Commonly known as the Ming aralia, Polyscias fruticosa is native to New Guinea, Australia, and India. Polyscias comes from a combination of Greek words meaning many shaded as some of the Polyscias species have broad, shade-giving leaves. Polyscias fruticosa is rare in the wild now, but is prevalent in landscaping in its native tropics where it is often used as a hedge shrub. It’s also a popular bonsai plant.
It’s a pretty useful hedge, too, since it is edible and yummy. Its young leaves and shoots are eaten both cooked and raw either in curries or solo with dips. It can also be found as an ingredient in tea. Every source says it tastes like parsley, but I’ve tried this one and I thought it tasted more like cumin? It looks a lot like parsley, so I don’t know. It’s good though. In Thailand it’s known as Garuda claws since its leaves tend to curl inward like the claws of the Hindu deity.
OK maybe off topic, but I love dropping a deity in when I can, Garuda is the half man, half bird mount of Vishnu. He’s mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religions and is a popular symbol of strength, military prowess, and loyalty from Mongolia to the Philippines.
Polyscias fruticosa’s is also used for its spicy scent by Cambodia’s Buddhist monks to make ceremonial incense.
Aside from its use as a food, Polyscias fruticosa has been used in traditional medicine for centuries, and many of its uses are backed up by science. Dried leaves are powdered and mixed with salt as a healing salve. In India the plant is used as an astringent and used to reduce fevers. In Fiji the root is used as diuretic and the bark is juiced for mouth ulcers and syphilitic sores. In Cambodia, smoke is inhaled to induce sweating and the plant is also used for nerve and rheumatic pain. And finally, in Vietnam it is used to aid in digestion.
So what’s the science? It’s a bit of an over achiever. The plant has anticeptic, analgesic, fever reducing, and anticancer properties. In addition, it has been shown to improve cognition in rats, help fight bone diseases like osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis, and is toxic to disease carrying freshwater snails. But that’s not all, oh no, the plant is also a diuretic, antitussive, mucosuppressant, and could be useful in the fight against diabetes. Furthermore, while the plant is probably not safe for pregnant women (it causes miscarriages in lab rats), it is a useful lactation aid and can increase the quantity and quality of sperm. Oh and I almost forgot, it’s also an antiasthmatic.
Not bad for a common hedge plant.
I just got these two little guys. I’d been keeping an eye on Etsy for any Ming’s to come on sale and finally snagged these two for cheap… then the post office lost them. By the time I got them, all of their leaves were dead. They were just sticks in pots. But they were green sticks in pots and their roots were still holding fast, so I figured there was hope. I put them under grow lights and gave them some very diluted fertilizer… it took about two weeks before I saw any new leaves, but they’re getting there. Cute little revenants.
So that’s it! This month’s plant will serve as inspiration for the paid posts in my 100% Plant-Based Horror sections. Here’s the breakdown, in case you’re new and/or curious. And don’t forget, subscriptions are only $2.50/month because everything is expensive and we’re all broke.
First week of the month - The Lab (that’s this post!) - Free for everyone
Second week of the month - The Witch Lab (a short, spooky piece from a plant witch’s journal detailing one of her experiences helping (I use the term loosely) a client using the featured plant of the month - Paid subscribers only, here’s a freebie you can read to check it out!
Third week of the month - The Spell Book (an entry from The Witch’s spell book detailing how she uses this plant for her dark magic including spells, chants, recipes, instructions, and more). Paid subscribers only, here’s a freebie you can read to check it out!
Fourth week of the month - 100% Plant-Based Horror story featuring the month’s plant. These are longer stories that include everything from ghosts, to parasites, aliens, experimental supplements, and more! - Paid subscribers only, here’s a freebie you can read to check it out!