Cotton Abroma. Perennial Indian Hemp.
Abroma augusta

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

Abroma augusta is a SHRUB growing to 3 m (9ft) by 2 m (6ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 3

Where it is found

Forest margins, valley gullies in southern China. Open, dry places at elevations from 300 - 1,100 metres in Nepal. Commonly found in tufts or tickets, often seeming to prefer the edges of forests and clearings or the banks of watercourses.

E. Asia - China, Indian subcontinent, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines to Micronesia.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Tropical Asia, South and eastern Africa, and Australia.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 3

The fresh viscid sap of the root bark is considered to be a valuable emmenagogue and uterine tonic. The juice of the plant is used to treat dysmenorrhoea. The root has been used to treat itch. Used in the treatment of diabetes.

Other

Rating: 4

Agroforestry Uses: The plant is used in soil reclamation projects. Other Uses: A high quality fibre is obtained from the bark. Soft, glossy, strong, white, and clean, it is much valued for local uses. It might be used as a substitute for silk. Similar to jute (Corchorus spp.), it is a good cordage fibre used for making ropes, nets etc. It is also used for false hair. The bark is retted in water, taking about a week before the fibres can be removed. Sometimes grown as an ornamental. Carbon Farming - Industrial Crop: fiber.

Industrial Crop: Fiber: Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!

Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Industrial Crop: Fiber: Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!

Management: Coppice: Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

How it is grown

A plant of the tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 26 - 31°c, but can tolerate 18 - 36°c.It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 - 3,000mm, but tolerates 1,300 - 3,500mm, and dislikes marked dry seasons. Requires a sunny position. Succeeds in most soils, so long as they are well-drained, growing best in a fertile, medium loam. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5. For the best quality fibre, the plant should be harvested when the flowers open - after about 100 - 120 days of growth. The plant yields three crops a year, and is said to be more easily cultivated than jute (Corchorus spp.) or sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea). Can be grown as an annual. Bloom Color:Maroon/Burgundy. Carbon Farming - Cultivation: regional crop. Management: coppice.

Propagating it: Seed. Propagated from seed. Seed germinate in 21–30 days at 72 °F (24 °C).

Best place to grow:

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

The plant has irritating hairs.

Its other names

Local names

Pisachkarpas, Ulatkambal

Synonyms

Ambroma augustum (L.) L.f. Abroma alata Blanco. Abroma angulata Lam. Abroma angulosa Poir. Abroma communis Blanco. Abroma denticulata Miq. Abroma elongata Lam. Abroma fastuosa R.Br. Abroma javanica Miq. Abroma mariae Mart. Abroma mollis DC. Abroma obliqua C.Presl. Abroma sinuosa G.Nicholson. Abroma wheleri Retz. Ambroma augustum (L.) L. f. Herrania mariae (Mart.) Decne. ex Goudot. Theobroma augustum L. Theobroma mariae (Mart.) K. Schum.