Lippia alba

COLIC MINT

 

Smell very good

                                                                               

 

Brisée, thé de Chine, thé d’Amérique, sauge du Brésil, marguerite, marguerite blanche, marguerite des jardins, twa tass, doté lanmérik, té dchin, twatas, mélis de calm, douvan tout,  vévenn blanc, colic mint, Guinea mint, cullen mint, teasam, salvia sija, juanilama, toronjil mulato, oregano de monte, Santa Maria, malojillo extranjero, poleo, toronjil, mastranto, lamerik, ti bouch, ti bush, chin, quintonine, té karib, twa tass, thé caraïbe, mélisse de calme, twa tas, matgrass, verveine anisée, Oaxaca lemon verbena, bushy lippia, bushy matgrass, hierba negra, pitiona, white flowering Lippia, hierba del negro, hierba buena, halfonbirlla, cidrilla, oregano de burro, salvia do Brasil, salve Colorado, te de Castilla, toronjil de Espana mirto, Juan slama, sonora, mastranto, te del pais, te de maceta, te del pan…

 

Family

 

VERBENACEAE

 

Origin

 

Central America and South America

 

Description

 

 

Sarmental aromatic and medicinal shrub, which can reach 2m, with grey-green leaves. The flowers are mauve or white grouped at the base of the leaves. Flowering all year round.

 

Habitat

 

Cultivated, dry wastelands

 

Culture and care
 

Full sun exposure. Supports all types of soils, except flood-prone areas. Endures periods of drought.

 

Regular cutting and manual weeding are recommended. Low watering.

 

Planting density: 27000 plants/ha. Space between plants: 90 x 40cm

 

Harvest takes place 3-4 months after planting (just before flowering)

Cut to 30cm from the ground. Air drying in the shade or oven 40°C for 8H, T°max 50°C

Ratio 1/4. 5 harvests per year. Yield 15t/ha.

 

Enemies:

- Cercosporiosis: Cut off infected parts

 

- Powdery mildew: Aeration at foliage level. Neem purin, fungus Ampelomyces quisqualis as curative. For prevention: Sulfur, 100 g/L of nettle roots in decoction 30 min, undiluted after each heavy rain. Or 1 spoon (5g) of bicarbonate + 1 spoon of black soap in 1L of water or neem oil as a precaution.

 

- Aphids: Basil (also causes carrot fly to flee), Capucine (edible flower, keeps aphids away from those who attack it), cive, parsley, lemon balm planted everywhere, mint, savory, lemon verbena

Or tansy infusion as a curative, bioshower or neem oil.

Ladybugs.

 

Propagation

 

 

The propagation is made by seeds or 20cm cuts, without leaves, 2-3 nodes under soil, or head cuuting.

 

USES

 

Medicinal use

 

For fatigue, flu and cold (Source : TRAMIL)

 

Parts used

 

Leaves

 

Directions for use

 

 

Against fatigue : Infusion of 30g of fresh leaves in 1L of boiling water. Cover the recipient, let stand for 5 minutes, filter and drink 1 cup 3-4 times a day (Source: TRAMIL).

 

Against the flu or cold: Decoction of 30g of fresh leaves or aerial parts in 1L of water, boil for 5min in a covered container, let cool, filter and drink 1 cup 3 times a day for 3 to 7 days (Source: TRAMIL).

  

Toxicity

 

None

 

Ornemental use

 

 

Cultivated for decoration, in hedges or in an isolated plant.

  

Alimentary use

 

 

Mainly in herbal tea or syrup.

 

Other uses

 

Essentiel oil

 

Etymology

 

 

Lippia in recognition of Augustin Lippi, XVII° century doctor and botanist. Mint because of the odor.

 

Anecdotes

 

 

Lippia alba is in the French pharmacopoeia.