Puso-puso » Balinghasai Farms

Litsea glutinosa

What we grow No Responses »

Jan 072013

Specimen : Wild

Habitats : Along creeks and sparingly on drier and more open places

Local names : Puso-puso, Sablot, Lauat

Botanical name : Litsea glutinosa

Family : Lauraceae

Height : 6-14 meters

Fruiting season : Matured fruits observed in June

Traits : Drought tolerant; Evergreen; Fast growing; Tolerant of infertile soil; Wind hardy

Recommendations : Agroforestry; Backyards; Erosion control; Farms; Large avenues; Living fence; Paper & pulp tree plantations; Pioneer species for reforestation purposes; Public spaces; Riparian management; Roadside tree; Shade tree; Timber belt; Urban greening; Wildcrafting; Windbreak

Used for : Various parts of the tree have medicinal uses; Seed oil used for making soap; Leaves are soaked in water for a number of days to produce a slimy or glutinous liquid employed as a traditional shampoo, the same liquid mixed with other building materials has been used to build some Philippine ancestral buildings which still stand today; Wood for light constructions, furnitures, veneers, plywoods and carving; Pulpwood; Firewood and charcoal

Native range : India, Southern China, Southeast Asia (including the Philippines) to Australia

National conservation status : Not threatened

Possible threats : Clearing of woodlands for agricultural, residential or commercial use; Indiscriminate cutting of wild trees for fuel wood and charcoal production

Native wild edible : Telosma procumbens

Native wild edibles No Responses »

Jul 152012

This specimen just showed up from our nursery without anyone planting it there. The seed may have been accidentally carried when we collected soil from somewhere inside or near the farm. My helpers call this “Puso-puso” , perhaps an allusion to it’s heart-shaped leaves. The clustered inflorescence are eaten as vegetables and my helpers just simply saute them and eat with rice. They would be good also when added in Guisadong munggo, Pinakbet, Guisadong mais, Bulanglang and non-conventional soups. In Thailand, where I have lived for a number of months, this is an everyday vegetable you will see being sold in public markets and in fresh produce sections of groceries. Noo, my Thai wife, says they would have it steamed or boiled and served with spicy Nam Pric (crushed Chilies with fish sauce and/or fish paste, herbs, lime etc.), fried with eggs as omelette, sauteed with meat or added in their version of Hot & Sour soup.