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Sweet Leaf (Sauropus androgynous)

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Common names: Sweet Leaf, Tropical asparagus, Chang Kok, Star gooseberry, Katuk

Origin: Tropical and Sub-Tropical Asia

Plant: Sweet leaf will grow in most soils, including heavy clay. It tolerates high rainfall as well as dry conditions, will grow in full sun or handle shade.

Harvest: All year (growth does slow in winter)

Propagation: By seeds, suckers or cuttings

A prolific, heavy yielding nutritious green leafed bush which grows to 1-2.5m in height. It has flat, round orange/red flowers but generally does not set seed in SE Qld conditions.
Growth is prolific in the warmer months and slows down or goes dormant in winter. Fertilise regularly and mulch to retain soil moisture.
An extract made from the plant has been found to have strong activity again pine-wood nematodes and may have use against other species.
It has a high (49%) protein content and 14-18% fibre as well as vitamins (A,B,C) and minerals including potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium & iron.
Sweet leaf has been used medicinally as a blood builder, cell rejuvenator and beneficial to circulation, intestinal flora and regular bowel elimination.
It is used extensively in cooking in East Asia as the leaves taste like fresh peas, with a nutty flavour.
Leaves can be added to salads, sandwiches, scrambled eggs, tossed in curries, dips, casseroles, stir-fries or used as a garnish.
Consuming large quantities of raw plant material can cause serious lung damage so cooking is mostly recommended

Plants available in our nursery

Malabar Chestnut (Pachira aquatica; Bombacaceae)

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Common names: Malabar Chestnut, Guiana, Guiana Chestnut, Guyana Chestnut, Provision tree, Saba Nut, Money Tree

Origin: Native of area between southern Mexico to Guyana and northern Brazil

Plant: Requires a frost-free location with some protection from hot, drying winds. Enjoys full-partial sun. Soils need only to be well-drained and trees enjoy consistent and regular watering during dry months.

Harvest: Feb, March, April

Propagation: By seed or cutting

A lovely evergreen tree with greenish bark that generally grows to 2-5 m with a spread of 1.5-2.5 m. Takes 4-5 years before able to harvest nuts.

Flowers are white and curl back from the base to reveal a spectacular cluster of 1-2cm cream-white stamens.

Fruit are ovoid, woody green pod which can reach 2-5cm in length and resemble a kapok or silk floss seed pod. The tightly packed nuts inside enlarge until the pod bursts and fall to the ground. These can be eaten raw or roasted. The raw nuts taste like peanuts and will keep for months in a cool, dry place. Roast nuts with oil and garlic or grind into flour for baking.

Plants available in our nursery

(photos courtesy of Flora and Fauna of tropical Asia & Lush Plants)

Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa)

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Rosella (Roselle, Florida Cranberry, Red Sorrel, Indian Sorrel, Mesta

Hibiscus sabdariffa)

Origin: Hawaii and West Indies

Plant: September – December

Harvest: February – April

Propagation: Seeds

A hardy, annual bush originating from Hawaii and the West Indies grows to 1-2m high. Allow 1 m spacing between plants grown in full to partial sun with well-drained soil.

Each bush can produce 1-2 kg of fruit or more, depending on soil fertility, climate conditions, day and night temperatures and how the bush is cared for. Picking off the plump, red calyces as soon as they mature, encourages regular flowering and more fruit set.

Source of Vitamins A, B, C and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, cobalt, manganese, zinc, silicon, phosphorus and very rich in selenium and chromium.

To prepare rosellas, the red calyces need to be pulled off the seed capsule by hand. You can freeze the calyces until you have enough to make jam.

 

Support Species For Tropical Vegetables

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Tropical vegetables and fruit trees are traditionally grown in a polyculture (NOT monoculture) in a food garden system among support plants. This provides a ‘micro-climate’ providing shade, helping to save moisture in the soil and establishing an ideal atmosphere for plant growth.

Support species create a source of nutrient-rich living mulch, assisting to retain moisture by reducing evaporation, prevent weed growth or erosion, as well as providing habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators. As the support species grow they can be chopped (coppiced) and used as mulch around your food producing plants assisting to buffer the soil from extremes of heat or rainfall.

Planting support species is done from Spring and they can be planted throughout the Summer and into Autumn. Mulch is very important in our sub-tropical environment and growing your own “living mulch” means avoiding expensive inputs like hay (which requires fossil fuels) to do this job.

Support species are often legumes and this means they convert Nitrogen from the air into the soil, especially when they are coppiced pre-flowering. The cuttings are then used around your vegetables to provide an additional nutrient source and increase the amount of humus in your soil.

Support Species available from YCG:

Pigeon Pea

Lemongrass

Crotalaria

Popcorn Cassia

Queensland Arrowroot

Comfrey

Come into our nursery and buy your support species today

Cassava

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Cassava (aka manioc, manihot, tapioca and yucca)Cassava Close

Origin: Believed to have been domesticated in west-central Brazil, Beach climate – dryish with intermittent rains

Plant: Sept – March. During wet season – Spring, Summer, early Autumn in pots or directly into the ground (on a slight angle is recommended for greater root growth)

Harvest: Any time after approx. 12 months. Harvest by fossicking around the base of the main stem, feeling for tuber. Once they’re at least 15cm long they can be removed and the remainder continue to grow.

Propagation: by stem cuttings 20-30cm long, with all leaves removed.

Suggested Recipes: Cassava Cake, Spiced Cassava Cake, Root Vegetable Curry

Cassava will grow in any soil from sand to heavy clay (it’s often used to break up compacted clay soils). During extreme drought bushes may drop their leaves but spring to life again when rain returns. Avoid water-logged soils and plant in a raised mound if necessary. Can be grown as a hedge with 1 metre spacing, After 2-3 months of growth, mound up the soil around the base to encourage root growth.

Once tubers are harvested they need to be consumed (or cooked/frozen) within 5 days although they can be refrigerated to extend this another 5 days or so.

Variagated cassava can be eaten also but needs thorough washing and cooking to remove the bitter taste.

Tubers MUST be cooked with the lid off to deactivate the hydrocyonic acid after you have used a sharp knife to slice vertically to remove this thick outer skin which, when fresh, just peels away cleanly. Cassava can be boiled, baked, roasted, made in to chips (our favourite), added to soups and casseroles, grated for cakes and many baked goods.

Source of Vit A, B1, B2, B3, B17, C with minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc

Tree will grow 2-3m; it is a perennial with a bush foliage canopy.  Large, lush, deeply lobed leaves, similar in shape to paw paw.  Tubers can grow 15-100cm long and weigh in excess of 5-6kg.

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