Elephant Creeper, Vidhara, Samudrasokha – Plant

The Elephant Creeper is a very large climber whose length is over 8-10 meters. It bears stout stems that are covered with white woolly hairs. It belongs to the plant family Convolvulaceae. The large alternate leaves are 7.5-30 cm. or more long, cordate, bright green on top but hairy and white beneath. The rose-purple, bell-shaped flowers have a prominent white and hairy calyx. The round fruit is 2cm. in diameter, with a short sharp point.

Elephant Creeper is a vigorous vine native to India, introduced worldwide. It has large, leathery heart-shaped leaves, which are white on the underside due to hairs. It is called elephant creeper because of the large leaves which look like elephant ears. Leaf-blades are 15-25 cm long, and 13-20 cm wide, heart-shaped. Trumpet-shaped flowers are borne in cymes, on long, white-velvety stalks. Sepals are 1.3-1.5 cm long, velvety like the leaves. Flower stalks are up to 15 cm long.

Flowering
July-December, March-April.

Medicinal Uses

• Promotes the flow of urine, relieves gonorrhea, strangury or painful urination, and chronic ulcers.
• Rheumatism and nervous disorders.
• Wounds and skin diseases.
• Synovitis or inflammation of the synovial membrane.