Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Ulam Raja, second generation in Pasir Gudang Johor.

The old Ulam Raja had gone. The second generation is ready to offer us healthy and fresh ulam raja as salad.  Ulam Raja also known as Cosmos caudatus  is said to have beneficial properties;
  • improve blood circulation
  • lower uric acid
  • reduce body "heat"
  • and a good source of fibre 


self seeding
I didn't count, but there could be thousands of young seedlings. Not all will survive to maturity in such tight space, so we can imagine the healthiest will survive.  However we can also view  in a different perspective, some simply surrender and die allowing the better ones to prolong their legacy.
One Ulam Raja would need at least a foot square to grow to maturity.

seedlings all over the place
close up:  so many little seedlings

self seeding
the stump of old ulam raja, the first generation  here and seedlings

human intervention
The moment I saw seedlings appeared around the old ulam raja, I scooped a few and  transplanted at the far end of our garden.  As ground cover, to protect the young seedlings, I placed palm leaves which had been cut into smaller pieces. That was about one month ago.  The seedlings had grown to about a foot and a half, healthy looking without excessive competition as in the cluster of self seeds.

New batch of Ulam Raja, second generation here.

A simple plant that will grow and self seed at will, therefore we should not worry about germinating them.



........... b a n g c h i k      a n d      k a k d a h ..........
j o h o r

10 comments:

  1. Saya pernah tenguk orang meracun anak-anak ulam raja yang tumbuh meliar merata-rata. Rasa kesian dan sayang sangat.

    Aida.

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    1. Aida..... Kalau dah banyak sangat, memang macam tu lah jadinya. Ada orang cabut, ada racun. Lagipun kalau banyak sangat, hanya beberapa akan besar hingga matang, kebanyakannya akan mati kering awal...., sebab terhimpit, berebut udara, cahaya, air, baja dan ruang untuk akar bergerak.

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  2. I wonder whether the little plants of the ulam raja can be eaten.
    Again - how about other species of cosmos - can they be considered as salad too?

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    Replies
    1. James...., It's alright to eat the little ulam raja. However I dare not suggest eating other species of cosmos.

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  3. Cantik....I have problem with these plants...tak pernah menjadi lah biji2 yg saya tabur merata2...

    Maybe I should semai dlm pasu kot?

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    1. UmmiRosma..... Saya perhatikan ulam raja dan juga lain-lain benih galak bercambah ketika tanah lembab, specially after a day or two of good rainfall. Semai dalam pasu lebih baik, selalunya menjadi.

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  4. ulam raja memang sedap,cicah dengan budu...hehe

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  5. semestinya!... kadang2 bedal begitu je.

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  6. Never tasted Ulam Raja before! Do they taste like sawi? The plant look like marigold to me! ;)

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    Replies
    1. Ulam raja is indeed marigold look alike. But the taste is almost like mango!... you better try.

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