The betel leaf is a plant that’s becoming more and more sought after around the world.
It is a valued plant for centuries in Asia for its medicinal properties and, people are starting to discover its own culinary benefits.
Betel leaf can be found in many other areas in the world and, grows best in USDA zones of 9 through 11.
If you are eager to learn more about the betel leaf or want to grow your own betel leaves, keep reading!
About Betel Leaf
Betel leaf belongs to the Piperaceae family and is a botanical relative of black pepper and kava.
This plant is indigenous to tropical Asia, and it has been documented in traditional medicine for thousands of years.
In India, betel leaves are popularly chewed with betel nuts and spices.
Evidence suggests that chewing betel leaves can promote oral health, and it is also said to aid in digestion.
The betel leaf is a climbing vine that can reach 30 ft in length. The leaves contain dark green, glossy leaves that can be whole or split.
Preferred USDA Zone
USDA zones 9-11 are the ideal zones for betel leaf due to the warm climates in these zones.
The betel leaf plant thrives in hot, humid areas and thus, it does best in warmer zones.
Is Betel Leaf Poisonous?
Betel leaf, no, it’s actually a non-poisonous plant. So even if you have pets around the house- or young kids who might try nibbling on the leaves- it’s safe to bring home a Betel leaf plant!
Actually, Betel leaf has been used for centuries in traditional medicine. Betel leaves are completely safe to eat and offer many health benefits.
Uses for Betel Leaf
Betel leaves are often consumed fresh, but they can also be dried out and ground into a powder.
There are a number of recipes that utilize betel leaves; not that it beats being peppery, as it is in the pepper family.
In the Phillippines, thousands of years ago, betel leaf was a wrapper for areca nut. This mix would be chewed along with crushed up sea shells had psychotropic and/or narcotic properties.
Areca nuts have a chemical called arecoline that is related to nicotine and is a potent carcinogen.
Evidence was found found at the Duyong Cave archaeological site that it causes mouth and esophageal cancers.
Medicinal Uses of Betel Leaf
Many are under the impression that betel leaf has many healing properties.
With the caveat being that the “healing properties” come from the oils found in the betel leaf and should not be relied upon for medically serious or mild medical conditions.
That being stated, betel leaf can be chewed on, or made into a paste which can be applied to the body:
- as an analgesic to relieve pain from bruises, cuts, burns, and rashes.
- as an antiseptic and antifungal to kill germs and fungus.
- to ease constipation.
- to fight depression.
- to improve oral health.
- to improve digestion.
- to manage diabetes.
- to prevent cancer.
- to reduce respiratory problems including the effects of asthma.
- to relieve joint pain.
Growing Betel Leaf
Taking care of Betel Leaf is easy if you follow these care tips.
Growing Betel Leaf from Seed
If you want to grow your own betel leaves, your first step would be acquiring some seeds.
Betel leaf seeds are hard to find, and you will likely have your best luck acquiring them online.
If you do know someone with an abundance of round betel leaf plants, it might even be more simple if they let you have some seeds to start your own plant.
Once you are able to get betel leaf seeds, if ever, here are some steps to follow:
- Obtain a bag of soil that drains well.
- Fill the seed starter pots with the soil and soak them.
- Put as many as two seeds in each starter pot.
- The starter pods should be placed next to a window that won’t have direct sunlight. When direct sunlight hits the new plant, it can burn the new leaves and stop all further growth.
- Once the seeds germinate, cut the smaller plant down as far back as possible to allow for the more robust plant to grow.
- When the shoots or sprouts reach about 6 inches, transfer them to a larger pot.
By germinating seeds in the small pods, you lessen the opportunity for the root system to overtake capacity and undermine the strength of root development.
When there is too much space in a pot, the roots will keep searching for more nutrients and water, and they eventually grow outward to fill the pot instead of spending energy developing a strong root system.
Growing Betel Leaf from Cuttings
Seeds being very hard to find, if you want to grow your own betel leaves it is better to start with a cutting or young plant.
If you purchase a cutting or are lucky enough to receive a cutting as a gift, the stem must be prepared so that roots can develop prior to planting.
A cutting that is around 12 inches is best, so If you have a choice of size, you are better off with a cutting that is at least 12 inches for the best growing results.
The First Thing You Want to Do – is take a sharp and sterile knife, and make a 45-degree cut just beneath the bottom leaf node (the point where the leaf grows out of the stem).
Next you will remove all the leaves from the stem except the two at the very top.
Once your stem is prepared, place it in a cup of distilled water, and place it in a place where it will receive indirect sunlight.
Change the water about every other day until you see roots developing.
Once you see a handful of roots that are longer than an inch, you may transplant the stem to a pot or in the ground.
If you cut was at least 12 inches, this is the point where you will place the stem into a pot and bury the stem at least 6 inches deep (this is directive for a pot).
If you live in USDA zones 9 to 11, you may transplant it directly into the ground once it has roots.
Harvesting Betel Leaves
Approximately six to eight months after planting a stem in the dirt, betel leaves should be ready for harvest.
If you are not certain when the betel leaf was planted, you can harvest the leaves when the leaves are about six inches long.
You can choose to harvest the leaves one-by-one, or cut the whole plant back which will promote new growth.
Use your sharp, sterile shears or knife to avoid damaging the plant.
Please Note – Betel leaves can be used fresh or dried, and they will last for several months if you store them in a cool dry place.
Soil
Betel leaf plants are not finicky plants when you’re planting them in the soil.
They like well-drained soil because of not sitting in waterlogged soil but you are not too much at risk when it comes to planting in the wrong soil unless you are dealing with clay type soil.
If you are starting with a soil that has organic compost mixed in you will save yourself some time and trouble of needing a fertilizer or needing to fertilize your soil for at least six months.
Water
Betel leaf plants require a lot of water to ensure their development, especially during the summer months.
Always make sure to give your plants a consistent amount of water, and give them a good soaking at least once a week.
Another option you have is to water your plants with a misting hose to help keep them moist.
In the Winter – You can water betel leaves less frequently, depending on whether your betel leaf plants have gotten a good soaking last week. Once a week will probably be fine as long as it is in a pot.
Sunlight
Betel leaf plants thrive on lots of sun, about six hours of direct sunlight per day, particularly in the hotter summer months before the cooler months of fall and winter.
So keep your plants in a location that receives direct sun.
Temperature and Humidity
Planting betel leaves should be a soothing experience to some extent, as these tropical plants prefer warm temperatures and high humidity.
Betel leaves do best in temperatures between 68 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (F), but they can survive at approximately 60 degrees F.
In addition to warm temperatures, betel leaf plants really love high humidity as well.
If you live in a region of low humidity, try regularly misting your plants, use a nearby humidifier, or give your plant a humidity tray.
A humidity tray is a shallow dish (ceramic or otherwise) filled with water that you place beneath the plant pot.
Heads-Up! The water doesn’t want to be deep enough to touch the bottom of the plant pot, or the water will be absorbed through the soil and taken by the roots.
The water in the tray will evaporate and add moisture to the air for the plant.
Fertilizer
A betel leaf plant does not require too much nutrients to flourish.
For this plant, you can simply use a balanced fertilizer like a 10-10-10 or a 20-20-20 every four to six weeks.
You can also top-dress the plan twice a year with organic compost to replenish nutrients back into the soil.
Solving Common Betel Leaf Problems
Why Does My Betel Leaf Have…
- Brown Tips: If the leaves are turning brown starting from the tip, your plant has root rot. Root rot stems from over-watering your plant, and essentially the lateral roots (the roots that grow out and are not directly connected to the main root) are basically dead. Remove the dead leaves and dry the soil completely. You should also pot up the plant and trim off the dead roots before putting it into a clean pot.
- Dark Stem: If the stem where you water the plant turns brown, right above the soil level, it’s probably over-watered or under-watered to a level/degree of rot. The problem with a dark tip means there is going to be no fix for the vine. As soon as you see a black tip on the stem, the entire stem is compromised at some level and will no longer deliver water or nutrients to any of the leaves. You will have to get a sharp pair of scissors and cut the vine as close to the soil/level as you can. As you care for the plant after that, it can create a new vine and become re-established from where you cut.
- Yellow Leaves: Yellow leaves are an early sign of over watering. When a plant presents yellow colored leaves, cut back on the amount or frequency of watering your betel leaf.
Pests
Betel leaf plants are very prone to pest problems. There are a variety of different pests that will be happy to make a home on your plant!
These include:
- Aphids
- Caterpillars
- Mealy Bugs
- Scale Insects
- Shoot Bugs
- Thrips
- White Flies
Getting rid of pests and preventing them is relatively simple if you have a good insecticidal soap and neem oil.
Insecticidal soap is going to kill the pests and their eggs.
This sounds harsh, but insecticidal soap has low toxicity which is only strong enough for small pests.
It will still not be a hazard for kids or pets to be around your plants.
Neem oil is a natural pesticide extracted from the neem tree.
This oil will help prevent pests from feeding on your plant, and it’s also going to kill any eggs present.
Mix 1-2 tablespoons of neem oil into a gallon of water and apply to the leaves, shoot, and soil around your plants.
Works Best – This would be done weekly until you no longer see any bugs. After bugs are gone, you can keep providing upkeep monthly, which will continue making your plant less hospitable to bugs.
Final Thoughts
After you finish our Grower’s Guide for Betel Leaf, you should feel comfortable determining how to grow this plant in the coming weeks.
It contains all the advice you need, from the type of soil it grows well in, to the amount of water and sunlight it needs.
Remember that it may take you multiple tries before you get it right, but we know you can do it with practice.
Once you do, you can start enjoying this wonderful plant again!