Rasbhari

Most of the plants that have grown or are growing in our home , have been the result of my curiosity to see what happens if I bury this in soil.
Let's sow this and see what happens is the one line that often crosses my mind whenever I see things like budding rhizomes or bulbs or discarded ripe seeds or fruits that are about to rot. Colocasia, turmeric, ginger, maize, ladyfinger, chillies, tomatoes, garlic, fenugreek, bitter gourd, potatoes are some of the plants that I have been able to grow because of my curiosity. Most of them have been fruitful ventures, however, a few did not even bear flowers. But there were two instances that left me completely surprised. First was when I grew maize and second was Cape gooseberry. Surprised because I did not know that they can grow in your home. I had seen maize only in huge fields spread over acres. And about Cape Gooseberry, I had no idea where it came from. But growing these plants and watching them grow and change everyday was a delight to the senses. Their flowering and fruiting has such unusual characteristics as if telling a story. They awaken in you that child who wants to know what will happen next. 


Cape gooseberry known as Rasbhari is among those fruits that come in the market for a short span of time. By mid February it is a common sight to see fruit sellers displaying bunches of these marble sized, orange, juicy fruit that look so exotic. But after a couple of weeks , they disappear just like they came ,all of a sudden. But their smell and sweet n sour taste lingers on your tongue for a long time.

Just like we've attempted to grow tomato plants  by throwing away rotting tomatoes in soil, similar was the way how I grew Rasbhari. After several of my recent attempts to have tomato laden plants in my home failed, there was some apprehension in my mind as to whether I would get any positive result with its family member or not ( both tomatoes and cape gooseberry belong to the same family Solanaceae, the potato family). At times it is not possible to grow fruit bearing plants from the  seeds of fruits that we buy from the market as there many varieties and hybrids of fruits and vegetables that have flooded the market these days. Luckily, my experiment with Rasbhari did not prove futile at all. I guess it does not have any hybrids.


Botanical name : Physalis peruviana
Common name : Hindi - Rasbhari ( रसभरी )
                             English - Cape gooseberry
Family : Solanaceae ( Potato family )


Distribution : originally from South America, a home to many members of Solanaceae. Cultivated in sub-tropical regions.

Morphology : a shrub with a height of 2- 4 ft. Stems and leaves are covered with fine hair. Leaves are simple, dark green, heart shaped, with entire margins and oppositely arranged. 

Inflorescence is solitary axillary. Flowers are simple and actinomorphic. Calyx is green,with five sepals, fused (gamosepalous) to form a cup shaped structure. Corolla consists of yellow coloured petals that are fused together (gamopetalous) and have purple markings towards the centre.

After the fruit sets in, the calyx inflates and continues to grow and form a protective covering around the developing fruit. As the fruit inside matures and changes its colour from green to yellow to orange, the green and hairy calyx too turns brown and papery. 

A stem bearing fruits

Fruit growing inside green calyx

Calyx turning brown and papery

Fruit is a berry with numerous light yellow seeds embedded inside the orange coloured fleshy part.

 

Curry leaf

I vividly remember how we got our first curry leaf plant. My grandmother, during her stay at one of her relative's house, got a sapling of this plant from them. It was an overnight train journey at the peak of summers. Next morning the moment my grandmother reached our house with all her luggage,  the first thing I did was to peep inside the poly - bag and welcome the new member of our patch of green. Since then, we have been relishing its flavour and cooking South Indian on holidays became a norm. 

Curry leaf or kadi patta ( कड़ी पत्ता ) is an essential component of South Indian cuisine and hence is grown in almost every South Indian home. But is not used much in North India. It can be seen growing in the wild here but it is rarely seen growing in homes. Many people aren't even aware of this plant. So we meet many curious passer-byes who wish to know (either from us or from our neighbours ) the name and use of this little tree whose branches have crossed all the boundaries and now fall on the street. Sometimes people from neighbourhood would pluck away a few leaves whenever they would cook 'kadhi' at home since the only use of this plant for them is to enhance the flavour of this dish. They take its name too literally...;p. But on a serious note, the addition of these leaves truly make any ordinary 'kadhi' stand out.

Distribution : sub tropical to tropical regions. In India commonly found growing in lower Himalayas and peninsular India.

Botanical name : Murraya koenigii

Common name : Hindi - Kadi patta, Meetha neem

                             Bengali - Barsunga  

                             Telugu - Karepaku

                             Tamil - Karivepillai

                             Malayalam - Kareapela

                             English - Curry Leaf

Family : Rutaceae ( Citrus Family ) 

Morphology : shrub to a small tree, grows upto 6 metres, brownish bark with longitudinal striations. 

Leaves are unipinnate with 11-25 leaflets in one leaf and swollen leaf base. Inflorescence is a cyme. Flowers are highly fragrant and are borne in clusters. Calyx is green, persistent and five lobed. Corolla is creamy white and polypetallous. Petals are lanceolate and five in number. Androecium is polyandrous,the number of stamens is ten, arranged in two circles of five each. Gynoecium is seated on a disc ( a characteristic feature of Rutaceae ). Stigma is sticky.

Fruit is a berry that turns shiny purplish- black on ripening. It encloses one green coloured seed.

Leaflets, petals and the skin of its fruit are dotted with oil glands and visible to the naked eye. Every part of the plant is aromatic.

Fowering season begins by late March. It is that time of the year when bees perpetually hover around it during day and standing under the tree fills your ears with their constant buzzing. 

Butterflies like Common Jay, Common Mormon and Lime butterfly too can be seen during this time.

Propagation : easily by seeds. The seeds however, should be fresh. Dried seeds do not germinate. During monsoons, a number of seedlings can be seen growing beneath the tree from the fruits that have fallen due to rains. It can be easily grown in a pot and maintained as a shrub.

Uses : aromatic leaves are used to flavour dishes particularly in South Indian cuisine. Leaves are usually used fresh though they can also be used in their dried state. Dried leaves are however less aromatic than fresh ones.

Apart from adding a distinct flavour to dishes, curry leaves possess many health benefits too.  Curry leaves are a storehouse of vitamin A,C and calcium.The leaves are a source of iron and folic acid that help in increasing haemoglobin level in our blood. They possess blood sugar lowering properties hence, they can be useful for people with diabetes. Curry leaves are used to cure dysentery, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. The leaves also possess the property to lower bad cholesterol level. They are a natural remedy for hair problems like hair-fall and greying of hair. 

The bark and roots are used to cure skin eruptions and bites of poisonous animals.

Harsingar

Autumn marks the beginning of festivities. And the tree that marks the beginning of this season called 'sharad ritu' (शरद ऋतु ) in Hindi is the Coral Jasmine or Night Jasmine tree. During rest of the year, this tree can easily go unnoticed. But as the month of October sets in and it starts blooming, there is no way that anyone cannot get enchanted by it. Creamy white and deep orange coloured flowers with their heavenly aroma leave everyone mesmerised with their surreal beauty and fragrance.

Coral Jasmine or Harsingar (हरसिंगार) in Hindi is known for its characteristic night blooming fragrant flowers which bloom in profusion at dusk and fall off at dawn next day forming a carpet of white and orange beneath.Since it appears to be weeping early morning and shedding away its flowers as teardrops, it is also called by the common name Tree of Sorrow. Its botanical name Nyctanthes arbor-tristis literally translates into night blooming sad tree ( Nyctanthes means night blooming and arbor-tristis means sad tree).

Botanical name : Nyctanthes arbor-tristis
Common name :  Hindi - Harsingar, Parijat
                              English - Coral Jasmine, Night Jasmine, Tree of Sorrow
                              Bengali - Shefali, Shiuli 
Family : Verbenaceae 

This tree finds many references in ancient literature and there are a few stories regarding its origin and the reason behind it shedding flowers at the break of dawn. According to one story, there was a princess named Parijataka who fell in love with the Sun. But the Sun refused to accept her. Dejected she burnt herself to ashes. From her ashes rose this tree that bloomed at night but  shed all its flowers at sunrise as it could not bear the sight of its lover. Hence, it is also called as Parijata ( पारिजात ) in Hindi. 

Another story states that this tree Parijata appeared as a result of Samudra Manthan (churning of milky ocean) and was given a place in the Garden of Heaven. But when one of Lord Krishna's wife Satyabhama demanded this tree, Lord Krishna brought it down from Heaven to earth and planted it in Satyabhama's courtyard in such a way that the flowers fell in Rukmini's (Lord Krishna's first wife) courtyard. 

It is also said that the abode of Lord Vishnu is under this tree and that Lord Hanuman rests under its shade. Since its flowers have always been used for puja, hence it was called Hari shringar ( Hari means Lord Vishnu and Shringar means ornaments ) which later became Harsingar.

A Rajasthan miniature painting depicting a lady picking Harsingar flowers

Rabindranath Tagore too composed a song Shiuli phool ( Shiuli is the Bengali name for this tree ) that beautifully describes this flower.

Distribution 

It grows well all along the sub-Himalayan tract and peninsular India.

Morphology 

It is a small tree with light canopy that can also be trained to form a shrub by regular pruning. Branches are quadrangular and fairly symmetrical. Bark is slightly wrinkled and greyish or greenish-white in colour. Leaves are simple, arranged opposite to each other,dark green and oval with pointed tip and entire margins. They are covered throughout with coarse hair and are rough to touch.

Bark of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis

Floral buds

Inflorescence is a cyme. Sepals are green and fused to form a cup like structure. Each flower has five to eight creamy white petals fused beneath to form a coral coloured or deep orange corolla tube (hence the name Coral Jasmine ). Each petal is lobed. When the flowers are in full bloom and fully turgid, their petals roll in such a manner that the flowers look like little pinwheels with yellow-orange centres. Petals are delicate and get easily bruised.Two stamen are present inside the corolla tube. Stigma is bifid.

Blooms of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis at dawn

 
Fruit is a capsule that splits into two parts each bearing a seed. When unripe the fruit is green but turns black with time.

Unripe seed of Coral Jasmine

Uses

This tree earns the distinction of being the only tree whose flowers can be picked from the ground and offered to God. They are commonly used for puja.
Apart from that, the flowers are collected every morning and can be placed in a broad dish or bowl and placed in a room. The whole room gets filled with their heavenly fragrance. They can also be made to float in a dish filled with some water to keep them fresh all day.

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis has been an important medicinal plant in Ayurveda.Every part of the plant is medicinally valuable.  
The leaves are anthelmintic and hence are used for treating intestinal worms.Paste of leaves is applied externally to treat skin infections. Concoction of leaves is also used to bring down fever. They are also used in the treatment of dry cough, malaria and as an antidote for snake bites. 
The flowers  are carminative and aid in digestion. They are also useful in treating dysmenrrhoea. 
Seeds are used as a hair tonic and are effective in promoting hair growth and treating infections of scalp.  
Powdered bark is consumed for getting rid of joint pains. A decoction of roots is useful in treating enlarged spleen.     

Bitter yet sweet

Karela or Bitter Gourd has been one of my favourites since childhood. Unlike some kids who used to make faces on hearing its name, I would always smile on hearing that in lunch we have 'karele ki subzi'.
Some years ago, we had bitter gourd growing at our home ( a long variety that is usually grown in hilly areas nearby) and it was so generous in producing fruits that we had to give away some to our friends and neighbours. So recalling old memories this year I decided to have home grown karelas for summer.

How did I grow them ?

By seeds . In early April, summer fruits and vegetables start coming in the market. And many times you can get a bitter gourd with ripe seeds inside. I too found one or two with ripe seeds which were removed from the fruit, dried in the sun for a day and they were ready to be sown.  

Even before the climbers start flowering, one can know that it is bitter gourd by the smell of its leaves. When it gets shaken by the wind or when we brush our hand against its tender shoots, we get a bitter smell identical to the one present in its fruits. It climbs by means of tendrils. It catches hold of any support nearby and coils itself tightly around it. Hence it can spread pretty fast and in any direction, so it is always best to make a support for it before. In my case the support that I chose was a small citrus tree nearby so that the fruits remain within my reach. I directed the shoots on to it and they covered its little canopy in no time.

The looks..

The leaves are simple, with serrated margins and five to seven lobes.

Botanical name : Momordica charantia
Family : Cucurbitaceae
Common name : English- Bitter gourd, Bitter melon, Bitter squash
                              Hindi- Karela


Each plant bears male and female flowers separately. Male flowers come first followed by female flowers. On each shoot, male flowers are borne above and female below. It helps in pollination of female flowers from pollen falling from above.
When the male flowers start blooming,they are in abundance. This continues for several days. Last year too I had a climber growing and I wasn't aware of this difference in male and female flowers. So I was hoping to see some little karela hanging after the initial flowering spree. But soon I realised that those were male flowers when one day I spotted a flower that had a green center and an ovary shaped like a miniature bitter guard fruit.
Both male and female flowers are yellow, polypetallous (free petals numbering five). Male flowers have a orange-yellow center which is due to the pollen bearing anthers.

A male flower

Female flowers on the other hand have a light green center which is the carpel. Also the ovary which is shaped exactly like a tiny bitter gourd and present behind the petals, is another feature that distinguishes female flowers from the male ones.

A developing female flower

Female flower with elongated ovary and petals closed in a bud above

Female flower in bloom

Female flowers appear some days after the male flowers and they are fewer in number initially but their number starts increasing soon and we can spot many little fruits hanging from the branches adorned with long, curly tendrils.

Spiky skinned fruits 

By the time it started flowering, monsoons had arrived with full vigour. And this was the best time for its growth. The flowering increased so did the size of the fruits. Long, tapering, green bitter gourd fruits swayed like pendulums
in the monsoon winds, showing off their spiky skins.

To be eaten they are plucked while still green, before they start getting ripe and turn yellow. Though there were some that escaped our eyes and were spotted only when they turned bright orange (almost ready to split open) as it becomes difficult to spot green fruits among green leaves.   

Health benefits 

Bitter gourd is well known for its hypoglycaemic properties. Charantin a chemical substance found in its fruit is one of the phyto-chemical responsible for lowering blood sugar. Regular consumption of bitter gourd juice has been found effective in treating type 2 diabetes. It also contains many vital minerals and vitamins and is rich in folates and anti-oxidants. Its blood purifying properties help keep skin acne free and this is the main reason why it is one of my favourites during summers.

Culinary uses

Bitter gourd or Karela is made into a host of dishes ranging from quick and simple ones to the tedious ones that test your patience and skills. The skin is usually removed before cooking but such is our love for this fruit that we do not throw it away. They are dried well in sun to remove all moisture and then are deep fried till they become crisp and golden. The whole fruit too can be made into a crispy accompaniment. It is sliced thinly along with the skin, dipped in batter and deep fried. And not to forget the finger licking pickle made from it, this fruit's bitterness is what makes it so likable. Though some people run from it but this bitter fruit ultimately proves to be sweet for our health.
As my father recently told me," karele ka gun hai uski kadvahat" that means the goodness of bitter gourd lies in its bitterness.