Everything You Need to Know About Blumea Camphor — Care, Propagation & More
Your complete Filipino gardener’s guide to growing, caring for, and harvesting Sambong — from seed to table.
What Can You Eat?
Discover the edible parts and how Filipinos enjoy this plant in everyday cooking.
DOH-approved herbal medicine — used as diuretic for kidney stones and hypertension. Leaves boiled and drunk as tea. Commercially sold as Sambong tablets in pharmacies.
Sambong is one of the Philippines' top 10 DOH-approved medicinal plants. PITAHC endorses it. Sambong tablets (Releaf, Re-Leaf Forte) are sold in Mercury Drug. A common backyard medicinal shrub in provinces.
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; water weekly during dry season
Light feeder; compost annually
20-32°C
50-90%
Prune annually to maintain shape.
Harvest Guide
Know when and how to harvest for the best yield and flavor.
Mature dark green camphor-scented leaves.
Cut healthy branches; air-dry leaves for tea storage.
Common Problems & Solutions
Spot issues early and fix them fast.
Leaf-eating caterpillars
Cause: Lepidopteran larvae
Solution: Hand-pick; spray Bt.
Slow growth
Cause: Compacted or wet soil
Solution: Improve drainage; loosen soil.
Wilting in dry season
Cause: Underwatering
Solution: Deep water once a week.
Few aromatic compounds
Cause: Too much shade
Solution: Move to sunnier spot.
Perfect Plant Partners
Plants that grow well together.
