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Corchorus olitorius
  • Jew's Mallow

an annual or perennial member of the Corchorus genus in the family Tiliaceae.

248px
Niche
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The ecosystem niches for this plant are unknown. Do you know them? Click the edit button to add them!
Functions
  • None
    None
    There are no functions defined for this plant. Do you know of some? Click the edit button to add them!
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • no shade
    No shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsmoderate
    Moderate
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral,alkaline,very alkaline
    Unknown
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Clay
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 10
    Zone 10
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Corchorus olitorius has 0 edible uses listed
Corchorus olitorius has 0 material uses listed
Corchorus olitorius has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Edible uses

Notes

Leaves - raw or cooked[1][2][3][4]. Young leaves are added to salads whilst older leaves are cooked as a pot-herb[5][6][7]. High in protein[6]. The dried leaves can be used as a thickener in soups[6].

A tea is made from the dried leaves[6].

Immature fruits are added to salads or used as a potherb[6].

Leaves

Unknown use

Seed

Unknown use

Unknown part

Tea

Material uses

A fibre is obtained from the stems, it is the main source of jute[3][4][8] but is considered to be inferior to the fibre obtained from C. capsularis[4]. The fibre is somewhat coarse and is used mainly for sackcloth etc[9]. The stems are harvested when the plant is in flower and are then retted (allowed to begin to rot) so that the fibre can be extracted[10]. This species tends to branch making fibre extraction more difficult[11]. Growing the plants very close together will prevent some of the branching. If used in making paper, the fibres are cooked for 2 hours with lye and then ball milled for 4½ hours. The paper is grey/buff[12]. Fibre yields run ca 800-1600 kg/ha with exceptional cases of 2400 in India, and genetic potential of 4000 kg/ha, the fibre representing ca 6% of the green weight[7]. Intercropped with Vigna, jute has yielded 3270 kg compared to 2290 monocropped[7]. The very light and soft wood is used in making sulphur matches[13].

Unknown part

Fibre
Wood

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

The leaves are demulcent, diuretic, febrifuge and tonic[14]. They are used in the treatment of chronic cystitis, gonorrhoea and dysuria[14]. A cold infusion is said to restore the appetite and strength[7].

The seeds are purgative[14].

Injections of olitoriside, an extract from the plant, markedly improve cardiac insufficiencies and have no cumulative attributes; hence, it can serve as a substitute for strophanthin[7].

Unknown part

Demulcent
Diuretic
Febrifuge
Tonic

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring, after the last expected frosts[8]. In areas with hot summers it should be possible to sow the seed in situ in mid spring.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Corchorus olitorius. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

Prefers a very fertile soil and a hot humid climate[15]. Tolerates very wet conditions according to one report[9] whilst another says that it does not tolerate waterlogged soils[15]. Jute is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation between 40 and 429m,an annual average temperature range of 16.8 to 27.5°C and a pH in the range of 4.5 to 8.2[7].

Jute is sometimes cultivated for the fibre in its stem and also for its edible leaves[6]. It makes an excellent spinach substitute in areas with hot summers[6]. This species is not hardy in Britain but it can be grown as a half-hardy annual here, though it grows much better in areas that are warmer than typical summers in this country[2]. Some reports say that this plant is an annual whilst one says that it is perennial. Since the plant is not hardy in Britain we can only grow it as an annual.

This species is very closely related to C. capsularis

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Corchorus olitorius. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Corchorus olitorius.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Corchorus olitorius
Genus
Corchorus
Family
Tiliaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Medicinal uses
[14][7]
Material uses & Functions
[3][4][8][9][10][11][12][7][13]
Botanic
[8][16]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
10
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
no shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
Environmental Tolerances
    Ecosystems
    Native Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Adapted Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Native Geographical Range
    None listed.
    Native Environment
    None listed.
    Ecosystem Niche
    None listed.
    Root Zone Tendancy
    None listed.
    Life
    Deciduous or Evergreen
    ?
    Herbaceous or Woody
    ?
    Life Cycle
    annual, perennial
    Growth Rate
    vigorous
    Mature Size
    3.5 x meters
    Fertility
    ?
    Pollinators
    Insects
    Flower Colour
    ?
    Flower Type
    hermaphrodite

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    "image:Corchorus olitorius L.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Corchorus olitorius L.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.


    "image:Corchorus olitorius L.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Corchorus olitorius L.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Corchorus olitorius L.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Corchorus olitorius L.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Corchorus olitorius L.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Corchorus olitorius L.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Corchorus olitorius L.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Corchorus olitorius L.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Corchorus olitorius L.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

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    References

    1. ? 1.01.1 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
    2. ? 2.02.12.2 Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8 ()
    3. ? 3.03.13.23.3 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (1959-00-00)
    4. ? 4.04.14.24.34.4 Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable ISBN 0094579202 (1974-00-00)
    5. ? 5.05.1 Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (1972-00-00)
    6. ? 6.06.16.26.36.46.56.66.7 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)
    7. ? 7.07.17.27.37.47.57.67.77.8 Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - (1983-00-00)
    8. ? 8.08.18.28.3 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
    9. ? 9.09.19.2 Schery. R. W. Plants for Man. ()
    10. ? 10.010.1 Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press (1952-00-00)
    11. ? 11.011.1 Chakravarty. H. L. The Plant Wealth of Iraq. ()
    12. ? 12.012.1 Bell. L. A. Plant Fibres for Papermaking. Liliaceae Press (1988-00-00)
    13. ? 13.013.1 Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press (1945-00-00)
    14. ? 14.014.114.214.3 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)
    15. ? 15.015.1 Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden. ()
    16. ? [Flora of China] (1994-00-00)

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    Facts about "Corchorus olitorius"RDF feed
    Article is incompleteYes +
    Article requires citationsNo +
    Article requires cleanupYes +
    Belongs to familyTiliaceae +
    Belongs to genusCorchorus +
    Has common nameJew's Mallow +
    Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
    Has edible partLeaves +, Seeds + and Unknown part +
    Has edible useUnknown use + and Tea +
    Has fertility typeInsects +
    Has flowers of typeHermaphrodite +
    Has growth rateVigorous +
    Has hardiness zone10 +
    Has imageCorchorus olitorius L.jpg +
    Has lifecycle typeAnnual + and Perennial +
    Has material partUnknown part +
    Has material useFibre + and Wood +
    Has mature height3.5 +
    Has medicinal partUnknown part +
    Has medicinal useDemulcent +, Diuretic +, Febrifuge + and Tonic +
    Has primary imageCorchorus olitorius L.jpg +
    Has search namecorchorus olitorius + and x +
    Has shade toleranceNo shade +
    Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral +, Alkaline + and Very alkaline +
    Has soil teclayture preferenceClay +
    Has soil teloamyture preferenceLoamy +
    Has soil tesandyture preferenceSandy +
    Has sun preferenceFull sun +
    Has taxonomy nameCorchorus olitorius +
    Has water requirementsmoderate +
    Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
    Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
    Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +