Family: Acanthaceae
Common name: Willow-leaved justicia, Warer Willow, Daun Rusa, Kasanah, Gardarusa, Ganda Rusa, Asian Water-willow, Karunochi, Vathakodi, Vatham kolli
Willow-leaved Justicia is a tropical shrub native to India, used for many herbal and Ayurvedic medicinal preparations. They are usually seen in the wild, near forests or woodlands, and are also cultivated for medicine.
Plant Characteristics
Willow-leaved Justicia is a very common-looking, unassuming plant that grows to a height of 1-1.5 meters with erect, well-branched stems.
The stem is brown and woody at the base, and deep purple towards the tips. It is smooth in texture and heavily branched, making the plant bushy and compact.
Leaves of the Willow-leaved Justicia are elongated and lance-shaped, with a pointy tip, resembling the leaves of the Willow tree, thus giving the plant its name. They are 8-12 cm long and 2-4 cm wide, long and slender.
These leaves are smooth in texture and dark green, but some species also have a purple tint to the leaves. Petioles, or the stems that connect the leaves to the plant, are very short and almost look non-existent.
Flowers of the Willow-leaved Justicia are typically white in color with a pink or purple marking on the petals. They grow on elongated spikes that are seen at the tip of the stem. Each individual flower is about 1 cm long, and the spikes are 15-20 cm long, each carrying over 20 flowers.
Willow-leaved Justicia flowers are tubular with two lips, the lower lip being wider and curved outwards like those of their more popular relative Justicia adhatoda or Aadalodakam, another very popular medicinal plant in Ayurveda.
Flowers of the Willow-leaved Justicia attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators into the garden during their blooming time in summer.
These plants also produce elongated, cylindrical capsules that are 2-3 cm long. They are initially green in color, maturing into a brown capsule that splits open to release the seeds. Seeds are small, dark, and round with a smooth texture.
Gardening Tips
Though they are not popular garden plants, they are very valuable because of their medicinal uses. Willow-leaved Justicia plants need good sunlight, but they can also grow in partial or filtered sunlight under large canopies.
The soil should be well-drained and fertile, though these plants can grow in a variety of soil types.
Watering is needed during summer months, and also when the plants are small. Once the plants are established in the soil, they can pretty much take care of themselves.
Pruning can be done to keep the plant bushy and compact and also to remove spent flowerheads.
Fertilize once in 2-3 months with animal manure, vermicompost, or organic fertilizers. These plants are susceptible to aphids and mealy bug infestations, especially when grown in home gardens. These can be resolved by spraying neem oil or organic pesticides.
Willow-leaved Justicia are closely related to other plants like Justicia adhatoda or Aadalodakam, Justicia carnea or Brazilian plume, Justicia brandegeeana or Shrimp plant
Uses of Willow-leaved Justicia
These plants are well-known in traditional herbal medicine and Ayurveda for their medicinal uses. Willow-leaved Justicia plants are also called ‘Vathamkolli’ or ‘Rheumatoid arthritis killer. ‘ Most parts of the plant like roots, leaves, and stems possess medicinal properties.
Roots of Willow-leaved Justicia are used to treat fever, cough, diarrhea, jaundice, and rheumatism. Extracts from the leaf are used to treat a range of conditions like headache, fever, inflammation, cough, ear pain, asthma, malaria, cuts, wounds, arthritis, facial paralysis, fungal infections, and so on.
Remember that these are always prepared and used under expert guidance. So you should not self-medicate or consume any part of this plant without professional advice.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds and stem cuttings.
Seeds harvested from mature fruits can be sown in moist, well-drained soil to germinate in 10-14 days. 10-15 cm stem cuttings taken from healthy plants can root well in soil.
Photographed at: KAAV Safari Lodge, Kabini
