What plant is this?

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StroppyChops
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What plant is this?

Post by StroppyChops »

Could somebody with a good knowledge of local plants (or partner with same) identify this plant please?
Image
Various sites (including the link site) list it as neem, but this is a small low growing bush (you can see the root stems) not the massive tree found predominantly in India.

The plant is incredibly bitter but has cooling properties for 24 to 36 hours (tested, confirmed). Hard to find in the city, common as muck in the provinces.
Bodge: This ain't Kansas, and the neighbours ate Toto!
Jaap N.
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Re: What plant is this?

Post by Jaap N. »

This is a very unique and wonderful vegetable for Khmer people....especially with prahok or Khmer salad.....yummy!!!!!!!!
In Khmer:ផ្កា ស្ដៅ. In English it sounds like: pkah, sdav, I've been told.
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StroppyChops
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Re: What plant is this?

Post by StroppyChops »

Jaap N. wrote:This is a very unique and wonderful vegetable for Khmer people....especially with prahok or Khmer salad.....yummy!!!!!!!!
In Khmer:ផ្កា ស្ដៅ. In English it sounds like: pkah, sdav, I've been told.
Thanks - yes, I've had it in Khmer salad.
Bodge: This ain't Kansas, and the neighbours ate Toto!
Soi Dog
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Re: What plant is this?

Post by Soi Dog »

Yeah...but can you smoke it and get a buzzzzzz? 8)
Jaap N.
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Re: What plant is this?

Post by Jaap N. »

Soi Dog wrote:Yeah...but can you smoke it and get a buzzzzzz? 8)
Sure you can!
OrangeDragon
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Re: What plant is this?

Post by OrangeDragon »

Google calls its transliteration as phka sdaw... but doesn't translate that to anything really... phka means flowers.
thePeck
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Re: What plant is this?

Post by thePeck »

StroppyChops wrote:...but has cooling properties for 24 to 36 hours (tested, confirmed). Hard to find in the city, common as muck in the provinces.
I'm interested in that, how does one go about getting some? I might just show this picture to my gf and ask her.
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Bitte_Kein_Lexus
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Re: What plant is this?

Post by Bitte_Kein_Lexus »

Yeah it's s'daw (maybe the official name is pkah sdaw), apparently it does have cooling properties. I don't think the root is eaten though.

[Edit]Pretty hard to find now. Just asked some sellers and they say it's mostly sold from March to April. Harder to find out of season.
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Re: What plant is this?

Post by Mrs Stroppy »

We bought some at central market yesterday for around 1000 Riel. We went to the fruit & veg sellers with a photo on our phone and showed it to them. They were very helpful pointing us to the one who sold it.
You just eat about a pinch of leaves & berries, really bitter but you can also just swallow it like a pill. Works really well.
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StroppyChops
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Re: What plant is this?

Post by StroppyChops »

Soi Dog wrote:Yeah...but can you smoke it and get a buzzzzzz? 8)
No clue, but given it's other properties it's probably worth a shot.
Bodge: This ain't Kansas, and the neighbours ate Toto!
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