My local fruit shop calls it drumstick leaves. Sells it for $39.99/kilo on the rare occasion that it’s available. Leaves me excited and frustrated at the same time because I know these leaves like the back of my hand. Back home, you never have to buy it. You either steal it from your neighbor’s tree, or you ask permission like a decent human being and they give it to you for free. People everywhere grow it and it thrives just fine, the Philippines being a tropical country and all.
So when I saw a seedling being sold at the market today for $5, I knew I had to take my chances. With Melbourne’s mostly cold weather, it could or it could not grow. But f%ck it, I gave the Chinese lady my last five bucks, crossed my fingers and whispered a silent prayer.
Please don’t die, okay? I would love to have you in my chicken soup.
Guess I’m just gonna have to put it in the bed next to me to keep it warm. Jeff can sleep on the floor.
the pauses between 
Try greenhouse.. maybe it will live… would love malunggay seedling too if i see it here.. so far i only see calamansi and they put a warning here that it is not for eating.. haha.. guess they never tried calamansi juice yet or as sawsawan sa piniritong isda…
Waaat??? Calamansi is the best! We call it kum quat down here. And the best part is, the previous owner of our house planted a tree in our yard so now we get heaps for free during winter. 😁
But, yeah, I’m crossing my fingers on my kamunggay. I think I’ll just have to put it indoors and see how we go.
$39.99?!? Ka mahal!
Yep, per kilo. I think I failed to mention that but either way, it’s still ridiculously expensive. Sakit kaayo paliton. Lol.