WBC Garden Walk
Gynura
Common Name: Longevity spinach, sabuñgai, sambung nyawa
Scientific Name: Gynura procumbens
Family: Asteraceae/Compositae (Aster/Daisy)
Place of Origin: East Asia, West Africa
Key Properties:
Evergreen perennial
Plant has febrifuge properties
Most Common Uses
Eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable or flavoring; used to lower fevers, relieve rheumatic and body pains.
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Its leaves are used in Singapore to lower blood pressure and reduce blood sugar.
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Gynura Bicolor
Common Name: Okinawan spinach, hongfeng cai, edible gynura
Scientific Name: Gynura bicolor
Family: Asteraceae/Compositae (Aster/Daisy)
Place of Origin: East and Southeast Asia
Key Properties:
Evergreen perennial
used as a vegetable and medicinal herb
Most Common Uses
Used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation, fever, hypertension, and diabetes.
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Commonly used in East and Southeast Asian cuisine, both as a flavoring and nutritious food.
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New Zealand Spinach
Common Name: New Zealand Spinach or Warrigal Greens
Scientific Name: Tetragonia tetragonioides
Family: Aizoaceae (Fig-marigold)
Place of Origin: Australia to New Zealand
Key Properties:
Thick, triangular-shaped leaves with small papillae on the underside of the leaves.
Most Common Uses
Eaten boiled or raw in salads as a substitute for spinach
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Was a source of food for the Maori people and other indigenous groups found in New Zealand and Australia
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Moringa
Common Name: Horseradish Tree, Moringa
Scientific Name: Moringa oleifera
Family: Moringaceae
Place of Origin: East Asia, Indian subcontinent
Key Properties:
Deciduous
fast growing, drought resistant
Most Common Uses
Eaten raw or cooked; highly nutritious, used medicinally for many ailments and can be used as treatment for asthma, gout, rheumatism, inflammation, bladder and kidney stones, boils, ulcers, wounds, skin diseases, snake bites, etc.
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Traditionally, it has been used in India in the holistic system of Ayurveda, owing to its pharmacological properties.
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Gotu Kola
Common Name: Gotu Kola, Spadeleaf, Coinwort, Indian pennywort, Asiatic pennywort
Scientific Name: Centella asiatica
Family: Apiaceae
Place of Origin: India, China, Japan, Africa and Australia
Key Properties:
Deciduous
fast growing, drought resistant
Most Common Uses
Eaten in salads and juices; used medicinally to enhance one’s memory, blood circulation and wound healing.
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Has a long-standing cultural significance in traditional medicine in East Asia for its ability to help treat a multitude if afflictions such as gastrointestinal pain and cognitive issues, being referred to as “the fountain of life” in traditional Chinese medicine.
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Mustard Greens
Common Name: Brown mustard, Chinese mustard, Indian mustard, leaf mustard, Oriental mustard and vegetable mustard
Scientific Name: Brassica juncea
Family: Brassicaceae
Place of Origin: Northern Europe to Central Asia
Key Properties:
Varies greatly in appearance and a peppery taste
Rich in fiber and several micronutrients including vitamin A, C and K
Most Common Uses
Used most commonly for culinary purposes and can be eaten either raw in salads or as a boiled vegetable. The leaves, seeds and stems are all edible and served in a variety of dishes across multiple cultures. Its seeds are what is used to produce brown mustard.
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
This plant is important to a multitude of dishes from several cultures around the world, including but not limited to African, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Filipino, Tripuri, Italian, Indian, Japanese, Okinawan, Nepali, Pakistani, Korean, Southern and African-American foods.
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Peppermint
Common Name: Peppermint
Scientific Name: Mentha piperita
Family: Lamiaceae
Place of Origin: Europe and the Middle East
Key Properties:
A hybrid cross of Watermint and Spearmint.
Its essential oil contains a high menthol and menthone content, making it useful for flavoring and as a natural pesticide.
Most Common Uses
Used commonly as flavoring for food and drinks as well as for fragrances. Used medicinally to treat digestive issues (particularly irritable bowel syndrome) and peppermint oil is often used to help aching muscles as it provides a cooling sensation.
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Was traditionally used in ancient Europe in medicine to treat digestive uses and minor illnesses. Also used by the Romans during funeral processions to ward off the smell of death
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African Basil
Common Name: African Basil or Clove Basil
Scientific Name: Ocimum gratissimum
Family: Lamiaceae (Mint and Sage)
Place of Origin: Africa and Southern Asia
Key Properties:
Highly valued in traditional medicine
Its essential oil contains eugenol, which is believed to treat a variety of illnesses including but not limited to inflammation and gastrointestinal disorders.
Most Common Uses
Most commonly used medicinally as it is believed to have anti inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antidiarrheal properties
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Significant in traditional Chinese and African medicine. Is also used culinarily as an additive.
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Lemon Verbena
Common Name: Lemon Verbena, Lemon Beebrush
Scientific Name: Aloysia citriodora
Family: Verbenaceae (verbena)
Place of Origin: South America
Key Properties:
Deciduous
Contains a lemon-scented essential oil that can be soothing and aid in digestion
Most Common Uses
Occasionally cooked or eaten raw for its lemon flavoring; used as a tea to treat digestive disorders and low moods; essential oil can be used for skin
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Used by native South Americans for stomach disturbance, insomnia, and rheumatism.
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White Sage
Common Name: White Sage, California white sage, bee sage or sacred sage
Scientific Name: Salvia apiana
Family: Lamiaceae
Place of Origin: Native to Southern California
Key Properties:
Highly fragrant
with silver-white leaves and white flowers
Most Common Uses
Bundles of the leaves are often burned for spiritual and cultural purposes. The seeds and leaves also can be eaten. Overharvesting of these plants has become a concern for many local indigenous groups as it poses a threat to the wild population in its natural habitat.
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Is culturally significant to the indigenous people of Southern California and Northern Baja California. It has long been used in rituals, medicine to treat the common cold and as a food staple.
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Common Sage
Common Name: Sage, Kitchen sage, Small Leaf Sage, Garden Sage
Scientific Name: Salvia officinalis
Family: Lamiaceae (Mint and Sage)
Place of Origin: Mediterranean Region
Key Properties:
Highly aromatic
Rich in antioxidants, and its essential oils are often found in perfumes and soaps.
Most Common Uses
Commonly used medicinally to treat digestive issues, as an antiseptic and to treat stress. Culinarily it is widely used as an herb for seasoning, especially with heavy, fatty foods.
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Has a long standing cultural significance within a multitude of cultures including the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Native Americans. It was commonly used in these cultures for religious ceremonies and as medicine.
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Coleus Caninus
Common Name: Scaredy Cat Plant
Scientific Name: Coleus caninus
Family: Lamiaceae (Mint and Sage)
Place of Origin: Southern and Eastern Africa
Key Properties:
Perennial
Unpleasant aroma; has diuretic properties
Most Common Uses
Used to deter cats and dogs, as the leaves and flowers have a sticky feel and strong odor; roots are used medicinally to treat coughs
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Used in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for heart disease, convulsions, and spasmodic pain
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Eriobotrya Japonica
Common Name: Loquat, biwa (Japan)
Scientific Name: Eriobotrya japonica
Family: Rosaceae
Place of Origin: South Central China
Key Properties:
Evergreen
Shrub or tree grown for leaves & fruits
Most Common Uses
The fruits are eaten fresh, juiced or made into syrups, jams, chutneys. The fruit is used in respiratory syrups.
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
Loquat has been cultivated in China and Japan for over 1,000 years. The Chinese have used loquat fruits and leaves to treat coughs, diabetes, and cancer, among other ailments.
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Udumbara
Common Name: Udumbara, cluster figs
Scientific Name: Ficus racemosa
Family: Moraceae
Place of Origin: Australia and Asia
Key Properties:
Fast growing shrub.
Can grow into very large trees. Figs grow in clusters. It is unusual in that its figs grow on or close to the tree trunk, termed cauliflory.
Most Common Uses
The fruits are commonly eaten as a vegetable after the seeds have been discarded, and made into stir-fries and curries. The fruits are a favorite staple of the common Indian macaque. It serves as a food plant for the caterpillars of the two-brand crow butterfly (Euploea sylvester) of northern Australia
Ethnobotanical Significance, Cultural Uses, etc.
In both the Digha Nikaya and Buddhavamsa,the uḍumbara tree is identified as the tree under which the Koṇāgamana Buddha attained enlightenment.
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