Frog fruit (Phyla nodiflora) – Herb garden

Frog fruit (Phyla nodiflora) is an ornamental, evergreen perennial, creeping herb that grows up to 10 m in length that roots at its nodes. The main stem sends up erect branches that terminate in inflorescences. The inflorescence consists of a purple-colored center encircled by small white-to-pink flowers. The leaves are arranged oppositely with leaves up to 8 cm in length with serrate leaf margins. It makes excellent low maintenance ground cover or brightens up hanging baskets as trailing plants.

Scientific classification:

Family: Verbenaceae
Genus: Phyla
Species: P. nodiflora

Scientific Name: Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene
Common Names: Frog fruit, Sawtooth fogfruit, Turkey tangle, Creeping Lip Plant, Lippia, sawtooth fogfruit, turkey tangle fogfruit, wild long pepper.
Tamil: Poduthalai
Telugu: Bokenaku, Bokkena, Gajapippali-kada, Mosalipappu, Neeru pippali kada.
Assamese: Kurkuri bon
Kannada: Jala hippali, Kere hippali, Neeru hippali
Malayalam: Jala thippali, Kattu thippali
Hindi: Bukkan, bhu okra, chota okra, jal pippali
Sanskrit: Mosalipappu, vasir, and vasuka
Marathi: Ratolia, vakkan

How to care and grow Frog fruit (Phyla nodiflora):

Light

It thrives best in full sun and part shade.

Soil

It grows well in well-drained, sandy, or open soil, but as with many successful weeds, it will grow just about anywhere.

Water

Water your plant regularly during the growing season and always keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. You can allow the topsoil to become slightly dry between each watering. During the winter months, reduce watering.

Fertilizer:

Frog fruit prefers a moderately fertile soil but succeeds in soils of low fertility. If you want increased blooms, use a liquid bloom fertilizer in spring.

Propagation:

Frog fruit can be easily propagated by division, seed, or cuttings in spring. Sow the seed directly after the soil has warmed in the middle of spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring or early summer.

Pest and Disease:

It has no serious pest and disease problems.

Benefits of Frog fruit (Phyla nodiflora)

• Phyla nodiflora has anti-bacterial properties making it a powerful treatment for all kinds of wounds when applied as a poultice.
• A poultice of the fresh plant is applied to ripen boils and a paste or poultice is also applied to swollen cervical glands, to erysipelas, burns, and to chronic indolent ulcers.
• It has anti-proliferative properties and especially the stem and the leaf extract inhibits breast cancer cell growth.
• The aroma of the inhaled plant is breathed in to treat coughs and colds.
• The juice of the root is utilized in the treatment of gastric troubles
• It reduces piles inflammation when taken internally (Chew 2-3 leaves of Phyla nodiflora twice a day).
• Phyla nodiflora helps to get rid of dandruff. Grind leaves of Phyla nodiflora to make a paste. Apply it on the scalp and hair. Wash after 2
  hours.
• Phyla nodiflora decoction made by boiling a handful of the leaves along with 1/4 tsp of cumin seeds is an amazing home remedy for treating ulcers, indigestion, inflammation, preventing kidney stones, and as an anti-breast cancer drink.
• It is said to be useful in the treatment of blenorrhoea, lithiasis, ischuria, constipation, and pain in the knees.
• It also has diuretic properties and people who are suffering from water retention will benefit from drinking a water decoction of the
  plant.