Wild Betel Leaf - Piper sarmentosum

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by Adam, Apr 8, 2012.

  1. Adam

    Adam Junior Member

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    In Thailand we had this plant growing in shady areas under some trees. It has glossy heart-shaped leaves which have a flavor reminiscent of black pepper.

    [​IMG]

    They are used throughout SE Asia, mostly eaten raw. In Thailand I remember having it in a dish called miang kham, which was really tasty.

    [video=youtube;PPWhUKy9afk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPWhUKy9afk[/video]

    So my question is this: has anyone seen this growing in Australia? Is it possible to find anywhere? I would love to grow it here, especially since it seems to thrive in shade.
     
  2. Grasshopper

    Grasshopper Senior Member

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  3. Speedy

    Speedy Junior Member

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    yeah, 'Cha Pluu' (as it's known in Thai) is often available fresh at many asian grocery stores.
    should be easy to find around Bris. .. try The Valley or West End.
    Vietnamese call it La Lot.
    buy some with stems on it and grow them in a glass of water until
    roots grow then plant out in a pot
     
  4. permasculptor

    permasculptor Junior Member

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    It is a good ground cover for the shade .I have it growing here if you ever come up this way.
     
  5. Toga

    Toga Junior Member

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    Hi,

    Adam - you should add this to your 'shade loving' thread, sounds like a tasty inclusion
    G'Hopper - thanks for that link, always interested to see what different varieties avail from AU suppliers
    Permasculptor - good as a ground cover for the shade you say, that would be great for an area im planning. GH's link says it is a vine climbing to 3mtrs? ... have you found this to be so ? ... do the climbing roots damage a host tree ?

    Cheers
    Toga
     
  6. Speedy

    Speedy Junior Member

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    Piper betle (Betel Pepper, Paan), in the ARH link above, is a climber,
    P.sarmentosum (Cha pluu, La Lot) is a trailing groundcover,
    I've never seen it climb vertically like P.betle.

    the name Wild Betel Pepper adds a bit of confusion,
    that's why I prefer to use the Asian or Latin names for clarity.

    Just to add to confusion, there's also a Piper sp. that is often sold as P.betle.
    It's a climber but has smaller lvs. and seems a lot more cold hardy.
    ... may actually be P.kadsura
     
  7. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    So it isn't going to give me a buzz and make my teeth go red? I really do have to come to your place permasculptor.... Maybe after the PDC I'll come and do an "advanced" day with you.
     
  8. Toga

    Toga Junior Member

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    Hi Speedy,

    Thanks for clarifying that, Latin names work for me. Like most genius's, I thought there might/would be different species with slightly different habits.

    Cheers
    Toga
     
  9. Adam

    Adam Junior Member

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    Yep, that's right speedy, it seems to be confused quite often, which is why I made sure to include the scientific name in the title. I also have not seen it climb vertically. And permasculptor, I will also have to come check out your place one of these days. You're not too far away after all. I would love to take some divisions and get a little P. sarmentosum patch going here. I bet if one had a nice patch going over a large enough area one could sell them to Vietnamese and Thai restaurants!
     
  10. permasculptor

    permasculptor Junior Member

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    P.sarmentosum is the one that I have as it does not climb.Thanks speedy for the clarification.Eco your always welcome to come and teach me advanced permaculture I need all the help I can get.Adam your welcome any time as is any permie person just pm me when your ready.
     
  11. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    How much cold can it take?
    Has anyone got any recipes for using it in food?


    The use of traditional treatment modalities with special mention of Piper sarmentosum in treatment of bone fracture.
    Estai M.A., Suhaimi F., Shuid A.N., Das S., Soelaiman I.-N.
    Journal of Medicinal Plant Research. 5 (33) (pp 7132-7139), 2011. Date of Publication: 31 Dec 2011.
    [Journal: Review]
    Publisher
    Academic Journals (PO Box 5170-00200 Nairobi, Victoria Island, Lagos 73023, Nigeria)

    https://www.academicjournals.org/jmpr/PDF/pdf2011/31Dec/Estai et al.pdf

    Introduction, Phytochemistry, traditional uses and biological activity of genus Piper: A review.
    https://www.ijcpr.com/PDF,IJCPR/Vol2/Issue2/IJCPR,Vol2,Issue2,Article8.pdf

    Histological changes in the fracture callus following the administration of water extract of Piper sarmentosum (Daun Kadok) in estrogen-deficient rats.
    Estai M.A., Soelaiman N.I., Shuid A.N., Das S., Ali A.M., Suhaimi F.H.
    Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences. 36 (4) (pp 281-288), 2011. Date of Publication: December 2011.
    [Journal: Article]
    Publisher
    Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Nemazee Hospital, P.O.Box: 71345-1978, Shiraz 71934, Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    jms.sums.ac.ir/files/PDFfiles/06-Dr_%20Suhaimi.pdf

    Effects of Piper sarmentosum on bone resorption and its relationship to plasma cortisol in rats.
    https://www.academicjournals.org/ajpp/PDF/pdf2012/22 Jan/Estai et al.pdf
     
  12. Adam

    Adam Junior Member

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    The original post in this thread contains a video that essentially shows you a recipe with it for a Thai snack. I would love to see some other recipes though, especially Vietnamese ones.
     
  13. Grasshopper

    Grasshopper Senior Member

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  14. aroideana

    aroideana Junior Member

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    I know it grows well in Maryborough Qld .
     
  15. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    I was hoping you could teach me a thing or two! We can swap ideas maybe...
     
  16. Speedy

    Speedy Junior Member

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    "how much cold can it take?"

    Frost-free Sydney should be ok .
    I have a plant in Nthn Vic that has survived 2 winters (in a pot ) in protected area.
    It's died back right to the potting mix level and come back in the spring.
    not it's normal behavior in tropics, but has a bit of hardiness in that way.
    It has not actually had a 'direct hit' with frost, but probably 1or2 degC overnight.
     
  17. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Thanks everyone I will give this interesting plant a go.
    (Any suggestions on where best to get one?)
    I did not realise there were different types of Betel plants , but I guess I should have expected it
     
  18. Speedy

    Speedy Junior Member

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    try asian markets in the city and get some fresh (sold as a vegetable) with stems and start it on a window sill in a glass of water.
    sometimes you can get bits with root primordia at the nodes, these are the ones to pick out.
     
  19. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Ta
    is it available in Winter?
     
  20. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Piper betel Linn (betel vine), the maligned Southeast Asian medicinal plant possesses cancer preventive effects: time to reconsider the wronged opinion.

    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2011;12(9):2149-56

    Authors: Rai MP, Thilakchand KR, Palatty PL, Rao P, Rao S, Bhat HP, Baliga MS

    Abstract
    Since antiquity, Piper betel Linn (betel vine; family Piperaceae) has been an important medicinal agent in the various traditional and folk systems of medicine in Southeast Asia countries.
    The leaves are the most valued plant part and in the past were routinely used as a chewing agent to prevent halitosis. The leaves are also supposed to harden the gum, conserve the teeth and to prevent indigestion, bronchitis, constipation, congestion, coughs and asthma. Innumerable scientific studies have validated the ethnomedicinal claims. Betel leaves are an integral component of the betel quid that consists of areca nut (Areca catechu Linn.), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L) and slaked lime; a highly abused agent with carcinogenic properties.
    Regular chewing of betel quid is associated mainly with oral cancer and detail studies with individual constituents of the quid have shown that both tobacco and areca nut are carcinogenic, while slaked lime is shown to promote the process of carcinogenesis.
    However unlike other constituents of the betel quid, the betel leaves devoid carcinogenic effects and on the contrary possesses cancer preventive effects including against the carcinogens present in tobacco. This review for the first time provides information on cancer preventive effects and also addresses the various mechanisms which might be involved.
    PMID: 22296348 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
     

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