VLoveof Nature

Katuk

Breynia androgyna

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Katuk · Breynia androgyna

A lush green leafy bush for soup, though it should be eaten only in sensible amounts.

Care and placement

Likes part shade or filtered light (sun if soil stays moist), nitrogen-rich evenly moist soil, kept to 1–2 m; pick young tips; it MUST be cooked, never juiced raw.

Draft mature dimensions

Maximum height (cm): 150 cm · Maximum spread (cm): 80 cm

Things to consider

Eating very large amounts of raw leaves or drinking raw juice has been reported to cause bronchiolitis obliterans (serious, often irreversible; suspected papaverine) — recorded cases involved weight-loss juicing of over 100 g/day for months. Eat katuk only well cooked as part of a varied diet; never as a raw smoothie green or concentrated raw juice.

Unknown evidence does not mean safe. Decorative plants are not automatically edible.

Information is compiled from multiple reputable sources for reference. If you spot an error, please contact us so we can check and update it.

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How to grow and care for it

  1. Planting and pot

    Plant in part shade or filtered light in humus-rich, nitrogen-rich soil (generous well-rotted manure) and water deeply after planting. Acclimate over 5–7 days before full sun.

  2. Light

    Part shade; in very hot places light shade is preferred and full sun is tolerated if the soil stays moist.

  3. Watering

    Keep soil consistently moist at moderate to high water but never long-term waterlogged; tolerates short shallow flooding.

  4. Feeding

    A heavy feeder needing nitrogen-rich soil: regular well-rotted manure or organic fertilizer (commercial growers in Southeast Asia apply manure generously).

  5. Pruning

    Keep to about 1–2 m since tall plants bend under their weight; harvest young shoots and the top 10–20 cm (snap where the stem turns from tender to woody) to stay bushy and not leggy; prune hard after flowering if needed.

  6. Propagation

    Stem cuttings 20–50 cm long from healthy plants at least 1–2 m tall; or transplant suckers from the shallow roots; or seed.

  7. Pests and common problems

    (The sources checked name no specific pests.) It may lose leaves or die back in harsh cold; root rot with prolonged waterlogging.

  8. For a bigger harvest

    For plentiful shoots: nitrogen-rich moist soil, light shade, regular tip harvest, a low plant and periodic organic feeding. Always cook before eating.