The Urban Gardener 30

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30th Issue Vol. 4 No. 03 ISSN 2094-1765 March 2011

Growing the

Nutritious

Malunggay

Malunggay or botanically knownas Moringa, is a fast-growingtropical, medium-sized woodytree cultivated for its nutritiousleaves and edible immature pods.

This wonderful herb couldprovide the boost in energy,

nutrition and health most peoplein the 3rd world is seeking, asidefrom its unique medicinalproperties. Loaded with nutrients,vitamins and amino acids, it canreplenish your body and providewhat you need to get through ahectic weekday or activeweekend.

It is also proven to reduce bloodpressure and assures a good

night sleep. This is due to thefact that Malunggay is well-documented to detoxifying andpurify water inside your body,attaching itself to harmful materialand bacteria, and allowing themto be expelled as waste. Itproduces long-lasting energywithout hyperactivity... a nervesystem at rest... a blood systemnot under pressure...a gland andhormone system in balance.

Other health benefits identified bypeople who use Moringa continuethis same pattern: immunesystem strengthened, skincondition restored, blood pressurecontrolled, headaches andmigraines handled, diabetessugar level managed,


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inflammations and arthritis pains reduced, tumors restricted and ulcers healed.

Furthermore, Moringa is loaded with nutrients. Each ounce of Moringa contains seven timesthe Vitamin C found in oranges, four times the Vitamin A of carrots, three times the iron ofspinach, four times as much calcium as milk and three times the potassium of bananas.

One of the best attributes of Moringa is that it is also quite tasty and a welcome addition to yourkitchen. The leaves, pods and flowers of this versatile tree are all edible, each with its ownflavor. They can be served fresh with meals, or be reduced to powder and used as a foodsupplement.

Moringa is easy to grow. It thrives mainly in semi-arid, tropical and subtropical areas. It lovesfull sun, and thrives in any type of soil, preferably sandy soil, even in unfertile soil. It is theworlds most useful tree, as every part can be used as food or possess beneficial properties.

Moringa is grown in home gardens and as living fences. Locally, Moringa is commonly grownfor its leaves, which are used in soup.

The tree is usually planted by stem cuttings during the rainy season. During that time, 3-4 foot

long stems are planted in the soil. Stem cuttings quickly root and develop new shoots and latergrows into trees. The tree also response well to pruning, wherein it produces more branches.Seeds also germinates and develop into trees. With its many useful properties, Malunggay isnow processed commercially into various products in the food and pharmaceutical industry.

The Gabi or Taro Plant

Taro or Gabi is the corms andtubers the Colocasia esculentaplant, which belongs to theAraceae family. It is one of the

most widely cultivated root crop inAsia.

Taro is native to southeast Asia. Itis a perennial, tropical plantprimarily grown as a root vegetablefor its edible starchy corm, and as aleaf vegetable and is considered astaple in African, Oceanic andAsian cultures. It is believed to havebeen one of the earliest cultivatedplants. Colocasia is thought to have

originated in the Indo-Malayanregion, perhaps in eastern India and Bangladesh, and have spread eastward into SoutheastAsia, eastern Asia, and the Pacific islands; westward to Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean;and then southward and westward from there into East Africa and West Africa, from whence itspread to the Caribbean and Americas. It is known by many local names and often referred toas 'elephant ears' when grown as an ornamental plant.


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Taro can be grown inpaddy fields or inupland situationswhere watering issupplied by rainfall orby supplemental

irrigation. Like mostroot crops, taro dowell on deep, moist oreven swampy soilswhere the annualrainfall exceeds 250cm. The crop attainsmaturity within six tonine months ofplanting. For betterstorage, the crop isharvested after the

leaves turn yellow.

The plant is inedible when raw and considered toxic due to the presence of calcium oxalatecrystals, typically as raphides. The toxin is minimized by cooking, especially with a pinch ofbaking soda. It can also be reduced by steeping taro roots in cold water overnight. Calciumoxalate is highly insoluble and contributes to kidney stones. It has been recommended to takemilk or other calcium rich foods with Taro Taro leaves also must be handled with care due totoxicity of the leaves, but are completely safe after cooking.

The corms are roasted, baked or boiled and the natural sugars give a sweet nutty flavor. Thestarch is easily digestible and grains are fine and small and often used for baby food. Theleaves are a good source of vitamins A and C and contain more protein than the corms.

In the Philippines, a popular recipe for taro is laing which originates from the Bicol region inSouthern Luzon. The dish's main ingredients are taro stem and leaf cooked in coconut milk,salted with fermented shrimp or fish bagoong. It is also heavily spiced with red siling labuyo.Another dish where taro finds common use in the Filipino kitchen is the Philippine national stew,called sinigang. The sour stew is made with pork and beef, shrimp, or fish. Peeled and dicedtaro is a basic ingredient of pork sinigang and in ginataan, a coconut milk and taro desert recipemixed with sago and jackfruit.

The Cassava

The cassava, or kamoteng kahoy (Manihot esculenta) is a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceaefamily that is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for itsedible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrate.

The root is long and tapered, with a firm homogeneous flesh encased in a detachable rind. Theflesh can be chalk-white or yellowish; it breaks like a carrot, and darkens quickly upon exposureto the air. For this reason, the skinned root must be kept under water until it is ready to becooking|cooked. The root's flavor spoils in a day or so, even if kept unskinned and under


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refrigeration, which is a problem for supermarkets. A solution is usually to freeze it or seal it inwax.

The cassava plant gives the highestyield of food energy per cultivatedarea per day among crop plants,except possibly for sugarcane.

Cassava roots are very rich instarch, and contain significantamounts of calcium (50 mg/100g),phosphorus (40 mg/100g) andvitamin C (25 mg/100g). However,they are poor in protein and othernutrients. In contrast, cassavaleaves are a good source of proteinif supplemented with the amino acidmethionine.

Cassava is now extensively

cultivated as an annual crop. It is aprolific crop that can grow in poorsoil and is drought tolerant. It is theone of the most important foodplants in the tropics and the thirdlargest source of carbohydrates forhuman food in the world.

The roots and leaves containcyanogenic glucosides, which offer aprotection against some herbivores,but also make the plant toxic to

humans if consumed without priortreatment, such as leaching and drying. In particular, the varieties known as "bitter cassava"contain significant amounts of cyanide, with the "sweet cassava" less toxic. It is a unique aspectof human beings to be able to process toxic plants into a form that makes them edible.

Cassava is the source of flour called tapioca, as well as is used for breads, and alcoholicbeverages. The leaves also can be treated and eaten. However, cassava is a poor source ofprotein and reliance on cassava as a staple food is associated with the disease kwashiorkor.

Cassava is a very hardy plant. It tolerates drought better than most other crops, and can growwell in very poor, acidic soils through its symbiotic relationship with soil fungi (mycorrhizae)

Cassava typically is grown by small-scale farmers using traditional methods, and often on landnot suitable for other crops. Cassava is propagated by cutting a mature stem into sections ofapproximately 15 centimeters and planting these prior to the wet season. These plantingsrequire adequate moisture during the first two to three months, but subsequently are droughtresistant. The roots are harvestable after six to twelve months and can be harvested any time inthe following two years, providing farmers with a remarkable amount of flexibility.


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Cubans commonly use cassava to treat irritable bowel syndrome; the paste is eaten in excessduring treatment.

In the Philippines, cassava is mainly prepared as a dessert, . It is also steamed and eaten plain.Sometimes it is steamed and eaten with grated coconut. The most popular dessert is thecassava cake/pie, which uses grated cassava, sugar, coconut milk, and coconut cream. The

leaves are also cooked and eaten. Cassava is now processed into cassava flour which is usedin as an ingredient in food processing or in industrial products.

The Useful Guava

The Guava is probably themost important tree in thebackyard, and also the mostfamiliar and popular fruitamong children in theprovince. Locally known asbayabas, and scientificallyknown as Psidium guajava, itbelongs to the Myrtaceaeplant family. It is a source ofreadily available fruit, asouring agent in fishsinigang, and a source ofmedicine for stomach ache,diarrhea and wounds.

The genus name came fromthe Greek word psidon,meaning pomegranate. Thespecific epithet was derived

from the Spanish nameguajava. It is a shrub to asmall tree with numerousbranches, about 8 meters ortaller. The bark is thin,scaly, and flaking. Theyoung branches are 4-angled. The leaves areopposite, ovate, oblong toelliptic, to 5 cm. long with

entire margins andprominent lateral veins.Flowers are white, with 5petals and numerousstamens. The fruit is aglobose or pear-shapedberry, yellow when ripe, withseeds that are small andmany.


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It is indigenous to tropical America andwas introduced to the Philippines duringthe early Spanish period. A hardy plantthat grows even in poor soil, and canwithstand prolonged flooding. Various

cultivars are recently introduced whichbears extra large fruits.

The fruit is a good source of vitamin C andalso a favorite dessert or snack amongchildren and adults alike. The strongwood and branches is used to make slingshots (tirador) among Tagalog children.

Guava has a lot pest and diseases. Oneis the oriental fruit fly which lays eggs inthe ripe fruits, hatching into larvae and

bores into the fruit, causing it toprematurely ripe. A secondary infection offungus causes blackening and drying offruits. The leaves are also attacked byaphids and white flies during summer.

Guavas are easily propagated fromseeds, though it can also be propagatedthrough marcotting, grafting and from rootdivisions..

The Kamias

Kamias, or scientifically known asAverrhoa balimbi belongs to theOxalidaceae plant family and is a popularsouring agent in fish sinigang. Kamiasoccurs in the cultivated and semi-cultivated state throughout the Philippines.It was introduced from tropical America,and is now pantropic in distribution.

Kamias is a small tree, growing from 5 to

12 meters in height. The leaves arepinnate and 20 to 60 centimeters long,with hairy rachis and leaflets. Thepanicles, where flowers and fruits arise,grows from the trunk and larger branches.The flowers are about 1.5 centimeters

long, and are somewhat fragrant. The fruit is sub-cylindric or with 5, obscure, broad, rounded,longitudinal lobes, green, acidic, edible and about 4 centimeters long.


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The fruit is used to remove stains from clothing and also for washing the hands. It is much usedas a seasoning (in fish sinigang) and is made into sweets, including jam, and is used in makingpickles.

The Kamias leaves havemany medicinal value. It

was recorded that theleaves are used by theMalays externally as apaste applied hot to itches;and internally, fresh orfermented, for syphilis; or,in the form of infusion, as aprotective medicine afterchildbirth. Decoction of theleaves is given in Java forinflammation of therectum. The Japanese

also apply a paste of themfor mumps, rheumatism,and pimples. They use aninfusion of the flowers forcoughs and thrust.

The fruit on the otherhand,is used as an astringent,stomachic, and refrigerant.

The juice of the fruit madeinto a syrup form a cooling

drink in fevers. It isantiscorbutic. This syrup isalso used in some slightcases of haemorrhagefrom the bowels, stomach,and internal haemorrhoids.A conserve of the fruit isused in Java for beriberi,biliousness, and coughs.

The tree is usually propagated through seeds and permitted to grow in corners or sides of thebackyard. It is observed that other plants are prevented from growing near the tree, as it seems

that the tree roots exudes a poison that prevents growing of other plants around it.

The tree regularly produces fruits in its stem. It is seldom attacked by insects, though there areants living in the tree..


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The Aromatic Pandan

The pandan mabango, fragrant screw-pine, or scientifically known as Pandanus odoratissimus.It belongs to the Pandanaceae family. This pandan has been introduced into the Philippinesand is cultivated as an ornamental. It occurs in India, Persia and Arabia and is cultivated inMalaya. It is usually planted in pots; and in this country does not grow over one meter. As far asis known it has never flowered of fruited in the Philippines. In this country the leaves are cookedwith rice as a perfume, for they impart to it the smell of new rice. Its leaves are also used toflavor ice cream and sherbets.

It is a much branched shrub to a small tree, about 6 meters tall, with numerous branch-like stiltroots. Leaves are crowded towards the end of branches, leathery, stiff, becoming pendant atthe apex, swordlike, keeled, the margins and keel are lined with sharp, stiff spines. Malespadices are to 10 cm long and fragrant. Female inflorescence is globose, to 5 cm in diameter.Fruit is an oblong or globose syncarp, to 25 cm across.

The plant contains essential oil, bitter and aromatic; and is used as purgative and for leprosy.The perfumed oil, called Kevda oil, is extracted from the floral bracts. The oil is considered as astimulant and antispasmodic and is used in headaches and rheumatism. The oil isrecommended for epilepsy, a powder made from the anthers and tops of the bracts; anotherpowder, made from the interior of the anthers, is inhaled or smoked as a cigarettes to cure sore


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The Urban Gardeneris an officialelectronic publication (in PDF

Format) of the Plant BiotechnologyProject, Research & DevelopmentCenter, Rizal TechnologicalUniversity, Boni Avenue,Mandaluyong City, Philippines. Itis published monthly. For moreinformation, please inquire thruemail: [email protected] or

[email protected] andlandline (+632) 534-8267 Local135 or Fax (+632) 534-9710.

Edited by N.R. Bautista

March 2011

The Plant Biotechnology ProjectCommittee is composed of:

Alexander B. Quilang,Norberto R. Bautista, &

Jovita A. Anit.

throats. The root, brayed in milk is used internally in cases of sterility and threatened abortion. Itis also recommended for leprosy and smallpox. They also report that it is considered byMohammedan physicians to be cardiotonic, cephalic and aphrodisiac. The ashes of the woodare said to promote the healing of wounds, and the seeds to strengthen the heart and liver. Theoil is valued as a perfume, and is used in India as a remedy for earache and suppuration of themeatus. It has also antiseptic properties, comparable to those of Eucalyptus oil. It was reported

that the roots are diuretic, tonic and depurative. The oil now enters into the preparation ofcosmetics.

The plant usually prefer full sun to partial shade and prefers to live near water, rivers or streams.It prefers sandy waterlogged soils.

Native to Ceylon and Malay Peninsula extending to the Philippines where it is common alongshandy beaches. Occasionally planted in big parks and gardens. It is propagated by seeds orby suckers.

Summer is a season of bountifulharvest and there are lots of fruitsavailable like mangoes, melons,watermelons, papaya, straberries,

pineapples, papaya, grapes andothers. It is also a season whereina lot of ornamental plants and treesare in bloom like boungainvilleas,narra, golden shower, firetrees andmore. It is in these season thatfolks prepare their thanks givingfestivities for a good harvest in theyear.

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