Zaka

Irie, Woof, you're welcome to drop by anytime Bro. Got round to the Mucuna Pruriens beans, known locally as "Kafe Djab".......hehe Roasted them till they popped, then let them cool & peel off shells. Back into the pan for a final roast. When ground it made a light brown nutty smelling powder, looking like an instant coffee! Brewed a couple of large pinches per cup of coffee beans. Kinda tasted like the dandilion coffees I use to drink, back in the day.... Not got the kick of the "Ti kafé mawon"!!! I guess the next one to try out will be "Kafé zèpyant", Senna occidentalis....... I think I saw a bag of seeds somewhere???? Respect, Z

Irie, So I've known of "Ti kafé mawon" made from the seeds of Psychotria Nervosa for sometime but never had a chance to try it out. Well I've now opened the "Zaka Art Cafe", serving up my own homegrown coffee & Moringa Smoothies. So last night came across a bag of P.Abla seeds & decided to roast them up! Had a couple of cups this morning & it's KICKIN'!!!! I added just a pinch of the ti kafe mawon per cup of coffee beans, which I think is about the right amount...& put a definate edge on my own strong coffee! I also roasted up some Mucuna Pruriens beans, (I have a couple of sackfuls around) but these look like they will need peeling before a final roast??? I'll be testing it out tommorrow?? Respect, Z

Irie, Nah! Turned out to be Alicia anisopetala. Respect, Z

Irie, I keep getting asked for the botanical name of this plant. It smells heavenly.....some kinda thyme?? The locals here call it panadol as it's good for headaches! Don't have the time to do any reseach on it at the moment! Wondered if anyone recognises it??? Respect, Z

Irie, Some info that just came up in my yahoo group; Got some information from the web It mentions traditional use of the plant in the treatment of cold, teeth and gum disorders in Africa Book of abstract 2012 - Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Association 9. Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of the Essential Oils of Plectranthus caninus Roth Solomom Tadesse, Avijit Mazmuder, Franz Bucar, Ciddi Veeresham and Kaleab Asres The essential oil from the aerial parts of Plectranthus caninus Roth (Lamiaceae), obtained by hydro-distillation was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC /MS) and evaluated for antimicrobial, free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory activities. Thirty-four compounds representing 91.02% of the total oil were identified. The major constituents of the oil were camphor (22.36%) and α-thujene (14.48%). The oil was tested against 21 bacterial and 4 fungal strains using disc diffusion method and found to be active against a broad spectrum of pathogens including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as some fungal strains. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the oil against the bacterial strains tested ranged from 10 to 400 μg/ml, and from 800 to 1000 μg/mL against the fungal strains employed. The in vitro antioxidant activity was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1‑picrylhydrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. The oil reduced DPPH in a concentration dependent manner with an EC 50 value of 3.5 μl/ml. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated on the basis of inhibition of carrageenan induced mouse hind paw oedemawhereby doses of 200 and 300 mg/kg were found to inhibit significantly increase in paw volume during the late phase of inflammation. The study provides evidence for the broad-spectrum antimicrobial, significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of Plectranthus caninus essential oil, a possible explanation for the traditional use of the plant in the treatment of cold, teeth and gum disorders which may be related to microbial infections and inflammation. Hope it prove useful! Respect, Z

Irie, Just noticed flowers, high up! Hopefully, photos in a week or two! Respect, Z

Irie, Just to let you all know, I'm still around, although I've been "sell-out" busy with my business & had no time for the garden. Going to be traveling again for a few weeks. Hope to get some more pics posted later next month!? Maybe? Respect, Z

Irie, SORRY I was mid edit and the net went down for 24hrs Respect, Z

Irie, (sorry guy's I was mid edit and the net went down for 24) So this is my B. Muricata. Note the silver underside. Note the size leaf against the size of a Cielo for comparision. Also the necture glands compare with the Cielo glands. Respect, Z

Irie, I concur. Respect, Z

Irie, I'll take some photo's later. In the mean time here a link to the start of the grow from seed. In this thread, follow the "Black". The leaves are quite different between the seedling & mature plants. Respect, Z

Irie, The Plowman fruiting branch looks bangs on! I have a stigmaphyllon sinuatum.(syn. fulgens)..? That has the red tips to the seeds. Not sure where the original seed photos are & since it hasn't flower yet I have nothing but leaf pics. They were sourced from Peru. I have three vines in the ground & a bunch stuffed under a P.alba forest & forgotten about! They love to run long on the ground. Respect, Z I have literaly 2 sacks of Alicia seeds! Exporting ain't easy!!!

Irie, Here's Cielo flowers and seed! Respect, Z The second photo (R.Burnham) that Trailblazer posted, I would agree looks like Muricata!

Irie, Hmmm!? That flowering vine looks exactly like my Cielo strain. Leaf shape, flower color and fade! The vines I have that I suspect to be Banisteriopsis Muricata, didn't flower for me this year, but the leaves are significantly smaller & have a silver underside. Respect, Z

Irie, They just sweat in plastic! I always used to collect shrooms in paper bags. Also good for ripening advcados & mangos! Respect, Z

Irie, The way I dry green leaf-tea products; is in large cardboard boxes, which acts as a de-humidifyer. Don't put too much fresh leaf matter, as the green leaves will, (with some leaf such as moringa) heat up substantually, & spoil the product. The cardboard box is folded closed & left in direct sun, shake up the box regularly. After about two days in the sun the leaves should be crush dried. The product is the ground by hand through a strainer. This will remove much of the sticks & stuff. Different mesh strainer will give you different grades. This works great for moringa, caapi, novo & many more tea leaf products. Respect, Z

Irie, So my sole peruvian flowered last month. I had read that you need two plants in order to get seed! And that novo would not cross with the peruvian! Well one of these two statements has got to be a myth.... Cos I got berries! Respect, Z I used this forum to keep it as private as poss.

Irie, Give it wash & remove the outer bark! All is good. Respect, Z

Irie, Love brother! I did just one but did take it seriously! Respect, Z

Irie, I have a plethora of novo's (?). I have had one novo cutting take, though it died off due to being in the wrong spot! The e.coca were direct from peruvian berries, from Peru, must be about 4yrs old. I had only 2 pop, but one die early on. I'm not sure if these new berries will be a self coca or a hybrid novo???? It'll be interesting to grow out anyway! I lost the havanese, but they are a weed round here! Respect, Z

Irie, Solanum torvum. or I guess your Aussie equivalent. Respect, Z

Irie, Think I've sussed it! Plectranthus caninus also called "Piss-Off"! Respect, Z

Irie, Yeah, PH, they are not velevety like the Coleus amboinicus, which I have plenty of, but more succulent like, almost llike a Kalanchoe, but not quite as rubbery! (if any of that makes sense) Respect, Z

Irie, I also thought A.nilotica, cos of the coloration of the seeds, which look similar... Respect, Z

Irie, Yeah looking like an acacia. Also notice a Leonotis sp in the back ground. Respect, Z