Fool’s Curry Leaf

Scientific Names

Fool's Curry Leaf

Clausena lansium
Clausena wampi
Clausena punctata
Cookia punctata
Cookia wampi
Quinaria lansium
Rutaceae family

Common Names

Fool’s Curry Leaf

Galumpi (Philippines)

Giôi (Vietnam)

Hoang bi (Vietnam)

Hong bi (Vietnam)

Huampit (Philippines)

Kai Sum wampee

Kantrop (Cambodia)

Mafai-chin (Thailand)

Quất hồng bì (Vietnam)

Som-ma-fai (Thailand)

Sômz maf’ai (Laos)

Uampi (Philippines)

Uampit (Philippines)

Vampi

Wampee

Wampi (Malaysia, Philippines)

Wampoi (Malaysia, Singapore)

Wang-pei (Malaysia, Singapore)

Parts Usually Used

Leaves, seeds, fruit and roots
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Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Fool’s Curry Leaf is an evergreen tree that grows to a height of up to 20 feet. The leaves are 4 to 12 inches in length and are generally sweet-scented. The tree’s fruit that grows on stalks up to 1 inch long, are light yellowish-brown.

The white flowers bloom in late March and measure 3-4 mm in diameter. The oval fruit is about 2 cm in diameter and about 3 cm long, ripening in July and August in Florida and June to October in Southeast Asia. In Queensland Autralia, the fruit ripens in November and December.

According to Purdue University: A Chinese work translated and published in 1936, mentioned 7 varieties of Foochow, describing and illustrating 6 of them. They vary somewhat in form and size, number of seeds, season of ripening, as well as in flavor:

‘Niu Shen’ (“cow’s kidney”) – sour in flavor

‘Yuan Chung’ (“globular variety”) – sweet-subacid

‘Yeh Sheng’ (“wild growing”) – sour

‘Suan Tsao’ (“sour jujube”) – is very sour, of poor quality

‘Hsiao Chi Hsien’ (“small chicken heart”) – sweet subacid

‘Chi Hsin’ (“chicken heart”) – sweet; “best flavor of all”

‘Kua Pan’ (“melon section”) – sweet-subacid.

Where Found

Fool’s Curry Leaf is native to southern China, but is cultivated across Souteast Asia, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, India, Australia (Queensland), Central America and in the US (Hawaii and Florida). This tree grows best in rich loam soil.

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Medicinal Properties

According to researchers, Fool’s Curry Leaf has been shown to contain neuroprotective properties which suggest that it may help prevent the occurrence of Parkinson’s disease. It has also shown to contain anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiplatelet, hypoglycemic, antifungal, antimicrobial, lipid-lowering, tyrosinase inhibitor, antidiabetic, insecticidal, hepatoprotective, and cyctoxicity properties.

Recent studies ahve shown that the peel provides strong anticancer actions against human gastric carcinoma, human hepatocellular liver carcinoma, breast MCF-7 cancer, leukemia and human lung adenocarcinoma as well. The peel extract has been shown to contain anticancer properties comparable to the anticancer drug Cisplatin.

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Biochemical Information

The stems reportedly provide neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and cyctoxicity actions because of their carbazole, coumarins, amide, quinolone alkaloids, and other chemical properites.

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Uses

Fruits of Fool's Curry Leaf

In Vietnam and China, a treatment for bronchitis is prepared by cutting the immature fruits in half and sun-drying them. Thin root slices can be found in local markets there for bronchitis treaments as well.

A decoction of the leaves are used to treat dandruff and to retain hair color when the hair is washed with it.

Wampee fruit, which resemble grapes, is used to make a populare bottled, carbonated beverage in Southeast Asia. This drink is said to resemble champagne. It is made by adding sugar to the fruit, fermenting, then draining off the juice.

Wampee is used as a hedge or screening plant because of its dense foliage.

In China and Malaysia, leaves are used to treat asthma, coughs, hepatitis and skin diseases. Malaria and bronchitis are treated with the roots in Taiwan.

Ripe, peeled wampee fruit is often eaten as-is, except for the seed. This fruit is also often served in China along with meat.

The pulp of the seeded, ripened fruit is used in various desserts and fruit cups. It is also often made into jams or jellies.

According to Purdue University: The fruit is said to have stomachic and cooling effects and to act as a vermifuge. The Chinese say that if one has eaten too many lychees, eating the wampee “will counteract the bad effects. Lychees should be eaten when one is hungry, and wampees only on a full stomach”.