GAHARU

 Gaharu plants at Gopeng Gaharu Valley

 Gaharu seedlings

The gaharu or agarwood was a much sought after plant by ancient Chinese emperors, royal families, noblemen and the rich for its medicinal, fragrant and spiritual purposes.
There are claims that extracts from gaharu contained anti-carcinogen, anti-oxidant, anti-aging, and anti-diabetic agents. It is also said to be a cure for erectile dysfunction.
The leaves of this plant contain high levels of anti-aging, anti-cancer properties. Traditionally, Gaharu was used for strengthening the heart, reducing blood sugar, lowering blood pressure and stabilizing the nervous system. Also helps to improve sleep, anti-aging, promotoes beauty, eliminate flatulence and expels oils.

MONEY TREE (PACHIRA AQUATICA)

Pachira Aquatica

A money plant tree, also known as the money tree, is a very special type of tree that can be grown inside your home. It is believed that a money tree will bring you good luck, good fortune, wealth and prosperity. It enjoys a very strong reputation for causing great things to happen. The money tree is said to bring good fortune and prosperity to it’s owner.

The money plant tree is often used in a room that is missing (or is very low in) an element of feng shui. It is said that it can balance out a room that is missing one of five elements. You can read more about it atMoney Tree Feng Shui.

Money trees have grown in popularity as great gift ideas. A money plant tree would make a great gift for those celebrating a new beginning. Find out the many occasions that a pachira plant would be a great gift at Money Tree Gift.

The pachira aquatica (money tree) can grow up to 7′ tall to 3′ wide. It is a very attractive addition to your home or business with five trunks, or bases, braided together. It has shiny green leaves and smooth green bark. The leaves, flowers and nuts that the plant produces are all edible. The nuts, some say, taste similar to peanuts.

Whether you are looking to find the money tree history, where to buy money trees, money tree giftinformation or money tree care; we hope you find it all here.

May your new money plant tree bring you, or someone special, the good fortune you deserve!

Source: http://www.moneyplanttree.com/

HERBAL REMEDY FOR GETTING RID OF PIMPLES

One of my students had an outbreak of acne and my library assistant, Asiah, advised her to use the crushed shoots of the guava tree mixed with Bedak Sejuk (Rice Powder) which has been added with water. One needs to apply the ingredients to the acne or pimples. This is not a one time thing. To see results, one needs to do it daily over a period of time.
LINK

POKOK PERIUK KERA

Kawan saya membeli dua pasu pokok periuk kera di atas dengan harga RM100.  Mahal, kan?  Tapi, beliau memang minat pokok ini.

Berikut adalah sedikit maklumat tentang pokok herba ini.

Nama Tempatan: Periuk Kera
Nama Saintifik: Nepenthes mirabilis
Nama Lain: pitcher plant
Famili: Nepenthaceae
Lokasi dijumpai: tumbuhan liar di hutan

KEGUNAAN
Air yang terdapat didalam periuk kera ini dikatakan berkhasiat untuk mengekalkan kesihatan mata.Akarnya digunakan untuk mengubat penyakit semput atau lelah atau asma dengan cara mengasah akarnya pada pasu dan dicampurkan dengan kemenyan putih. campuran ini dididihkan dan ditapis sebelum diminum airnya.Kajian juga sedang dijalankan oleh sekumpulan penyelidik untuk membuktikan khasiat tumbuhan ini sebagai penawar kepada penyakit kanser.

SUMBER: http://www.melur.com/myherba.asp?plant_id=109&cat=HERBA

MEDICINAL USES OF LEMON LEAVES

Lemon leaf is sedative and antispasmodic.Those who suffer from insomnia, nervousness, and palpitation should soak five to seven leaves of lemon in a teacup of hot water and allow it to infuse for 15 minutes. The dosage is one cup two times daily.
Lemon leaf will serve as a good and better alternative to Valium and other synthetic sedatives,which by the way, have side effects.To get maximum result from lemon leaf, take the preparation daily for at least one month.Do not expect that your insomnia or nervousness would disappear overnight.
For migraine headache and asthma, soak two handfuls [a handful is the amount of dried or fresh lemon leaves you can hold within your fist] of fresh lemon leaves in one bottle (beer bottle) of hot water. Allow it infuse for 10 minutes.Drink two cups every night for two weeks.
This applies more particular to asthma patients. lemon leaf is also good for worms. For this prepare as for migraine and asthma above. The dosage is three cups every night for one week.

SOURCE: http://lemonpowerinfo.blogspot.com/

KHASIAT DAUN POKOK ASAM JAWA

Pokok Asam Jawa (Tamarindus indica L) atau celagi di Taman Herba Kolej Vokasional Seri Manjung hanya berumur 2 tahun, masih belum menghasilkan buah.   Tetapi daunnya boleh digunakan sebagai ubat traditional untuk menurun kadar kolesterol tinggi dengan kandungan kimia saponin, flavonoid dan tanin.
LINK

KHASIAT POKOK UBI KAYU

Inilah pokok ubi kayu (Manihot esculenta) yang ditanam oleh pelajar saya di Taman Herba Kolej. Ia ditanam dengan keratan batang. Daun ubi kayu yang direbus sedap dimakan cecah sambal tumis.  

Ubi kayu boleh digunakan untuk mengubati sakit atau pening kepala, selesema dan demam.  Caranya ialah dengan memarut atau menyagat ubi mentah tersebut dan kemudian ditampalkan di kepala atau dahi serta diulangi setiap hari sehingga sembuh.  

Kulit pokok ubi kayu direbus bersama-sama daun sembung terlebih dahulu bagi merawat sakit kuning termasuk yang sering dihidapi bayi baru lahir. Air rebusan kulit pokok ubi kayu dan daun sembung itu kemudian dijadikan air mandian sekurang-kurangnya dua kali sehari.

Daun-daun tua pula boleh mengubati luka dan bisul iaitu dengan meramas-ramasnya terlebih dahulu dan kemudian ditampalkan di bahagian yang sakit.
Jus dan daun ubi kayu iaitu yang dikisar bersama sedikit air pula boleh mengubati sakit terkena gigitan binatang berbisa. Perahkan daun yang dikisar itu dan titiskan airnya pada bahagian yang digigit untuk mengeluarkan bisanya.

LINK

SIREH UNTUK KELUARKAN ANGIN

Berikut adalah cara tradisional untukmengeluarkan angin daripada perut bayi:

1. Dapatkan 2 atau 3 helai daun sirih dari Kedai India atau pasar.
2. Kemudian layur daun sirih pada api.
3. Daun yang panas dilekapkan pada bahagian pusat bayi.
4. Kemudian daun itu dilekapkan pada bahagain belakang perut bayi.
5. Akhir sekali, pakaikan barut perut.

BOUGAINVILLEA PLANTS THRIVE ON SUNSHINE

The weather nowadays is sunny and hot, except for the occasional rain. That is why the bougainvillea plants everywhere are blooming profusely. They are indeed a beautiful sight to behold. I am sharing with you a plant that I spotted while I was back in Ipoh. This plant had red and white flowers.

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU

Cuaca sekarang panas terik.  Itulah sebab pokok bunga kertas berbunga dengan lebat di merata-rata tempat.  Memang cantik dipandang.  Gambar-gambar pokok bunga kertas yang berbunga putih dan merah tumbuh di kawasan perumahan saya di Ipoh.

POKOK NAM NAM

3 gambar di atas menunjukkan pokok nam nam yang ditanam di Taman Herba Kolej Vokasional Seri Manjung. Usia pokok ini tak sampai 2 tahun dan saya perlu masa lama lagi untuk dapat menikmati buahnya. Pokok nam nam atau nama saintifiknya Cynometra Cauliflora merupakan tumbuhan unik kerana berbunga dan berbuah di batang. Saya membaca satu artikel di laman web yang mengatakan pokok Nam Nam digunakan untuk penyakit darah tinggi dan boleh kuruskan badan. Bagaimana? Senang sahaja. Hanya rebus daunnya sehingga warnanya seperti air teh dan minum. Rasanya seperti air masak biasa. Buahnya boleh di makan begitu sahaja tanpa di buang kulit.
Rasa buah nya kelat masam masam manis

Berikut adalah satu artikel mengenai Nam Nam yang diambil dari Sinar Harian

Nam nam dipanggil buah katak puru
Oleh : Wartawan Sinar Harian
Tarikh : October 26, 2011



Buah katak puru? Kenapa namanya begitu? Begitulah gelaran yang dipanggil kepada buah nam-nam kerana mempunyai kulit luaran yang kurang menarik dan menggerutu.

Walaupun nama dan bentuk luarannya tidak secantik buah-buahan yang lain, namun bagi mereka yang biasa merasai buah ini tentu membuatkan air liur terasa kecur.

Buah ini memang sedap dicicah dengan sambal kicap, garam atau kuah rojak. Ada juga yang membuat sambal ikan dengan menumbuk ikan dan cili bersama-sama buah katak puru.

Memang sedap jika dimakan bersama nasi yang masih panas. Malah, bukan itu sahaja, buah yang kaya dengan vitamin C ini juga boleh dijadikan jus.

Buah nam nam yang bersaiz di antara lima hingga enam sentimeter (cm) ini mempunyai rasa masam kelat ketika muda dan akan berubah menjadi masam manis apabila masak.

Bijinya pula berbentuk leper. Selain dimakan segar, daun dan buah nam nam juga mempunyai khasiat perubatan.

Kebanyakan orang-orang terdahulu mempercayai dengan memakan buah dan pucuk pokok ini dapat mengubati penyakit darah tinggi dan kencing manis.

Ada juga yang menjadikannya ramuan dalam ubat bagi merawat batu karang. Selain itu, daunnya juga boleh dikeringkan dan dijadikan seperti minuman teh.

Pokok nam nam atau nama saintifiknya Cynometra Cauliflora merupakan tumbuhan unik kerana berbunga dan berbuah di batang.

Pokok yang dikatakan berasal dari Borneo ini mempunyai ketinggian di antara tiga hingga enam meter (m) sahaja.

Pokok ini masih lagi ditemui di Semenanjung Malaysia terutama di kawasan Utara dan Pantai Timur. Pokoknya mudah tumbuh melalui kaedah tanaman biji ataupun tut.

Ia memerlukan kawasan yang bersaliran baik dengan sinaran matahari yang cukup untuk tumbuh subur.

SUMBER: http://www.sinarharian.com.my/rencana/nam-nam-dipanggil-buah-katak-puru-1.2401?localLinksEnabled=false

TIME TO TEND TO THE HERB GARDEN

During school days I am busy teaching my students and also doing administration work for the library which leaves me little time to tend to the Herb Garden. Luckily, it is school holidays now and with the students not around, I have time to check the plants in the Herb Garden and do some pruning.  Also, I have time to do some posts for this blog which I have been neglecting for months.

POTPOURRI FROM SCENTED LEAVES

I picked some scented leaves from the Herb Garden, cut them in thin slices to release the fragrance and made them into potpourri. The scented leaves that I used were lemon, kaffir lime (limau purut), pandanus and cinnamon. I love the leaves fresh instead of dried. Natural scents can enhance and add natural, fresh fragrance to my home.

PAGODA FLOWER (PEPANGGIL)

This herb is used to stimulate the body to produce blood and stabilize the demand / volumeof red blood thus preventing the occurrence of disease in the body. thus, one would not have anemia.

Ingredient
pagoda flower root dry

Usage:

Boil pagoda flower root dry in 4 cups of water to the remaining 2 cups of water. Once cool, filtered water and drink 2 times a day 1 cup each of brackish.


SOURCE: http://tmedical.blogspot.com/2012_02_01_archive.html

GRASS PEARLS (HEDYOTIS CORYMBOSA)

When I was much younger I used to help my godmother look for herbs that grow wild in many places. She'd used them to make Medicated Oil or Minyak Angin. While looking for the herbs that she needed, she'd also point out to me other herbs that have medicinal uses. Of these is the Grass Pearls.
The plant shown in the picture is growing healthily in my garden. Grass Pearls or Hedyotis corymbosa are shrubs that grow wild in many places. Many people regard them as weeds and just pull them out.

Let me share with you information about Hedyotis corymbosa. Read on ...

Hedyotis corymbosa useful to relieve the heat, anti-inflammation, urinary shed, remove heat and toxin as well as activate blood circulation. Diseases associated with respiratorytract such as tonsillitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia can be treated with this plant.Similarly, other diseases such as hepatitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and urinary tract infections.

Benefits:
1. Cope with respiratory distress
2. Maintaining healthy liver function
3. As an anti inflammatory like amanadel inflammation, sore throat, and pelvic inflammatory disease
4. Activate blood circulation
5. Treating urinary tract infections
6. Remove heat and toxin
7. Treating hepatitis


SOURCE: http://tmedical.blogspot.com/2012/02/hedyotis-corymbosa-grass-pearls.html

KESOM

I was walking out from bank after withdrawing some money from the ATM when I saw this healthy looking Kesom Plant or Laksa Leaf growing in front of the premise. Someone must have planted it there intentionally as I noticed water dripping down from the air conditioning unit from the second floor. For your information, planting this herb is very simple indeed. All you need to do is to get a few stalks of fresh daun kesum from the wet market and just stick them into damp earth and you will have them growing in no time.The scientific name of this herb is Persicaria odorata. It is also known as Vietnamese coriander. Here in Malaysia, daun kesom is one of the ingredients used to make Laksa.
I found an interesting fact about daun kesom. It seems that it is used traditionally in Vietnam to repress sexual urges. There is a saying in Vietnamese, "rau răm, giá sống" ("Vietnamese coriander, raw bean sprouts") meaning that Vietnamese coriander has the ability to reduce sexual desires, while bean sprouts have the opposite effect. Many Buddhist monks grow coriander in their private gardens and eat it frequently as a helpful step in their celibate life.
LINK

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU

Saya terjumpa pokok kesom tumbuh subur di tempat yang disediakan untuk tanaman hiasan di luar satu bank. Saya agak pokok ini ditanam oleh seorang kerana ianya ditanam dibawah satu unit penghawa dingin.  Air dari penghawa dingin akan memastikan tanah sentiasa basah.  Sebenarnya menanam daun kesom sangat mudah.  Hanya perlu dapatkan beberapa batang daun kesom dari pasar dan cucuk dalam tanah basah.  

Nama saintifik untuk Keosm adalah Persicaria odorata.  Ia juga dikenali sebagai Vietnamese coriander.  Di Malaysia, daun kesom merupakan salah satu bahan untuk membuat laksa.

Di negara Vietnam, daun kesom digunakan untuk menahan keinginan seks.  Ramai sami Buddha menanam pokok ini di kebun dan makannya supaya dapat mengamalkan kehidupan tanpa seks.

FRESH DATES

During the Ramadan month, I got to see lots of dried dates being sold at the supermarkets as the Muslims eat this energy boosting fruit for sahur and also for breaking fast.
I also saw fresh dates for sale but then they were not that easily available as the dried ones. The fresh dates that are pictured above appear to be soft or semi-soft. So what is the difference between a fresh date and a dried one. A dry date simply contains less moisture than a soft date. Fresh dates, if kept in an airtight container, stay fresh for up to 8 months if kept refrigerated, or for up to year in the freezer. A dried date is deliberately dehydrated to remove its moisture. Dried dates have a longer shelf-life than the fresh. Dried dates if refrigerated in an airtight container stay fresh for up to one year, and if in the freezer can last up to five years.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/527815-fresh-dates-vs-dried-dates/#ixzz23RUbyQKJ

NATURAL AIR FRESHENER

I had to attend to a call of nature when I was eating out at a cafe recently. What caught my attention was the bowl of orange peels in the loo. I guess it is a natural air freshener. So, don't throw away your orange peels. There is use for them.

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU

Semasa di Bilik Air sesuatu cafe, saya nampak kulit kupasan oren digunakan sebagai air freshener.  Oleh sebab itu, jangan buang kulit oren, simpan untuk digunakan sebagai air freshener.