Perandai (Cissus quadrangularis) – Herb garden

Perandai (Cissus quadrangularis) is a perennial herb, evergreen
Climber plant. It reaches a height of 1.5 m and has quadrangular-sectioned branches with internodes 8 to 10 cm long and
1.2 to 1.5 cm wide. Along each angle is a leathery edge. Toothed tri-lobe leaves 2 – 5 cm wide appear at the nodes. Each has
a tendril emerging from the opposite side of the node. The
blossoms are small, white, yellowish, or greenish 2-3 mm long.
The berries are red when ripe and contain one or two seeds.

Scientific Name: Cissus quadrangularis
Synonyms: Cissus bifida, Cissus edulis, Cissus fischeri, Cissus quadrangula, Cissus succulenta, Cissus tetragona, Cissus tetraptera, Vitis quadrangularis, Vitis succulenta.
Common Names: Veldt Grape, Devil’s Backbone and patah tulang (Malay), Assamese: harjora, Bengali: harbhanga, harjora, Hindi: hadjod, hadjora, jangli-angoor, Kannada: asthi samhaara, mangaravalli, Malayalam: cannalamparanta, Marathi: chaudhari, harsankar, kandavela, Oriya: hadasinkuda, Sanskrit: asthisamhari, asthisamharaka, Tamil: perandai, Telugu: gudametige, kokkitaya-ralu.

 

 

 

How to grow and maintain Perandai (Cissus quadrangularis):

Light:
It thrives best in full sun to partial shade.

Soil:
It grows well in a well-drained, potting mix soil.

Water:
Water well during the growing season and always keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. You can allow the top 1 inch of soil to dry out between each watering. During the winter months, reduce watering.

Humidity:
Preferably 50% or higher although they will tolerate lower levels without any harm.

Temperature:
It grows best in indoor temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize during the growing season with a weak liquid fertilizer, reducing fertilizer during the winter months but not enough to completely stop growth.

Pruning:
Prune for size control early in the growing season, remove only what is necessary, leaving some unpruned stems to remain for a
natural vine shape.

Propagation:
It can be easily propagated by seed or by leaf-tip cuttings in late spring to summer. Take cuttings with two to three leaf nodes below the terminal growth bud. Use a rooting hormone to increase chances of success, and put the cutting in a small pot with seedling starting soil. Keep the cutting moist and warm until new growth emerges.

Pests and Diseases:
There is no serious pest or disease problems. They are susceptible to scale insects, spider mites, and mealybugs.

Medicinal Uses of Perandai (Cissus quadrangularis):

• Cissus quadrangularis is used for obesity, diabetes, a cluster
  of heart disease risk factors called metabolic syndrome, and
  high cholesterol.
• The stem and leaf of the plant is ground and the extracted juice along with an equal quantity of honey is given in a dose of 15-30 ml for irregular menstruation.
• The stem of the plant is used to bandage the part of the body subjected to fracture or any bone injury.
• One of the unique advantages of Perandai is its ability to
  lower blood sugar levels in the body. This is done by
  regulating the release of blood sugar from the nutritional
  intake and ensuring that glucose and insulin levels remain
  ideal in the blood.
• The dried root powder can be given in a dose of 1-3 gm and this
  can also be applied externally after mixing with hot water for
  bone fracture.
• Edible Use: The leaves and young shoots are utilized in the
  preparation of poppadoms and curries.