Fragrant telosma

Fragrant telosma
Telosma cordata
Asclepiadaceae
Common Names
Fragrant telosma, Tonkin creeper, Pakalana vine (En); parfum nocturne (Fr);
fragancia nocturna (Sp); hoa thiên lý (Vn); , (Cn)
Plant Distribution
Southeast, East and South Asia, Europe, North and South America
Botanical Features
Woody vine, 3-6 m tall; stems yellowish green, hairy to nearly hairless; leaves
opposite, blade ovate, 4-12 x 3-10 cm, base deeply cordate, with petioles 2-5 cm long;
cymes with 15-30 flowers and 0.5-1.5 cm peduncles; flowers very fragrant that yield
perfumed oil; sepals oblong-lanceolate; corolla yellowish green, tube 6-10 x 4-6 mm;
pods 10-15 cm long; seeds broadly ovate, ca 1 x 1 cm, flat, apex slanting, margin
membranous.
Leaves
246

Environmental Factors
Light requirement: full sun, partial sun; photoperiod: long-day; temperature
requirement: warm; preferred soil type: well-drained sandy loam; optimum soil pH:
6.1-7.5; tolerance: drought, infertile soil; sensitivity: flooding, cold.
Inflorescence (early stage)
Inflorescence (ready for harvesting)
247

Production Methods
System: as hedge in home gardens; planting material: cuttings; planting method:
direct planting of cuttings; irrigation: moderate; priority fertilizer: potassium,
st
organic matter; crop management: staking, trellis; planting to 1 harvest: 150-180
days; harvesting: daily pinching of inflorescences with 50% of flower buds ready to
open; yield: 15-25 t/ha.
Open flower
Field production
248

Edible Parts
Flower buds are consumed stir-fried or boiled.
Health Values
Beta-carotene: low in flower buds; vitamin E: medium; folic acid: medium; ascorbic
acid: high; calcium: low; iron: low; protein: 3.1%. Geraniol, beta-ionone, dihydrobeta-ionone,
dihydro-beta-ionol, and cis- and trans-theaspirane are the ingredients for
the characteristic scent of the flower. They are used in cooking and medicinally to
treat conjunctivitis (pinkeye).
Packing for marketing
249