Ceylon Leadwort
Plumbago zeylanica
Family: Plumbaginaceae
What it is like
A herb. It grows as a shrub to 1-3 m tall. It can spread to 2 m wide. The branches are spreading. The stems are ribbed. The base of the leaf stalk can be ear shaped. The leaf blade is oval. It is 5-8 cm long by 2.5-4 cm wide. They can be larger or smaller. The base is wedge shaped and it tapers to the tip. There are 5-70 flowers in a flower cluster. The flowers are white or pale blue. The fruit is a cylindrical capsule. The seeds are red-brown. They are 7 mm by 1.5 mm.
There are about 15 Plumbago species. They are mainly in the tropics. It is used for medicine. It has anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. It is a muscle stimulant.
Where it is found
It suits tropical and subtropical locations. It is damaged by frost. It suits shaded sites. It can grow in acid or slightly alkaline soils. It grows between 100-1600 m altitude in S China. It can grow on termite mounds. In XRBG Yunnan. In Sichuan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, American Samoa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, China, East Africa, East Timor, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Marquesas, Mozambique, Myanmar, Norfolk Island, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The leaves are used for making a drink. They are also cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The roots are fermented to make a drink. CAUTION: It is probably mainly used as a medicine.
It is sold in local markets.
Edible parts
Caution - poisonous, roots - drink, leaves
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings of firm young growth.
Its other names
Local names
Amera, Bachhoaxa, Bama, Bau hua dan, Buombuom tichlan, Cheraka, Chet tamun plengkao, Chitrak, Chitramulan, Chitur, Duoi-cong, Elkuus, Godong enchok, Jarak, Kan-gyok-phyu, Kengoi, Keriyontus, Ki enchok, Kodiveli, Leadwort, Melekuya, Perdu dokter, Plumbago, Plumbago seilon, Poksor, Seto cheetu, Tshuaj zoo ntxhia