PANDAN LEAF:

O-> Scientific Name: Pandanus odoratissimus L.

O-> Common Name: Pandan
O->
Pandan Leaf is widely used in Asia,
Australia, and the Pacific Islands. The
Screwpine tree is a perennial and needs
to grow in warm, damp areas in partial
sunlight. The soil must be kept moist.
The tree grows to be twenty-six feet high.
The leaves are used there like we use
vanilla flavoring. This leaf also has
medicinal properties. In ancient times,
the leaves were used for making house
thatching and women’s grass skirts. The
fruit heads are approximately eight
inches in diameter and looks like a green
pineapple.
The Pandan Leaf comes from the
Screwpine tree, which can be found in
Madagascar, Southeast Asia, the Pacific
Islands, and the tropical areas of
Australia.
The medicinal uses for this tree are as
follows: The entire plant is used as a
diuretic, the roots have anti-diabetic
properties, and the leaves are used for
treating diseases of the skin.
In cooking, the leaf is used in making
grass green Pandan cake which is similar
to the American sponge cake. The
Pandan leaf has also been used in rice
and making different type of curries.
Strips of the leaves are used in making
woven baskets, which are used to serve
rice or other food items.
Mid-eastern Indians use the flower of
this plant in making perfume as well as
desserts and sweets.
For festive holidays and ceremonies,
Pandan is used with the essences of rose
to flavor spicy rice dishes such as
biryani.

Kamagong
Scientific name: "Diospyros blancoi"
Common Name: Kamagong or Mabolo

Uses:
The wood of the kamagong is especially hard and heavy, which
earned it the moniker “iron wood.” Because of its hardiness it is a
favorite material for furniture making. Its dark, shiny skin also
makes it appealing for furniture makes who want to have a rustic
look with their creations.Often, kamagong is associated with certain
types of weapons, particularly arnis sticks. The weight of the
kamagong makes it ideal for swinging as a weapon and it does not
break easily. It is also preferred for making the bokken, a training
stick for the martial arts of aikido and aikijutsu.The kamagong’s
fruit, the mabolo, is also particularly distinctive. It is covered in
short bristles of semi-transparent hair and has a strong, odious
smell. It is recommended to peel off the skin and let the fruit stand
inside the refrigerator for a few hours before being eaten. According
to the blog, eating mabolo is an acquired taste. The fruit is also a
good source for iron, calcium and vitamin B.It’s many uses for
furniture and food makes it an important plant. If you happen to
have one in your backyard, be happy; you have a rare gem planted
right at your home.
Scientific name: Chrysophyllum cainito
Common name: cainito, caimito, star apple, golden leaf tree,
abiaba, pomme du lait, estrella, milk fruit and aguay.
Uses: The fruits are delicious as a fresh dessert fruit; it is
sweet and best served chilled. Infusions of the leaves have
been used against diabetes and articular rheumatism. The
bark is considered a tonic and stimulant, and a bark
decoction is used as an antitussive. The fruit also exist in two
colors, dark purple and greenish brown. The purple fruit
has a denser skin and texture while the greenish brown fruit
has a thin skin and a more liquid pulp.

Narra Tree

Scientific Name: Pterocarpus indicus

Common Name: Narra tree
Uses: The hardwood, which is purplish, is termite resistant and rose-scented.
The wood known in Indonesia as amboyna is the burl of the tree, named after
Ambon, where much of this material was originally found. Often amboyna is
finely sliced to produce an extremely decorative veneer, used for decoration
and in making of furniture and keys on a marimba. The flower is used as a
honey source while leaf infusions are used as shampoos. Both flowers and
leaves were said to be eaten.The leaves are supposedly good for waxing and
polishing brass and copper. The tree is recommended as an ornamental tree
for avenues and is sometimes planted in Puerto Rico as a shade and ornament.
It is also a source of kino or resin. In folk medicine, it is used to combat
tumors. This property might be due to an acidic polypeptide found in its
leaves that inhibited growth of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells by disruption of
cell and nuclear membranes. It is also known as a diuretic in Europe during
the 16th and 18th centuries. Its reputation may be due to its wood infusions,
which are fluorescent. It is widely planted as a roadside, park, and car-park
tree. The tall, dome-shaped crown, with long, drooping branches is very
attractive and the flowers are spectacular in areas with a dry season. It is very
easily propagated from seed or large stem cuttings, but suffers from disease
problems.