Milkwort – 5 Seeds

Milkwort (Xysmalobium undulatum) is widely used in traditional medicine and sold internationally under the name Uzara. It can be found from Kenya all the way down to South Africa. It is a robust erect perennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall. Stems hairy with milky sap. Leaves are opposite and the spherical clusters of flowers are creamy-green to yellowish, often tinged purple-brown. The flowers make way for bright green, puffy seed pods.

Common Names: milk bush, milkwort, uzura, wild cotton, wave-leaved xysmalobium (Eng.); bitterhout, bitterwortel, bitterhoutwortel, melkbos (Afr.); leshokoa, poho-tehla (Southern Sotho); iyeza elimhlophe, nwachaba, iShongwane (Xhosa); iShongwane, iShongwe, iShinga (Zulu)

Milkwort Medicinal Benefits:

• The powdered root is used to treat wounds and abscesses.In traditional medicine it is also used to treat headaches.
• Dry powdered root and extracts of the root are apparently an excellent remedy for painful menstrual cramps and have an antispasmodic action.
• The root has been widely used for treating indigestion and malaria and other fever, including typhoid.

Growing Milkwort:

Indoor Sowing: Not Recommended.

Direct Sowing: Summer.

• Sow the seed in a well-drained sandy medium.
• Seeds germinate easily and grow well in well-drained soil with optimum germination when sown ±1 cm deep.
• Tolerates a wide range of soils including clay.
• Use extreme care when transplanting as its roots are sensitive.
• Can be grown in containers.
• Plants are relatively quick-growing, but may only flower after a number of years.
• Need full sun and plenty of water.
• Dying back to the ground with the first frost, the plant will re-emerge again in Spring with multiple erect tall stalks.