Bala, Country Mallow Seeds (Sida cordifolia)

Bala, Country Mallow Seeds (Sida cordifolia)

Price for Package of 10 seeds.

Wikipedia: Sida cordifolia (bala, country mallow, heart-leaf sida or flannel weed) is a perennial subshrub of the mallow family Malvaceae native to India. It has naturalized throughout the world and is considered an invasive weed in Africa, Australia, the southern United States, Hawaiian Islands, New Guinea, and French Polynesia. The specific name, cordifolia, refers to the heart-shaped leaf.

S. cordifolia is an erect perennial that reaches 50 to 200 cm (20 to 79 in) tall, with the entire plant covered with soft white felt-like hair that is responsible for one of its common names, "flannel weed". The stems are yellow-green, hairy, long, and slender. The yellow-green leaves are oblong-ovate, covered with hairs, and 3.5 to 7.5 cm (1.4 to 3.0 in) long by 2.5 to 6 cm (0.98 to 2.36 in) wide. The flowers are dark yellow, sometimes with a darker orange center, with a hairy 5-lobed calyx and 5-lobed corolla.

As a weed, it invades cultivated and overgrazed fields, competing with more desired species and contaminating hay.

Medicinal use

S. cordifolia is used in Ayurvedic medicine (Sanskrit:-BALA).

Known as "malva branca", it is a plant used in Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of inflammation of the oral mucosa, blenorrhea, asthmatic bronchitis and nasal congestion, stomatitis, of asthma and nasal congestion[8] and in many parts of Africa for various ailments, particularly for respiratory problems. It has been investigated as an anti-inflammatory, for preventing cell proliferation, and for encouraging liver re-growth. Due to its ephedrine content, it possesses psychostimulant properties, affecting the central nervous system and also the heart.

Phytochemistry

The following alkaloids were reported from S. cordifolia growing in India:[18] β-phenethylamine, ephedrine, pseudo-ephedrine, S-(+)-Nb-methyltryptophan methyl ester, hypaphorine, vasicinone, vasicinol, choline, and betaine.

Woody subshrub, perennial in the drylands of India, grown in temperate climates as an annual or overwintered indoors in pots.  Native to the main topics on earth.   This yellow-flowered, pubescent, and many-branched plant contains ephedrine.  Use with caution. Seeds employed in Ayurvedic practice as a cardiac stimulant.  The plant prefers full sun, a warm exposure, and fast-draining soil.  Scarify seed vigorously by rubbing on medium grit sandpaper and sow in fast-draining soil in warm conditions and water moderately.  Germination in 10 to 30 days, spotty germination that demonstrates ongoing germination for weeks.  Space plants 2 feet apart, or individuate into larger pots.  Excellent in potted culture, where it makes a spreading bush with glossy stems, soft leaves and bright yellow flowers giving way to the seed laden pods.  Grows to 2 feet tall.