Bitter Leaf Tree (Vernonia amygdalina) – Live Plant, 1 Gallon Pot

Bitter Leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), known as Ewuro in Yoruba, is a leafy tropical shrub widely grown in West Africa. Its young leaves are a staple in Nigerian and West African cooking, where they are washed to reduce bitterness and used in dishes such as bitterleaf soup (ofe onugbu) and egusi. The leaves are bitter but full of flavor.

It is a sun-loving plant that grows best in hot and humid environments. It is drought tolerant once established, but it is frost-tender: leaves and stems are damaged by freezing weather. In cold and mild regions, grow it in a container and bring it indoors when temperatures drop below about 40°F. In-ground plants need heavy mulch and frost cover, and may die back to the roots or be lost in a hard freeze.

• Light: Full sun
• Water: Regular water while growing; drought tolerant once established
• Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil
• Hardiness: Tropical, USDA zones 10–11
• Size: 6–10 ft shrub in the tropics; smaller in pots and easily pruned
• Shipped in: 1-gallon pot

Tip: Pick young leaves and stem tips regularly; pruning keeps the plant bushy and productive.