Kapikacchu (Cowhage, Kavach)
Mucuna pruriens
Family: Papillionaceae
Annual climbing vine. Native to the tropics of E. India and S.
America. Fuzzy leaved, making pendulous, purple flowers giving way
to 5-inch pods. The dried seeds are powdered and taken internally
as an aphrodisiac. They are also a time-tested nervine, and have
been used to treat Parkinson’s disease. The pods are covered with
irritant hairs and must be handled with caution. Cultivation:
Easy. Sow seed 1/2 inch deep and keep warm and moist. Start
early and transplant after frost. Space 2 feet apart. Provide
trellis. Ours grew over 20 feet tall in the 2001 garden.
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