Everything You Need to Know About Five-Leaved Chaste Tree — Care, Propagation & More
Your complete Filipino gardener’s guide to growing, caring for, and harvesting Lagundi — from seed to table.
What Can You Eat?
Discover the edible parts and how Filipinos enjoy this plant in everyday cooking.
Leaves are NOT typically eaten as food — instead, they're boiled into a decoction (tea) for cough, asthma, and fever. DOH-approved as an herbal medicine. Leaves can also be used as poultice for skin issues.
Lagundi is the Philippines' most famous DOH-approved herbal medicine — formulated into syrups and tablets sold in pharmacies (e.g., Ascof Lagundi). Boiled lagundi tea is a household remedy for cough, asthma, and fever. Most Filipino lolas have a lagundi shrub in the backyard. The Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) endorses it.
Germination Guide
From seed to sprout — here’s what to expect and how to get started.
Planting Instructions
Everything you need to prepare — soil, spacing, depth, and the best Philippine planting months.
Propagation Methods
Learn the best ways to multiply your plants — from seeds to cuttings.
Care Guide
Keep your plant happy and thriving with the right light, water, and nutrients.
Full sun to partial shade
Drought-tolerant once established; water weekly during dry season
Light feeder; compost once or twice a year is sufficient
20-32°C
50-80%
Prune annually to keep shape and encourage bushy growth.
Harvest Guide
Know when and how to harvest for the best yield and flavor.
Mature, dark green leaves with strong aromatic smell.
Cut healthy leafy branches; use fresh or dry in shade for tea storage.
Common Problems & Solutions
Spot issues early and fix them fast.
Few aromatic compounds in leaves
Cause: Too much shade or excessive watering
Solution: Move to sunnier spot; reduce watering — stress encourages oil production.
Leaf-eating caterpillars
Cause: Lepidopteran larvae
Solution: Hand-pick; spray Bt or neem oil if heavy.
Slow growth
Cause: Poor drainage or compacted soil
Solution: Improve soil with compost; loosen around root zone.
Wilting in dry season
Cause: Underwatering
Solution: Deep water once a week; mulch heavily to conserve moisture.
Perfect Plant Partners
Plants that grow well together.
