I have been researching the health benefits of various plants and herbs and most times I hit a wall because even as most of these plants are available in Nigeria, we don't know their names in our local parlance. For instance I never knew the wonderful Neem tree is our popular Dongoyaro tree. This thread is for people to contribute their ideas on various plants in our local parlance.

Below are some ideas personally know
Basil plant is known as Nchanwu(hope I spelt that right)in Igbo and Effirin in Yoruba
Henna plant is the famous Lali used mostly by northernmost for body art
Hibiscus plant is what we call here as Zobo
tamarind is called tsamia here
Tumeric is ata Ile pupa in Yoruba
Cayenne is Bawa
Chilli is Shombo in Yoruba
Black pepper is iyere in Yoruba, Oziza in igbo
Thorny pigweed/prickly amaranth is tete eleegun in yoruba

Pls post yours. Note that the plant must be indigenous to Nigeria

you should post pictures as well.

cassia

What is Common Amarnath known in Nigera? While researching on health benefits of Amaranth, I found that it is known by efo tete or arowo jeja. Can someone correct?

What is the Yoruba name for "Dandellion" Root or leaves?

Net4Biz: What is the Yoruba name for "Dandellion" Root or leaves?

Dandellion is YANRIN IN YORUBA
Any one knows what dong quai is

Pls what is the local name of Africa lavender

Please does anyone know the botanical/scientific name for Ijamo?

Pls what's the yoruba name for cayenne pepper

esperiense:
Pls what's the yoruba name for cayenne pepper

cayenne pepper is ATA SHOMBO IN YORUBA

very educative thread

what of Cinnamon?

clove is Kanafuru in yoruba

what is local name for Mint,horse nut,parsley and milk thistle?

what is eucalyptus?

Miracle Fruit or Miracle Berry, is know in Yoruba as "Agbayun-kun". It is native to west Africa but is exploited commercially mostly in The Americas and the Far East, with seed stock or cuttings obtained originally from Africa, then selectively bred over decades for desirable traits.

The "miracle" of this fruit is that it contains unique compounds that "deceive" our taste buds to perceive virtually ALL foods as tasting VERY sweet, for up to 30 minutes after a Miracle Fruit has been eaten. These fruits have enormous potential for use by people who are under medical advice to reduce or remove sugar from their diets. Simply eating a miracle fruit just before a meal imparts the illusion of sweet taste to our taste buds, even when NO sugar is added to breakfast cereals, beverages, and indeed any dish or drink to which sugar is generally added for taste.

http://miraclefruitfarm.com/

http://www.miraclefruit.ca/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synsepalum_dulcificum


Note that this picture is magnified. The true size of the miracle fruit is about the size of your smallest finger-tip. This tree is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to germinate and grow from seed, and only slightly less challenging to propagate with cuttings. Who ever in Nigeria first unlocks the key to mass planting miracle fruit shrubs for the export market will without question retire rich at a young age.

Yea I remember when my aunt used to have a farm, then I was very liitle , she gave me some of the fruit and men was it good to the tougue (I wasn't a sugar sugar kind of chick still not though lol) right now av been looking for it but couldn't find it as I don't know the name or where its sold in lagos

Very lovely nut or should I say friut. Lol

Moringa leaves rank among the most nutritionally rich plant material in living existence on the planet. This unique powerhouse of nature is only now gaining popularity throughout Nigeria, but has been planted and eaten in the north of Nigeria for generations, where the Moringa plant is known as ZOGALA. After harvest and washing, moringa leaves are dried thoroughly, in preparation for grinding and filtration into a fine green powder that stores for up to 6 months without refrigeration.

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS: By weight, Moringa Powder contains more Vitamin A than carrots, more Calcium than milk, more Iron than spinach, more Vitamin C than oranges, more Potassium than bananas, and comparable Protein to milk and eggs. Moringa powder stores at room temperature, without a need for refrigeration, for up to 6 moths with no reduction in efficacy.

HEALTH BOOSTING EFFECTS: Stronger Bones for old and young. Lactation Enhancer, for nursing mothers. Greater Energy and Endurance, Improved Memory, Revitalized Libido, More Restful Sleep, Improved Vision, Enhanced Thought Clarity, Sense of Smell, Digestion and Resistance to Infection.

MEDICAL BENEFITS: Moringa Powder improves the health of patients suffering from Hypertension, Fever, Prostate Enlargement, Diabetes, Headache, Rheumatism, Back Pain, Ulcers, External Sores, Bacterial Infections, Urinary Tract Infection, Dysentery, Bronchitis, Colitis, Gastritis, Catarrh, Malnourishment, Lethargy, Tumors and Vitamin Deficiency. For thousands of years, Moringa has cured and nourished generations of humankind throughout tropical Asia, Africa, and South America.

World-Wide , Moringa is known as the “MIRACLE TREE”, for its Healing and Nutritional Properties

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_oleifera

http://moringablog./

http://www.moringatreeoflife.com/

http://www.treesforlife.org/our-work/our-initiatives/moringa

This plant is only known to me by its Yoruba name, which is ASUWON-OYINBO, and by its name in the Efik language of Nigeria's Cross River State, where it is known as ARUWANA-SI. I would be grateful if anyone who is familiar with its botanical name could be so kind as to mention it here.

This plant's leaves have very strong anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, such that skin afflictions like ringworm and various rashes can be cured quickly by obtaining the juice of the ground-up and crushed fresh leaves, and applying it directly to the skin for a truly fast-acting remedy.

Equally significant is the fact that the leaves of this plant, when boiled in water to make a tea, are highly effective as a mild laxative which carries none of the unpleasant side-effects of pharmaceutical laxatives. For the elderly who may suffer from slow digestion leading to constipation, drinking a tea made with just 2 leaves from this unique plant will, in the space of about 3 hours, enable the patient to void their bowels and thereby see all associated discomfort vanish. It is recommended that this tea be used NO MORE THAN once every 3 months, so as to preserve the microbial balance in the intestine.

This plant can be found in forests and also along the edge of swamps and rivers in much of West Africa. It is not cultivated on a commercial scale, to the best of my knowledge, but, it holds ENORMOUS potential as an ingredient for improved pharmaceutical remedies.

what is yoruab name 4 chickweed

Alima2:
what is yoruab name 4 chickweed

Chick weed ? Ha ha ha ok let me guess that such a kind of weed would be called IGBO ara'BIRIN in the Yoruba language.

PapiWata:


Chick weed ? Ha ha ha ok let me guess that such a kind of weed would be called[b] IGBO ara'BIRIN[/b] in the Yoruba language.

meaning?

Alima2:


meaning?

Meaning I haven't the foggiest idea what "chick weed" is, if such a thing indeed exists, and that I find it odd to see such an obscure plant with zero nutritional or medicinal value meriting interest in the first place.

Pls which flower/leave is Africa Lavender

Anybody knows the igbo or ibibio name for Cinnamon?

How does one take moringa leave?

cartquin:
How does one take moringa leave?

Moringa leaves can be eaten fresh off the tree, if you have an area where you can grow your own Moringa tree, or, the green powder made from dried, ground and filtered Moringa leaves can be bought readily all over the world, and added at the rate of one table-spoon per meal, AFTER the cooking process has been completed and the food is ready to serve.

Fresh Moringa leaves will lose most of their nutritional value if they are cooked like normal vegetable dishes, therefore it is recommended that fresh or powdered leaves be added to meals that have already been cooked, so that the Moringa is not subjected to excessive heat before being consumed.

Moringa trees grow from cut sections of stem BETTER than they do from seed, however, the cut stem section measuring a foot or two long MUST be placed flat on the ground, with both cut ends covered in earth, for it to sprout leaves. After planting the cuttings, they will need to be watered regularly to prevent them drying out as the new shoots and roots form. Once your Moringa tree starts to grow, it is recommended that you periodically cut it short, in order that it produces healthier leaves close to the ground for easy harvest.

When converting it to powder, it should not be dried in the sun because it will lose its medicinal values. It should be dried inside the room before pounding into powder..

Daninya11:
When converting it to powder, it should not be dried in the sun because it will lose its medicinal values. It should be dried inside the room before pounding into powder..

You have made a good point about the drying process Danin, but, indoor drying is only possible in the dry desert climate of northern Nigeria, or, during the dry season in other parts of the country where the average year-round humidity is much higher than it is in the north of the country.

For any Moringa growers living in a humid climate, such as is the case in most of southern Nigeria during the rainy season, indoor drying must be avoided because poisonous white MOLD frequently forms on the leaves before they are properly dried, thus making them unsafe for consumption.

To rapidly dry Moringa leaves in a humid climate, it is best to dry them directly in the sun, only taking the harvest indoors during the night and early morning hours. The amount of nutrient lost by drying Moringa leaves in the sun is minimal to insignificant, especially when compared to the potential damage and total harvest loss that can result from the formation of MOLD on Moringa leaves placed indoors to dry. Three successive days of bright outdoor tropical sun will dry Moringa leaves sufficiently for them to be ground to powder in preparation for storage lasting up to 6 months with no refrigeration needed.

I hope this thread does not end. Very informative. I wish we will get people who are grounded in these things educate us more.

PapiWata:


You have made a good point about the drying process Danin, but, indoor drying is only possible in the dry desert climate of northern Nigeria, or, during the dry season in other parts of the country where the average year-round humidity is much higher than it is in the north of the country.

For any Moringa growers living in a humid climate, such as is the case in most of southern Nigeria during the rainy season, indoor drying must be avoided because poisonous white MOLD frequently forms on the leaves before they are properly dried, thus making them unsafe for consumption.

To rapidly dry Moringa leaves in a humid climate, it is best to dry them directly in the sun, only taking the harvest indoors during the night and early morning hours. The amount of nutrient lost by drying Moringa leaves in the sun is minimal to insignificant, especially when compared to the potential damage and total harvest loss that can result from the formation of MOLD on Moringa leaves placed indoors to dry. Three successive days of bright outdoor tropical sun will dry Moringa leaves sufficiently for them to be ground to powder in preparation for storage lasting up to 6 months with no refrigeration needed.

you ryt sir,i actuallly live in the north..tnx for sharing...