Hyptis Suaveolens: How to grow and care for it?

Hyptis Suaveolens is a high, branching annual herb growing to 50 cm and 2 m. It is a magnificent plant that can be produced and managed, making it perfect for indoor and outdoor environments.

An annual herb called Hyptis Suaveolens grows in disturbed areas. It produces a lot of seeds, up to 3,000 seeds per square metre in dense infestations, quickly establishing persistent propagule banks. Then, because it can stick to fur and clothing, it disperses to untouched places where it can stay for a long time until the vegetation is cleaned.

Hyptis Suaveolens can grow into dense thickets that shade out and supplant native vegetation, especially in grazed or otherwise disturbed regions. However, it can also develop in riparian vegetation and on floodplains. Learn about Hyptis Suaveolens’ benefits, unique characteristics, and more as we explore how to grow it in your backyard.

 

Source: Wikimedia

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Common names

Hyptis Suaveolens is known by many different common names around the world. Some of the most popular ones include Pignut, Wild Spikenard, and Horehound. Others include Mintbush, Spikenard, Chan, and Stinking Roger.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Key facts

Eppo code	HYPSU
Family	Lamiaceae
Species	Hyptis Suaveolens (L.) Poit.
Description	It is a plant with a powerful aroma, a fully pubescent stem with four angles, simple, opposite, and oval-shaped leaves, and an axillary inflorescence containing loose clusters of tiny blue flowers. The fruit is a little black nutlet.
General habit	An aromatic annual plant, 0.5-2 m high, more or less branching, and completely covered in a red or grey pubescence.
Underground system	Tap root.
Stem	The 4-angled stem measures 2.5 cm thick. It has longitudinal ridges at the surface that indicate the location of a grooved segment. It typically has erect branches in its upper side part. It is covered in short, erect glandular and long, white hair.
Leaf	Simple, opposite, and decussate leaves are present. The well-marked petiole is 2-4 cm long. Oval at the base and elliptic at the top are the leaves. The blade measures 2-4 cm in length and 4-6 cm in width. It features an irregularly serrated edge, an obtuse or acute apex, and a rounded to slightly cordate base. Both sides have tiny glands and are covered in hair.
Fruit	The fruit is a black nut crushed and terminated at the top. It is 2 mm wide and 2.5 mm long. Its surface frequently has wrinkles.
Origin	Native of tropical America.
Local weediness	Benin: Scattered and sparse. Mali: Scattered and sparse. Nigeria: Scarce and sparse.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Biology and Ecology

Hyptis Suaveolens: Genetics

2n = 24, 28, 30, 23 is the chromosomal number for Hyptis Suaveolens.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Reproductive biology

Visitors who are out foraging can find nectar and pollen on the flowers of Hyptis Suaveolens. It is pollinated by insects, primarily bees but also occasionally butterflies. When the pollinators visit, anthers are released from the lower lip of the corolla, resulting in self- and cross-pollination. Hyptis Suaveolens can reproduce vegetatively and by seed. High levels of sources are produced.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Physiology and phenology

In Hyptis Suaveolens, vegetative growth can start from seeds or rootstocks. Change is quick, and flowering can begin at 2-3 months. Small nutlets include spined burrs that protect the roots. Although seeds can germinate in a wide range of temperatures (10–40°C), 25–30°C is the ideal range for growth. Because of the vast range of germination temperatures and the dimorphic seeds, germination takes place all year round.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Longevity

Hyptis Suaveolens is typically an annual species. But in the right circumstances, it might survive the winter and sustain new growth from the plant’s base as a transient perennial. However, until the right circumstances for germination are present, seeds can remain dormant in the soil for many years.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Activity patterns

Hyptis Suaveolens blooms from late summer until late winter. This species’ flowering investigations revealed that it is a short-day plant with a critical photoperiod of about 13 hours.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens:  Structure and size of the population

Hyptis Suaveolens grows in dense stands.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Soil tolerance

Although the dietary needs of Hyptis suaveolens have not been investigated, this species has grown well in soils that are clay-sandy in texture, somewhat acidic, and have significant aluminium availability. However, Hyptis Suaveolens is believed to do well on other types of soil, notably those suitable for growing maize, groundnuts, wheat, and millet.

Hyptis Suaveolens:  Air temperature requirements

Seeds of Hyptis Suaveolens can germinate in a wide range of temperatures, ranging between 10°C and 40°C. However, the optimum temperature for growth of this plant is 25°C-30°C.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Associations

The leaves and flowering bracts of Hyptis Suaveolens have evolved a camouflage similar in hue, veining, and shape to the green lynx spider. The Hyptis Suaveolens flowering cymes are occupied by this spider, which preys on the bee pollinators and reduces their frequency of pollination to half. In addition, it facilitates self- or cross-pollination and restricts natural fruiting and seeds. It’s also possible that the spider learned to mimic other creatures to defend itself from predators.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Environmental requirements

The complete germination of Hyptis Suaveolens is encouraged by prolonged illumination times and temperatures between 20 and 45°C. This species is not tolerant of standing water and is not very prone to drought. Light, dry soil is preferred by Hyptis Suaveolens.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Climate requirements  for growth

Climate	Status	Description
Af – Tropical rainforest climate	Preferred	> 60mm precipitation per month
Am – Tropical monsoon climate	Preferred	Tropical monsoon climate (driest month with less than 60mm of precipitation, but greater than 100 – [total annual precipitation(mm)/25])
As – Tropical savanna climate with dry summer	Preferred	The driest month (in the summer) has 60mm of precipitation, and (100 – [total annual precipitation mm/25])
Aw – Tropical wet and dry savanna climate	Preferred	The driest month (in winter) has 60mm of precipitation, and (100 – [total annual precipitation mm/25])
BW – Desert climate	Tolerated	< 430mm annual precipitation

Also read about plants that grow in water

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Characteristics

Weed potential	Yes
Habit	Shrub
Height	2.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation status	Cultivated, Wild

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Cultivation details

Hyptis Suaveolens is frequently an overgrown weed that can produce large, dense thickets. When the seeds are ready, birds often visit these thickets. It starts flowering at around 8 to 12 weeks of age and produces a ton of grain, which can be dispersed by water, animals, people, and farm equipment. Pollinating insects find the Hyptis Suaveolens blossoms to be particularly alluring. The plant has year-round flowering and seed production.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Environmental impact

Hyptis Suaveolens can take over both developed and natural pastures since it is inedible to livestock, especially when the fields are overgrazed. Therefore, this species has the potential to drastically lower area carrying capacity and productivity. Researchers looked into how Hyptis Suaveolens affected the native vegetation in the periurban ecosystems of Chandigarh, northwest India, and discovered that species numbers decreased by 46–52% in extensively invaded regions. 

Several economically significant species were absent from the infested areas but present in the unaffected ones. Hyptis Suaveolens has expanded widely in India’s Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary, displacing native ground plants and taking over the grazing grounds of wild animals. Hyptis Suaveolens could also lead to forest fires in the dry seasons.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Benefits

Hyptis Suaveolens has gained favour because of its fungicidal action, ability to restrict bacterial development, and also prevent the germination of weed seeds. 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Economic value

For small farmers, Hyptis Suaveolens has potential economic benefits. Both aqueous extracts and living examples of Hyptis Suaveolens have considerably lowered population densities of stemborers. This troublesome insect limits resource-poor farmers’ ability to produce maize in Southern Benin. Peasants use Hyptis Suaveolens in numerous Asian regions to keep rodents away from cattle. Bed Bugs can be repelled using the leaves of Hyptis Suaveolens.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Edible uses

When the seeds of Hyptis Suaveolens are soaked in water, they swell and develop a thick outer mucilaginous coat. These soaked seeds are mashed and stirred in water to form a delicious beverage, which serves an amazing refreshment. This beverage is sometimes flavoured with different fruit juices. In addition, the gelled seeds of Hyptis Suaveolens can also be used to prepare a pudding or gruel. The plant’s young shoot tips are often added to different foods as flavourings. Moreover, the aromatic leaves of Hyptis Suaveolens are used to prepare a refreshing mint-flavoured tea.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Medicinal Uses

Hyptis Suaveolens is used in Mexico to treat cataracts. Additionally, this species possesses antibacterial, antifungal, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Hyptis Suaveolens has developed into a valuable species outside of its native region, with uses akin to those found in the Neotropics. This species is used in Benin to treat STDs, jaundice, hyperthermia, haemorrhoids, breast abscess, oedemas, and perianal candidiasis with other medicinal herbs. In addition, Hyptis Suaveolens is used to cure cough, fever, and anemia in Nigeria.

See also: Senna Occidentalis: Traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments

Some of the uses for this species in Asia are given here: In several regions of the continent, leaves and stems of Hyptis Suaveolens are used to treat bruises, eczema, cuts, and other skin conditions. In the Philippines, leaves are taken internally as an antispasmodic and externally to cure rheumatism. Roots and leaves are used to treat rheumatism and kill insects, respectively. In Papua New Guinea, the internal usage of leaves is used to treat fever and catarrh.

Moreover, Hyptis Suaveolens is employed as a galactagogue in Indonesia. Chickens are protected from lice in Thailand by using pounded leaves and branches. On rare occasions, the entire plant is utilized as cattle feed. Potential monitoring of trace metals in soil from autos is one of its other uses.

Hyptis Suaveolens: Environmental benefits

It has been shown that the seeds of Hyptics Suaveolens act as an absorbent and may remove up to 64% of the arsenic in water in the form of arsenate. In addition, it has been demonstrated that seeds prepared with boiling water with a low pH can be used for large-scale water treatment systems.

 

Hyptis Suaveolens: Natural enemies

A type of Katydid bush cricket, which resembles the leaves of Hyptis Suaveolens, eats the floral parts of the plant, affecting its reproductive ability. Another insect that feeds on Hyptis Suaveolens is the raspberry pyrausta moth.

 

Bottom line

Hyptis Suaveolens is a medicinal plant with enormous exploitation and utilization value and is used extensively worldwide. The plant is frequently gathered from the wild for local use and has a variety of culinary and therapeutic purposes. Hyptis Suaveolens extracts were also used as a memory aid to treat swellings, abscesses, and haemorrhoids. The plant Hyptis suaveolens is perfect for growing in your backyard or garden. It also offers a variety of health advantages. You can improve your garden’s outside appeal by buying Hyptis Suaveolens seeds from the nursery.

 

FAQs

Is Hyptis Suaveolens invasive?

Hyptis Suaveolens is an exotic, invasive plant found in many countries (Lamiaceae).

What is the common name for Hyptis Suaveolens?

Horehound, Wild Spikenard, and Pignut

What does Hyptis Suaveolens' Weed type look like?

Broadleaf

What is Hyptis Suaveolens Inflorescence?

Small, loose racemes with 2 to 5 blooms on short stalks that is auxiliary. Calyx has tight, sharp, campanulas-shaped ends with five approximately equal teeth and is 4 to 6 mm in size. Ten ribs distinguish its glandular and pubescent surface. After flowering, it keeps growing and can reach a length of 11 mm. Blue corolla slightly outgrows the calyx tube. The lower lip middle lobe is 8 mm long and separated into three halves. In addition, the top third of the corolla tube contains the four stamens inserted there. Finally, there are four lobes on the ovary. It dresses in a way with a short blobbed stigma at the end.

What is the primary use of Hyptics Suaveolens?

In many regions of the world, the traditional population uses Hyptis Suaveolens to treat inflammation, gastric ulcers, and infections. It is also used as a crude medication to treat symptoms of gastritis or peptic ulcers.