Indian Jute
Corchorus olitorius L.
LocalLocal names & traditional uses
Leafy green vegetable widely cultivated across West Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. In Nigeria it is the base of the popular Yoruba dish 'ewedu soup' and is prized for its mucilaginous leaves and high mineral content.
Traditional benefits
- High in iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate
- Mucilaginous leaves aid digestion and relieve constipation
- Traditionally used to lower blood pressure and support lactation
- Staple leafy vegetable across West Africa, the Nile valley and the Levant
Uses & benefits
How people around the world use this plant, and why it matters.
- ewedu soup
Valued locally for ewedu soup.
- iron-rich
Valued locally for iron-rich.
Health benefits
What communities traditionally use Indian Jute for, and why it may help.
- iron-rich
Traditionally taken to support blood building; such plants are often rich in iron, folate and vitamin C, which help the body absorb iron.
Herbal remedies & preparation
The common ways plant parts are prepared at home. Always wash material well and use clean water.
- Infusion (tea)
Pour hot water over a handful of fresh or dried leaves or flowers, cover for 5–10 minutes, then strain. Used for gentle, aromatic parts.
- Decoction
Simmer tougher parts — bark, roots, seeds or stems — in water for 15–30 minutes, then strain. This draws out compounds that a quick tea cannot.
- Poultice / compress
Crush washed fresh leaves (or warm them briefly) and hold them against the skin with a clean cloth. Traditionally used on bruises, boils and slow-healing cuts.
- Juice or extract
Blend or pound the fresh part and squeeze out the liquid through a clean cloth. Best used the same day; refrigerate briefly if needed.
- Powder
Dry the part in shade until brittle, grind it, then store in an airtight jar away from light. Stirred into food, pap or water by the spoonful.
- Steam inhalation
Add leaves to a bowl of just-boiled water, lean over it with a towel over the head and breathe gently. Traditionally used for blocked noses and coughs.
- Infused oil or ointment
Steep dried material in a carrier oil (coconut, shea, olive) for days in gentle warmth, then strain. Applied to dry or irritated skin.
In the kitchen
How Indian Jute is cooked and eaten.
- Leafy soups and stews
Wash leaves in salted water, shred or pound them, then add near the end of cooking so colour and nutrients survive. Pairs with palm oil, pepper, locust bean and smoked fish or meat.
Community uses, recipes & remedies
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In depth
Simple Facts
Short, clear explanations — great for homework and school projects.
- Indian Jute is a plant. Plants make their own food from sunlight, water and air.
- Its scientific name is “Corchorus olitorius”. Every species has one, so people everywhere know exactly which one you mean.
- Scientists put it in the Malvaceae family, inside the order Malvales — a group of relatives that share features.
- Its genus (closest relatives) is Corchorus.
- Higher up, it belongs to Magnoliopsida → Tracheophyta → Plantae.
- People use it for ewedu soup, iron-rich.
- Other names people call it: Corètte potagère, Jute potager, Jute rouge, Gushe, Indian Jute, Jew's-mallow, Jute.
- You can find it in places like Oceania, Morocco [I]; Algeria [I]; Libya [I]; Egypt (Desert Oases, Great Southwestern Desert, Nile Delta, Nile Valley, NW-coastal Egypt); Cape Verde Isl. (Ilha da Boa Vista, Ilha de Maio, Ilha de Sao Tiago, Fogo Isl.); Mauritania; Senegal; Gambia; Guinea-Bissau; Guinea; Sierra Leone; Mali; Burkina Faso; Ivory Coast; Ghana; Togo; Benin; Niger; Nigeria; Cameroon; Bioko Isl. [Fernando Poo]; São Tomé; Equatorial Guinea; Gabon; Congo [Brazzaville]; Central African Republic; D.R.Congo [Zaire]; Rwanda; Burundi; Chad; Sudan; South Sudan; Ethiopia; Eritrea; Somalia; Uganda; Kenya; Tanzania; Angola; Zambia; Malawi; Zimbabwe; Mozambique; Botswana [I]; South Africa [I]; Madagascar [I]; Mauritius [I]; La Réunion [I]; Uzbekistan [I]; Iraq (NW-Iraq); Iraq (SE-Iraq: Mesopotamia); Iran (S-Iran, W-Iran); Afghanistan (Kunar / Nuristan, Laghman, often cultivated); Cyprus [I] (N-Cyprus [I]); Lebanon (C-Lebanon, coastal W-Lebanon); Syria (coastal W-Syria); Israel (coastal W-Israel, Rift Valley, N-Israel); Sinai peninsula (N-Sinai, S-Sinai); Saudi Arabia (Hejaz, Asir); Qatar; Bahrain; Kuwait; United Arab Emirates; Oman (Dhofar, Mascat & Oman); Yemen (SW-Yemen); China [I]; Ryukyu Isl. [I]; Taiwan; Pakistan (Karachi, Sind, N. W. Frontier Prov., Kurram, Swat, Hazara, Pakistani Punjab); Nepal [I]; India (almost throughout); Lakshadweep Isl. [Laccadives]; Sri Lanka [I]; Bangladesh; Andaman Isl.; Nicobar Isl.; Myanmar; Thailand; Laos; Cambodia; Vietnam; South China Sea Isl.; peninsular Malaysia (Penang, Selangor, Johor); Sulawesi; Philippines (throughout); Java [I]; Lesser Sunda Isl.; Moluccas; Australia (Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales); Fiji [I]; Bahamas [I]; Cuba [I]; Jamaica [I]; Hispaniola [I]; Virgin Isl. [I] (St. Thomas [I]); Guadeloupe [I]; Dominica [I]; Martinique [I]; Barbados [I]; Tobago [I]; Trinidad [I]; Venezuela [I]; Guyana [I]; Brazil [I], Afghanistan, Algeria, Andaman Is..
- Plants like this one give off oxygen, hold soil together and feed insects, birds and people.
Videos
Watch documentaries, uses and preparation guides on YouTube.
Descriptions
Uncertain: Asia, Africa?
Arable land and market gardens (I1 level 2)
2. Corchorus capsulis oblongis ventricosis, foliorum infimis serraturis setaceis reflexis. Fl. zeyl. 213. Hort. ups. 147. Corchorus foliorum infimis serraturis maximis reflexis. Hort. cliff. 209. Roy. lugdb. 478. Corchorus plinii. Bauh. pin. 317. Corchorus. Cam. hort. 47. t. 12. β. Alcea cibaria s. Corchorus americana. Pluk. alm. 17. t. 127. f. 3. γ. Alcea olitoria s. Corchorus americana. Pluk. alm. 17. t. 127. f. 4.
Habitat in Asia, Africa, America. ☉
" Habitat in Asia, Africa, America. " RCN: 3929.
Generitype of Corchorus Linnaeus (vide Green, Prop. Brit. Bot:. 162. 1929).
Distribution
Synonyms
Common Names
References
- GBIF entry
- Encyclopedia of Life
- iNaturalist
- (2023) Plants of the World Online
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