Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Acalypha wilkesiana

Edible: Leaves, Flowers, Vegetable, Leaves - tea

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.

A tropical and subtropical plant. A plant which grows naturally in Vanuatu. It occurs in the Pacific Islands. It prefers light well drained soil. It suits a protected shady position. It is damaged by both drought and frost. It needs a minimum temperature above 10°C. It can grow in arid places. It grows on atolls. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Common Names: Painted copperleaf, Akalifa merah tembaga, Beefsteak Plant, Beaf-tea plant, Daun merah tambaga, Fijian fire plant, Fire Dragon Plant, Hu-ling, Joseph's coat, Hoja de Cobre, Huu-krataai, Làlǐyè, Mexican payasito, Redleaf, Saydan-kya, Tai tuong, Te aronga

Synonyms: 

Acalypha amentacea forma circinata (Müll.Arg.) Fosberg;
Acalypha amentacea subsp. wilkesiana (Müll.Arg.) Fosberg;
Acalypha circinata A.Gray ex Seem. [Invalid];
Acalypha compacta Guilf. ex C. T. White;
Acalypha godseffiana Mast.;
Acalypha godseffiana var. heterophylla L. H. Bailey;
Acalypha hamiltoniana Briant;
Acalypha illustris Pax & K.Hoffm. [Invalid];
Acalypha macafeeana Veitch;
Acalypha macrophylla Veitch [Illegitimate];
Acalypha marginata (Mill.) J. J. Sm. [Illegitimate];
Acalypha musaica auct.;
Acalypha torta Pax & K.Hoffm. [Invalid];
Acalypha tricolor Seem.;
Acalypha triumphans L. Linden & Rodigas;
Acalypha wilkesiana forma appendiculata J. W. Moore;
Acalypha wilkesiana forma circinata Müll.Arg.;
Acalypha wilkesiana forma illustris J. J. Sm.;
Acalypha wilkesiana forma macrophylla J. J. Sm.;
Acalypha wilkesiana var. marginata E. Morren;
Acalypha wilkesiana forma monstrosa J. J. Sm.;
Acalypha wilkesiana forma triumphans (L. Linden & Rodigas) J. J. Sm.;
Ricinocarpus wilkesianus (Müll.Arg.) Kuntze;