Although our love of tropical fruit encompasses a world of unique flavors, few stand out as much as imbe (Garcinia livingstonei, wild mangosteen, low veld mangosteen, mutumbi, mpekechu). This plant is a must-have for anyone who knows good eatin’—It’s a certified favorite here at Sow Exotic. Despite this, we predict that this cultivar will never be available for purchase in American supermarkets anytime soon.

Imbe is a drought-tolerant evergreen shrub or tree with the potential to grow up to 60’ ft tall without pruning to its naturally conical shape. The imbe tree is not particular about growing conditions, native to a variety of climates in Africa. It can be found in scrub, open woodland and forest, along rivers, woodland and even entwined with termite mounds. Growing the slow-poke Garcinia livingstonei tree is a test of patience, but well worth the reward. Clusters of flowers grow on the axils of the tree’s branches, which give way to acid-sweet fruit around August. The fruit makes a refreshing break, signaling the end of long summer days.

Asystasia (Asystasia gangetica, Ganges primrose, Chinese violet, tropical violet, coromandel or creeping foxglove) is a pot herb that will delight foragers to the core with its abundant growth and vibrant, impossible-to-miss blooms. 

This climbing evergreen perennial is native to the outskirts of forests in parts of India, Malaysia, and Eastern Africa. Here, asystasia is a natural ground cover that can be distinguished by its various flowers in violet, yellow, and white. Asystasia is free-flowering, with extensive bloom time. In suitable conditions, it can potentially flower year-round. This is a sweet-scented option for large container growing, or land where vegetation is sparse. Given the opportunity to flourish, Asystasia gangetica can grow dense and become difficult to manage. 

Asystasia is a member of the Acanthaceae family, which is generally reported to contain beneficial chemical compounds like glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids, triterpenoids, fatty acid methyl esters and fatty acids. The chemical composition of Asystasia makes it a good contender for the color alchemy of natural, plant-based dyes.

The best use for components of bitter leaf tree (Gymnanthemum extensum, syn. Vernonia amygdalina, Pim Pai Lin; 展枝斑鸠菊 zhan zhi ban jiu ju in Chinese; หนานเฉาเหว่ย nan chao woe in Thai) will vary, depending on your ailment and who you ask. It has a number of folkloric uses that vary by different regions throughout the world, especially in parts of Asia and Africa. Leaves of bitter leaf tree can apparently be used for everything from a crispy substitute for salad greens, to treating parasitic worms, to regulating issues for diabetics, to treating Malaria symptoms. Simply put: Bitter leaf tree is an edible plant that aligns with the thinking that bitter foods are key to digestion support and general well-being.

Bitterness in plants like Gymnanthemum extensum is an evolutionary trait to discourage animals from grazing on it. However tempted herbalists learned that you can offset the bitter taste of the leaves by boiling or soaking them in multiple changes of water. This member of the Asteraceae family varies in size, growing anywhere from a small shrub in some regions, to twenty-foot-high trees in other parts of the world. In the wild, it can be found by a sweet trademark scent, thriving near sources of water like rivers and lakes, or areas with high rainfall and humidity.

Prime harvesting time is during the rainy season, when clipping shoots when water is high will encourage new shoots to grow. Traditional uses of bitter leaf tree include ingestion of water-based extracts for alleged treatment of liver diseases, gastrointestinal issues, bacterial infections, malaria, diabetes, kidney problems, and more. We highly suggest consulting medical professionals before any DIY-doctoring for these issues.

According to Ayurvedic wisdom, learning to balance all aspects of your health requires disciplined understanding of diet, thinking, and herbal remedies like Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia, heart-leaved moonseed, Amrita, Guduchi). Giloy is considered to be essential in the Indian System of Medicine (ISM), where it is recommended for treatment of a breadth of health ailments. Sow Exotic does not offer prescriptive medicinal or dietary advice, and encourages those interested in its use for health purposes to consult with a qualified physician or dietician. However, there is no doubt that the heart-shaped climber Tinospora cordifolia makes for an adorable addition to any herbalist’s garden.

Giloy is a climbing vine with a coiling, woody stem, and aerial roots. It will need a supportive trellis or companion plant to thrive. Tinospora cordifolia prefers a warm climate, but is hardy to a variety of conditions. Suggested supporting plants include Neem (Azadirachta indica), Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) and Moringa (Moringa oleifera). Giloy can also tolerate a wide variety of soils, ranging from sandy to clay loam. However, the soil should be well drained with sufficient moisture and rich with organic matter for optimal growth.

Plant Power: When grown with Neem as a support plant, Tinospora cordifolia is said to absorb beneficial extracts from the plant, supposedly making it super charged for health benefits!

Rice paddy herb (Limnophila aromatica, rau om, ngò om, phak khayang, seui fa and shui fu rong) is a great example of the botanical-dietary paradox of agricultural ecosystems in Southeast Asia. Countries in the Asia-Pacific Region produce and consume over 90 percent of the world’s rice, which has a significant impact on the biodiversity of plants and diets in the area. When edible aquatic plants like rice paddy herb creep up from normally homogenous rice paddy fields, they must be weeded out. But nothing goes to waste, and farmers may seek out the plants to use them in cooking. 

Limnophila aromatica is a standout plant, with spirals of narrow leaves with hues of red, green, and purple. The color and growth can be manipulated by changing the intensity of light and carbon dioxide levels. As an aquatic plant, rice paddy herb will thrive in hot and humid environments. It will thrive in hard water, but can grow either submersed or emersed. Harvest rice paddy herb to use it raw, added as an accompaniment to Thai plates like pho or curry. It is best used as a garnish, with a flavor similar to lemon and cumin.

The fountain of youth is folklore for some, and Giloy vine (Tiliacora triandra, grass jelly vine, bai yanang, bai ya nang) for others. Yanang is a tropical perennial vine, native to Southeast Asia. It’s especially popular for culinary and medicinal use in Northeast Thailand and Laos. This is a relatively unassuming climbing plant with deep green leaves, yellow flowers, and red spherical fruit. But it’s the leaves of Yanang that are cherished for its thickening properties, cooling effects, and supposed health benefits. With high contents of Vitamin A, B-carotene, Phosphorus, Polyphenols, Flavonoids, alkaloids, and minerals, Yanang is said to be overall beneficial to one’s wellbeing. Yanang makes a mean, green, plant-based Jell-O, too! 

Plant care requires one to mimic the humid, sunny, and acidic soil conditions of its native habitats in Southeast Asia. However, the hardy yanang plant will adapt to any well-drained, sunny, and well-watered growing conditions. Once mature, harvest leaves as often as needed for extracting yanang juice. The process of extracting the gelatinous properties of yanang requires bruising and mashing leaf clippings with a mortar and pestle or cleaver. Other sources suggest simply putting leaf clippings into a food processor with 2 cups of cold water to extract the juice, and straining the remnants. In Thailand and Laos, packaged yanang juice or water can be purchased in food markets, where it is a sought-out thickener ingredient for bamboo shoot soup.