Plectranthus amboinicus

http://nsushma.blogspot.com/2010/02/doddapatre-tambuli-coleus-aromaticus-in.html

Indian Borage -- Effective Cough Remedy from your herb garden

The Indian borage first came to my notice when I was suffering from a bad cough, and a friend suggested chewing the leaves of this plant she had growing in her garden. Apparently, even her son, a doctor, found it helpful when more conventional medicines didn't help. And she was right, the leaves provided almost immediate relief. So of course I had to go plant one of my own, which led to me checking out sites and books to find out more about the Indian borage.

In the process, I discovered that it makes a wonderful addition to a herb garden, with its many culinary and medicinal uses (more that I would ever have imagined). And, if you're like me, a beginner gardener, it's encouraging to grow a plant which thrives without much care.

The Indian Borage (Plectranthus amboinicus) has heart-shaped leaves with scalloped edges, and the typical four-cornered stem of the Lamiaceae family. The thick, succulent leaves are entirely covered with short, fine hairs. Try lightly brushing the hairs, and you'll get a pungent aroma. The plant typically grows to about 50 cm in height.

INDIAN BORAGE

Botanical name Plectranthus amboinicus (Coleus amboinicus, C. aromaticus, C. carnosa)
Botanical family Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Other names

• Country borage
• Puerto Rican oregano brujo / Cuban oregano
• French thyme / Spanish thyme / Broad-leaf thyme (West Indies)
• Mexican mint / Soup mint / Indian mint
• Sak dam ray (Cambodia)
• Ajeran, daun jinten, daun kucing (Indonesia)
• Daun bangun-bangun (Malaysia)
• Latai, suganda, oregano (Philippines)
• Po-hor (Singapore)
• Hom duan huu suea, niam huu suea (Thailand)
• Can day la (Vietnam)
• Pashan Bhedi, Karpooravalli, Patharchur (India)
• Da shou xiang (in Chinese)

Active ingredients Major components of its essential oil are 3-carene, g-terpinene, camphor and carvacrol (Source: Wee Yeow Chin, A Guide to Herbs and Spices)

Zucchini Bread

I found this recipe from AllRecipe.com. I like this though I haven't try yet because it looks like healthy treat! We are trying to go for whole grain and whole food experience.

Zucchini Bread III

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar, zucchini, and vanilla. Mix well. Add flours, baking powder, soda, salt, wheat germ, and cinnamon; stir to combine. Stir in raisins and nuts, if desired.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
2. Beat together eggs, sugar, and oil. Blend in the grated zucchini, and then the sour cream. Mix in the flour, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon. Stir in chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 80 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Zucchini Pineapple Bread I

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions

1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, mix oil, eggs, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend in pineapple and zucchini. Stir flour mixture into zucchini mixture. Pour batter into two greased and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. Cool on wire racks.

Summer Bounty Harvest!

Despite that I did not plant anything beside tomatoes on pots. Well, I brought early girl and beef boy which were 5 gal to begin with so I got a few tasty ripe tomatoes! I got zucchini and yellow summer quashes as bonus to my bf mom who had so many that she and her husband could not eat all. I gave most away to our friends to share the bounties! My sister column Northern Light red apple gave lot of flowers but I chose only a few to ripe. The apples were still hanging in the tree but there was strong wind knock them off. It was a good thing that they were ripe. They are sour and felt light but they were very juicy! I still have some display on crystal fruit bowl. They ripe and got knocked down about 3 weeks ago. I made oatmeal brown sugar apple dessert or you could call it like hot cereal breakfast.

Report on the Bizarre Show on June 4-6, 2010

I used the regal trumpet lily in the pot in the back for the display at the Bizarre Show on June 4-6, 2010. We made our name to some people hopefully some in New York since the couple brought Lemongrass, Naked in the Wood, and Jasmine and Jasmine Green Tea and its Powder would make these soap as gifts. We have only one Jasmine and Jasmine Green Tea and Powders left so we brought four more home from the house of my boyfriend's mom back to our home to wrap in our bamboo green on mother of pearl background paper.
I will have the pictures up date later. I have to get to the Off Center Art at Park St which is across from the Robinson Park at the Central Avenue. Their hour is Tuesday to Thursday 1pm to 7pm. Friday is 1pm to 5pm. How odd is that! We pass by and see the building but we never really know what it is or what is going on in there. Perhaps, I will know in a minutes. We have been trying to get to the Farmer market every Saturday of Summer but the director/manager said they already had soap dealer. I guess you have to know WHO in order to get into any business. She just let us in for a few days it would help to get our name around since those who go there mean to buy and use things from the handmade and local. They are the only one who would appreciate our work and willing to spend if it is good enough. Of course, our products are fabulous and one hundred percents homemade with love and care!
We made a few on Friday. Saturday was not a good day which was like a wasting of time. The last day was excellent! The people who brought our stuffs know and love homemade soap and do not mind to buy a few as gift. One lady brought soap as gift for her nice as graduation gift. Its fragrance is divine even far away can still smell it.

Home Garden Up Date

That the Lovely lovable yet evil to her playmate. I, finally, got to see sweet pea flowers which used to die because of hot desert sun and drought. I did not have time to water them so they could not last or live long to bloom. The sweet pea fragrant is very strong and almost like exotic perfume. The lily of the Nile, which I believe that my boyfriend's mom loves, is finally blooming. I was hoping it to bloom during Mother days to give to her but it blooms much later. I think now it is time for it to bloom; in another word, it is the season to bloom.
I just love the hollyhock! If it is peach, it would make a great statement in the neighborhood. Every house--almost, in this neighborhood has it in front of the house, but, of course, it is just single petal; mine is fully double and huge. Everyone has pink so am I therefore, it can hardly be outstanding or different than anyone else. The peach color one died last year. I was not sure why because I watered both of them at the same time.
I do not remember why I was mistake zinnia seeding plants with sunflower. I dig up three 'zinnia' plants home with me. Since zinnia is not much big so I planted them almost next to each other. When they had a few more leaves, I realized that I got sunflower instead! That was good too because I love sunflower also. I hope that the big tall plant wont kill my little rose NOW is under their leaves. My plan was to have big leaves shadow and shade the weak rose but only time can tell.
I finally get to see the color of hydrangea--at least one of them, I ordered three kinds but only two survive the hardship of moving and staying in small pot. It is forever pink I think because it is pink through out and nothing else. I will try the nitrogen to see if it will change the color or not. Maybe the other is Nikko Blue Hydrangea because it has big leaves also.
There were two butterflies and a bee stopping by at the lavender. I show this white lily because it looked playful.
I was gonna continue to water my plants but there was a disturbance by a man without shirt and white short walking around and screaming including 'pervert' to some workers who are working on the fence for some of my neighbor. It has been noise from just one man for an hour or more. He was giving me a headache and my plants are getting thirstier. Someone has called the cop

Santa Fe Street

Horticultural at the Capital

The front entrance of the Capital had a scent of bearded giant Irises which was not exactly good fragrant to inhale because it was very strong even though there were not many blooms. There is a big parking lot for the information service across from the Capital building. I was surprise to see the 'yellow' flower still blooming because in town its already leaves cover entire shrub. The air was fresh and no smell of gas or any pollution which was a good change of environment. It was cool and moist; once awhile there was a breeze. When we got there, it was 10:30am and there was three cars in the parking lot, but an hour later there almost no more parking left. People from all over the country came according to their license plates.