Food, medicine and oilseed Several species of
Vernonia, including
V. calvoana,
V. amygdalina, and
V. colorata, are eaten as
leaf vegetables. Common names for these species include
bitterleaf,
onugbu in the
Igbo language,
ewuro and
ndole. They are common in most
West African and
Central African countries. They are one of the most widely consumed leaf vegetables of
Nigeria, where the onugbu soup is a local delicacy of the
Igbo people, and of
Cameroon, where they are a key ingredient of
Ndolé: the national dish of
Cameroon. The leaves have a sweet and bitter taste. They are sold fresh or
dried and are a typical ingredient in
egusi soup.
Vernonia amygdalina is used in traditional herbal medicine. These leaves are exported from several African countries and can be purchased in grocery stores aiming to serve African clients. In Brazil,
V. condensata is commonly known as "figatil" or "necroton" and used in local traditional medicine.
Vernonia galamensis is used as an
oilseed in
East Africa. It is grown in many parts of
Ethiopia, especially around the city of
Harar, with an average seed yield of 2 to 2.5 t/ha. It is reported that the Ethiopian strains of
Vernonia have the highest oil content, up to 41.9% with up to 80%
vernolic acid, and is used in paint formulations, coatings plasticizers, and as a reagent for many industrial chemicals.
Horticulture Vernonia are grown as
ornamental plants in gardens, particularly some of the larger herbaceous North American species which are favoured for prairie-style plantings. The most widely grown are
V. angustifolia,
V. arkansana (syn.
V. crinita),
V. baldwinii,
V. fasciculata,
V. gigantea (syn.
V. altissima),
V. lettermannii,
V. missurica and
V. noveboracensis. A few cultivars have been selected, mostly on the basis of greater size and robustness (e.g.
V. angustifolia 'Plum Peachy',
V. gigantea 'Jonesboro Giant') or white flower colour (e.g.
V. arkansana 'Alba',
V. noveboracensis 'Albiflora',
V. noveboracensis 'White Lightning'). ==Ecology==