Table 11. Comparative distribution of 10 common home garden medicinal plants across the
two different agro-ecological regions of Nepal
Hill region (Ilam and Gulmi) Terai region (Jhapa and Rupandehi)
Botanical name Nepali name Freq (%) Botanical name Nepali name Freq (%)
Berginia ciliata Pakhanvedh 9.44 Azadirachata indica Nim 8.89
Cannabis sativa Gaja 6.67 Ocimum sanctum Tulasi 7.22
Astilbe rivularis Thulo okhati 5.56 Acorus calamus Bojho 3.89
Artemisia vulgaris Tite pati 5.00 Ocimum basislicum Babari 3.33
Viscum
articulatum Hadchur 3.89
Sesbania
cannabina Dhaicha 2.22
Ocimum sanctum Tulasi 3.89 Artemisia vulgaris Tite pati 2.22
Aloe barbadesis Ghiukumari 2.78 Aloe barbadesis Ghiukumari 1.67(^) Kera tarul 2.78 Cuscuta reflexa Aakas beli 1.11
Urtica dioca Sisno 2.78 Calotropis gigantea Aank 1.11
Nicotiana
tobacum Kancho pat 2.22
Belchanda 1.11
Adhatoda vasica Asuro 1.67 (^) Biruwa 0.56
Table 12. Comparative distribution of 10 common home garden spices across the two different
agro-ecological regions of Nepal
Hill region (Ilam and Gulmi) Terai region (Jhapa and Rupandehi)
Botanical name Nepali
name Freq (%)
Botanical name
Nepali name Freq (%)
Capscicum spp. (^) Khorsani 50 Capscicum spp. (^) Khorsani 35.56
Zingiber officinale Aduwa 40.56 Curcuma longa Besar 33.89
Allium sativum Lasun 39.44 Allium sativum Lasun 30.56
Curcuma longa Besar 35.00 Allium cepa Pyaj 25.56
Perilla frutescens
Silam 32.22
Coriandrum
sativum Dhaniya 13.33
Allium cepa Pyaj 31.67 Zingiber officinale Aduwa 5.56
Coriandrum
sativum Dhaniya 9.44
Perilla frutescens
Silam 2.78
Allium spp Dungdung 3.33 Sesamum indicum Til 2.78
(^) Jojo 3.33 (^) Ban dhaniya 1.67
Foeniculum
vulgare Saup 3.33
Mentha sp.
Pudina 1.67
Distribution and use of religious plants
Different socio-cultural settings of the project sites have contributed to the diversity in use of
home garden plants for their religious and cultural use. A total of 32 different religious plants
were recorded from the surveyed sites. Many religious plants were also being used as
spices and for ornamental purposes. The 10 most-widely grown religious plants are given in
Table 13. It shows distinct variation in relative dominance of different species of religious
plants in hill and terai regions. However, tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) is the only species, which
was found the most common throughout the project sites.
Distribution and use of ornamental plants
Ornamental plants are an integral part of Nepalese home gardens. A large number of exotic
and indigenous ornamental plants have been planted for their aesthetic values, and many of
them have been used for religious ceremonies and traditional purposes. A total of 210
species of ornamental plants have been recorded from the surveyed home gardens. The hill
region retains a higher diversity of ornamental plants than the terai region. Ilam site is
exceptionally rich in ornamental plant diversity and each household has an average of 30
different types of ornamental plants. The most frequently grown ornamental plants are given