Sunday 24 October 2010

Ashwagandha "harvest"

It's funny. I have looked at the fruits on my ashwagandha, but I didn't think they contained any seeds or berries. They look like physalis and tomatillo, hiding the fruits inside.

Today I felt adventurous and picked the pods that looked ripe and opened them. And I was surprised to find small red fruits inside.

Here we have Carl helping me :-)

And this is how the pods and fruits look like.

I wonder if they are edible, and/or what they are good for. Anyone who knows?

Update:
Now I know. Don't eat the fruits. The seeds have some poisonous properties. Seeds and flowers are used in some medicinal preparation as diuretic and to
coagulate milk. Mostly the roots and leaves are used in ayurvedic medicine. Roots are dried and powdered.

3 comments:

  1. HahahHahHa! Mats apparently it is a potent aphrodediac used in India. We grew it en mass and a friend of mine is ALWAYS bugging me for seeds, lol. As you said, interesting plant.

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  2. That would be aphrodisiac. Dang spell wrecker!

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  3. Hi Allen!

    Talking about India. Do you know where I can get curry seeds? I mean the tree http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murraya_koenigii

    Hope you all are fine!
    Mats

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