Caribbean Leaf of Life in Bloom!

During my course in Herbalism, I was given one leaf of a Leaf of Life plant from Jamaica, which is a quasi-native of this region. The plant propagates by growing tiny miniatures of itself all along its leaf edges. So all you have to do is place a leaf in a protected area of your garden, right side up, sprinkle some dirt over it, and a few weeks later, you've got dozens of little ones! It's growing all over my garden now. Leaf of Life (Bryophyllum pinnatum) is a well known medicinal herb from the Caribbean islands; it was brought to the islands from Africa centuries ago.  It's used for respiratory conditions such as colds, bronchitis, and asthma, and for hypertension. It's mainly taken in tea form. I use it in teas and tinctures and it has been quite helpful for my family. Now it's in bloom, in January. Well, it's been a really weird winter....

Leaf of Life in Bloom, MRobb, 2016

The Leaf of Life

The Leaf of Life (Bryophyllum pinnatum, Crassulaceae) is native to Africa but is a popular medicinal plant in the Caribbean. I'm growing a bunch of them!

The tea made from the leaves is used for asthma and respiratory problems. Crushed leaves are bound to abscesses and swellings. What amazes me is how it propagates: from stem cuttings, no big deal, as above, but also, from leaves:

Toss a leaf to the ground, make sure it has a little sunshine and water, and plantlets grow from every notch in the leaf! In Hawai'i, this makes it an invasive species, but in other areas, it's a wonderful medicinal plant for your tropical garden.