Abelmoschus manihot - Aibika

Habitat

Exposition

Plein soleil

Humidité

Humidité moyenne.

Sol

Tous sols. Nécessite un sol drainant.

pH

Sol acide ou calcaire

Rusticité

Zone 9

Habitat originel

Wasteland and humid rocky hillsides[260]. In Nepal it grows at elevations of 700 - 1700 metres in rocky places with shrubs[272]. Grasslands, near streams and margins of farm land[266].

Origine géographique

E. Asia - South-eastern Asia to Northern Australia.

Comestibilité

• Jeunes feuilles - crues ou cuites [183, 200].
• Sweet and mucilaginous [183].
• Flower buds - raw or cooked [183].

Usages médicinaux

• The bark is said to be emmenagogue [240].
• A paste of the bark is used to treat wounds and cuts, with new paste being applied every 2 - 3 days for about 3 weeks [272].
• In Nepal the root juice is warmed and applied to sprains [272].
• The juice of the flowers is used to treat chronic bronchitis and toothache [272].

Culture

• Easily grown in any well-drained soil in a sunny position [200].
• Plants will tolerate occasional short-lived lows down to about -5°c so long as they are in a very well-drained soil [260].
• A perennial plant, it is generally tender in the temperate zone but can be grown outdoors as an annual, flowering well in its first year and setting seed [200, K].
• Plants will occasionally overwinter in a cold greenhouse [K].
• It grows well in an ornamental vegetable garden [200].

Propagation

• Seed - sow March in a warm greenhouse .
• The seed should germinate with two weeks, when it is large enough to handle prick it out into individual pots and plant out after the last expected frosts .
• The seed can also be sown in situ in late April in areas with warm summers .