Herb: Casana


Latin name: Cyphomandra casana


Synonyms: Cyphomandra cajanumensis


Family: Solanaceae (Nightshade Family, Potato Family)



Edible parts of Casana:

Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet and juicy, the flavour is said to be like a blend of peach and tomato.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Height:
2 m
(6 1/2 foot)

Scent:
Scented
Tree

Habitat of the herb:

Edges of rainforests in highland regions.

Propagation of Casana:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates within 4 weeks at 15°C, within 2 weeks at 25°C. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of greenwood in a frame.

Cultivation of the herb:

Edges of rainforests in highland regions.

Medicinal use of Casana:

None known

Known hazards of Cyphomandra casana:

The unripe fruit is slightly toxic.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.