alcea rosea

Edible: Flowers, Leaves, Roots, Stem

A short lived perennial plant. It grows for about 2 years. It grows 1.5-2.5 m high and spreading to 60 cm wide. The stem is erect, leafy and flowering. The leaf stalks are 5-15 cm long. The leaf blade is nearly round and 6-16 cm across. There are 5-7 lobes arranged like fingers on a hand. The lobes are triangular. The flowers are in the axils of leaves. They are bowl shaped. The petals are crinkled. Flowers are red, purple, pink, white, yellow and black and 6-10 cm across.

It is a temperate plant. Plants are frost hardy. Plants can tolerate temperatures down to about -15°C. It grows best in a sheltered sunny position and in a heavy rich soil. It will grow in most soils. It is resistant to frost but sensitive to drought. The soil should be well drained. It suits hardiness zones 3-10. In Yunnan.

Common Names: Hollyhock, Dulhatma, Malva real, Malvavisco, Mandinhhong, Rožlin, Rubeerwa, Shu kui, Sichuan Kui, Thucquy

Synonyms: 

Alcea biennis Winteri;
Alcea ficifolia Nyman;
Althaea caribea Sims;
Althaea chinensis Wall.;
Althaea rosea (L.) Cav.;
and others

Viola tricolor

Edible : Flowers, Leaves, Vegetable,

A short lived perennial. It is often grown as an annual. It grows 10-35 cm high and spreads 15-40 cm wide. The stem is branched. There are large, deeply divided stipules. The leaves are oval and pointed or lance shaped. They have shallow lobes or teeth. The flowers can have several colours.

It is a temperate plant. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 2,500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 4-10.

Common names : Heartsease, Garden pansy, Johnny jump-up, Love-in-idleness, Daninoc, Divja vijolica, Hoa-tim tamsac, Macuhica, Paungda-pan, Stemorsblom,

Synonyms :

Viola kitaibeliana,

Viola odorata

Edible : Flowers, Leaves, Herb, Spice, Leaves - tea,

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 10-15 cm high and spreads 30-60 cm wide. It has rooted runners. The leaves are heart shaped. They cluster around the base of the plant. The flowers are violet blue. They have a sweet smell. The fruit are round, hairy capsules.

It is a temperate plant. It does best in well-composted, moist soils. It needs a protected and partly shaded position. It is resistant to frost but sensitive to drought. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 2,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 7-10.

Common names : Sweet violets, English Violet, Bagabanosa, Banafshah, Banaksha, Banaphsa, Banosa, Dišeča vijolica, Garden violet, Gwle wenewshe, Hoa Tim thom, Kannike, Kembang violet, Klavetta, Ljubica mirisna, Marsfiol, Meadow violet, Nila-pan, Nilapushpa, Noi sumire, Vialettu, Viola, Viola del pensiero, Violeta, Violethoo, Waioleka,

Synonyms :

Viola odora Neck.;
Viola wiedemannii Boiss.;

Viola inconspicua

Edible : Leaves, Leaves - tea,

A herb without a stem. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 6-10 cm high. The rootstock are buried deeply in the soil. Leaves and flowers emerge in the spring. The leaves come from the base from the roots. The leaves are oval or triangle shaped. They vary in shape or size. The flowers are purple. The flowers are fertilised before the flower opens. They do not have a smell. The fruit are oval capsules.

A tropical plant. It grows in grassland and the edges of forests in China below 1,600 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Common names : Chinese violet, Hoa-tim an, Li tou cao, Tsingimba,

Synonyms : 

Viola betonicifolia subsp. novaguineensis D. M. Moore;
and several others

Alisma plantago-aquatica

Edible: Leaves, Roots, Rhizome, Seeds

A perennial plant. It emerges from water. It forms tussocks or clumps. It grows up to 90-150 cm high and 45 cm across. Leaves form from the base. The leaf blades are 10-25 cm long and 7-10 cm wide. There are 7 veins which run along the leaf. The leaf stalk is 80 cm long. They are flattened on one side and have wings near the base. The flowers are in an open panicle. This is 60 cm long by 40 cm wide. The flowers are 1 cm across. The petals are pale pink. The fruit is one seeded. It is 2-2.5 mm long.

It is a temperate plant. It grows in Northern temperate regions. It grows naturally in Britain in ditches, damp ground and shallow pond margins in water up to 15 cm deep. It grows in boggy conditions. Tasmania Herbarium.

Common Names: Water Plantain, Devil’s Spoons, Mad Dog Weed, Ishing yempat, Kaothum, Trpotčasti porečnik

Synonyms: 

Alisma parviflorum (Pursh.);
Alisma subcordatum (Raf.);
Alisma triviale (Pursh.)