Practical
Plants

Sesamum indicum

Sesame

an annual member of the Sesamum genus in the family Pedaliaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Sesamum
Life cycle
annual
Height
1 m
Spread
0.5 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - cooked[1][9][20][19][21]. Usually roasted or stewed, it can also be ground into a powder and used as a flour, added to breads, vegetables etc, used to make sweetmeats, or crushed and used as a butter or as 'tahini'[5][12][8][14]. It can also be fermented into 'tempeh', ground into a powder and mixed with a sweetener to make 'halva', or made into a paste and used as the spread 'tahini'[8][14]. The seeds can also be sprouted and used in salads[8]. The seed contains about 21.5% protein, 60.8% fat, 8.9% carbohydrate, 3.4% ash[7]. It is a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids, calcium and vitamins A, B and E[10][14]. The calcium is absorbed well by the body, making sesame an excellent dietary source[14]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed[9][19][21][22]. It is used for cooking or in margarines etc[5][8]. The oil is very stable and will keep for years without turning rancid[23][3][10]. Leaves - raw or cooked as a potherb or added to soups[2][3][8].

Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Oil
Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves and seed are astringent[6][10][17]. The leaves are rich in a gummy matter and when mixed with water they form a rich bland mucilage that is used in the treatment of infant cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, catarrh and bladder troubles[20][14]. The seed is diuretic, emollient, galactogogue, lenitive and tonic[13], and acts as a tonic for the liver and kidneys[14]. It is taken internally in the treatment of premature hair loss and greying, convalescence, chronic dry constipation, dental caries, osteoporosis, stiff joints, dry cough etc[14]. It has a marked ability to increase milk production in nursing mothers[16]. Externally it is used to treat haemorrhoids and ulcers[14][15]. The seed is very high in calories and so should be used with caution by people who are overweight[14]. The oil is laxative and also promotes menstruation[20]. It is used to treat dry constipation in the elderly[14]. Mixed with lime water, the oil is used externally to treat burns, boils and ulcers[14]. A decoction of the root is used in various traditions to treat asthma and coughs[16].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Emollient
Product or use
Galactogogue
Product or use
Lenitive
Product or use
Nutritive
Product or use
Skin
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seed contains up to 55% of a semi-drying oil[4]. Apart from being edible, it is also used in soap making, lighting, as a lubricant and a source of pharmaceutical drugs etc[12][21][23][14]. When added to the insecticide pyrethrum it acts as a synergist, a 10% content of oil doubling the potency of the pyrethrum[22][6]. The oil can also be used in barrier creams to protect the skin from harmful UV light radiation[10].

Product or use
Oil
Product or use
Weather protection

Environment

Range
Not known but possibly Africa.
Habitat
Not known in a truly wild situation.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 10+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out after the last expected frosts. Give them the protection of a cloche until they are growing away well[K]. In warm temperate zones, where frosts are very rare and light, or non-existent, the seed can be sown in situ in the spring or the autumn[14].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a well-drained porous soil and a warm sunny sheltered position[1][14]. Sesame has been cultivated for its edible seed for over 5,000 years and is still widely grown in tropical and warm temperate zones[14]. There are many named varieties[8]. The British climate is probably too cool in the summer to successfully grow this crop, though some people have reported success[11]. An early sowing in the greenhouse and some protection when first planting it out will help. Sesame grows well with sweet corn but it grows badly with sorghum[10].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Rosengarten. jnr. F. The Book of Edible Nuts. Walker & Co. 1984-00-00 ISBN 0802707699

    ↩1↩2

  4. Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth.

    ↩

  5. Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7

    ↩1↩2

  6. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

    ↩1↩2

  7. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

    ↩

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  9. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2

  10. Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  11. Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4

    ↩

  12. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2

  13. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩

  14. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11↩12↩13↩14↩15

  15. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  16. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2

  17. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  18. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

  19. Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press 1975-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  20. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  21. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  22. Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

    ↩1↩2

  23. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩1↩2

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