Plants, Herbs and Organic Products in Yoruba Language

In today’s post; I will be sharing with you something very important if you want to be productive in organic production; you will appreciate this more importantly, if you are from the West – Yoruba land. You see, one of the major problems we face in producing organic products of our choice is knowing the names of these ingredients in our local language; which is exactly what this post is going to do to you.

Note: You can leave a comment below if what you are looking for is not on this list or you want to make a contribution or ask any question.

Common Fruits, Foods, Herbs and Organic Products in Yoruba Language

• African oil bean seed ………………. ugba
• Almond …………………….. fruit / tropical almond
• Avocado …………………….. pear
• Banana & plantain …… ogede
• Baobab ……………………… awin
• Basil …………………………. efirin
• Beans ………………………. ewa
• Bell pepper …………….. tatase
• Bitter kola …………….. orogbo
• Bitter leaf ……………… ewuro / onugbu
• Black pepper ……………  iyere 
• Borreria verticillata …….. irawo ile
• Bushbuck …………………….. utazi / arokeke
• Calabash nut meg  ………… ariwo / ehu
• Camwood / red sandalwood … osun 
• Cassava …………………….. paki   
• Cassava flakes …………… garri
• Cayenne …………………….. bawa
• Chilli …………………………. shombo
• Clove ………………………… konofuru  
• Cocoa butter …………….. ora cocoa 
• Coconut oil ………………. adin agbon
• Cotton-leaf physicnut … botuje pupa
• Dates bar ……………………. dabinu (in hausa)
• Eggplant ………………………. obogili
• Enantia chloranta ………….. awopa
• Garlic ………………………………. ayu 
• Ginger ……………………………..  ata ile
• Guinea corn ……………… oka-baba
• Habanero ………………….. ata rodo
• Henna ……………………….. laili
• Hibiscus …………………….. zobo
• Honey ………………………… oyin  
• Jatropha curcas botuje ………. lapalapa
• Jute leaf ……………………………….. ewedu
• Kola – nut ……………………………. obi   
• Lemon / lime …………………………. osan wewe   
• Lettuce  ……………………………………. yanrin
• Mackerel ………………………………….  titus fish
• Mistletoe ……………………………………. afomo  (in yoruba)  
• Neem ……………………………………  dongoyaro   
• Nicotiana tabacum …………….. ewe taba
• Okra / Okro ………………………. ila
• Orange ……………………………… osan   
• Palm kernel oil ……………….. adin dudu
• Palm kernel oil (pko) ……………. adin dudu
• Paw-paw ………………………………… ibepe
• Peanut / groundnut …………………. epa
• Plantain flour ………………………. elubo ogbede
• Potash cocoa/ plantain pod-ash …………… aro
• Pumpkin ………………………………….. ugu  
• Red palm-oil …………………………… epo- pupa
• Scent leaf ………………………………. afirin
• Shea butter …………………………….. ori   
• Snail ……………………………………… igbin
• Sweet potatoes ……………………….. odun kun
• Tabasco pepper …………………………… ata-wewe
• Tallow ………………………………… ora-eran (cow fat)
• Thorny pigweed / prickly amaranth ……………. tete eleegun in yoruba
• Tiger nut …………………………………… ofi ho
• Tigernut ……………………………………………   ofio  
• Turmeric  ………………………………………    ata ile pupa   
• Walnut ………………………………………………… asala  

Some Herbs in Yoruba language:

• Abelmoschus esculentus – Okra- Ila
• Abrus precatorius -jequirity, Crab’s eye, rosary pea, precatory pea or bean, John Crow Bead, Indian licorice – Oju-ologbo
• Abutilon mauritianum – Furu
• Acacia ataxacantha – Ihun, Ewon adele
• Acacia nilotica – Baani, Booni
• Acalypha wilkesiana – Jiwini, Ewe larapupa
• Acanthospermum hispidum – Bristly starbur, Goat’s head, Hispid starburr – Dagunro
• Acanthus montanus – Bear’s Breech or Mountain Thistle – Ahon-ekun, Irunmu arugbo
• Adansonia digitata – baobab – Ose
• Aerva lanata – mountain knotgrass – Efun-ile
• Aframomum melegueta – Grains of Paradise – Atare
• Ageratum conyzoides – Billygoat-weed, Chick weed, Goatweed, Whiteweed – Imi-esu
• Alafia barteri – Agbari etu
• Allium ascalonicum – The shallot – Alubosa elewe, alubosa onisu
• Allium sativum -Garlic – Ayu in yoruba
• Aloe barteri – Eti-erin, Ida-egun, Ida-orisa
• Aloe vera – Ahon-erin
• Alstonia congensis – Ahun
• alternanthera nodiflora – Dagunro
• Azadirachta indica – Neem, Nimtree or Indian Lilac – Dongoyaro
• Basil plant – Nchanwu in Yoruba
• Black pepper – iyere in Yoruba, Oziza in igbo
• Bryophyllum pinnatum – Air Plant, Life Plant, Miracle Leaf or Goethe Plant – Abamoda
• Butryospermum paradoxum – Shea tree – Ori
• Capsicum frutescens – Tabasco pepper – Ata-wewe
• Carica papaya – Papaya – Ibepe
• Catharanthus roseus -Madagascar rosy periwinkle – Apabida pupa
• Cayenne – Bawa
• Chilli – Shombo in Yoruba
• Cymbopogon citratus – lemon grass- Kooko-oba
• Dioclea reflexa – Agbarin, Epe, Arin
• Dioclea scandens – Dasa
• Dioscorea dumetorum – Sweet Yam- Esuru
• Enantia chloranta – Awopa
• Erythophleum suaveolens – Erun obo, Olu-obo
• Fenugreek – ewedu in yoruba, hulba in Hausa
• Ficus asperifolia – Ipin
• Ficus capensis – Opoto
• Ficus elegans – Asoro
• Ficus exasperata -Ficus Tree – Epin
• Ficus mucuso – Odan-afomo
• Ficus thoningii – Odan-abaa
• Ficus vallis-choudae – Ogunro
• Garcinia kola – bitter kola – Orogbo
• Hibiscus plant – Zobo
• Jatropha curcas – Botuje, Lapalapa
• Jatropha gossypifolia – cotton-leaf physicnut- Botuje pupa
• Jatropha multifida – coral plant, physic nut or Guatemala rhubarb – Ogege
• Khaya grandifoliola, K. senegalensis, K. ivorensis – Oganwo
• Lactuca capensis – Lettuce – Yanrin
• Lawsonia inermis – Henna plant – Laali, Lali
• Lecaniodiscus cupanioides – Akika
• Lippia multiflora – Efirin-gogoro, Efirin-oko
• Mangifera indica – Mango – Mangoro in yoruba
• Mucuna pruriens – Ewe-ina, Yerepe
• Mucuna sloanei – Werepe
• Nauclea latifolia – Egbesi
• Ocimum gratissimum – Clove Basil- Efirin
• Olax subscorpioidea – Ifan, Ifon
• Phyllanthus amarus – stonebreaker or seed-under-leaf- Eyin-olobe
• Pterocarpus erinaceus – Apepo, Agbelosun
• Pterocarpus osun – Osun
• Pterocarpus santalinioides – Gbengbe
• Senna fistula – Aidantoro
• Sida cordifolia – flannel weed – Iso-obo
• Sida pilosa – Eesinle
• Sida rhombifolia – Iseketu pupa
• Sorghum bicolor – Poroporo okababa
• Sphenocentrum jollyanum – Akerejupon
• Tamarind – tsamia
• Telfaria occidentalis – Fluted gourd – Ugwu
• Tetrapleura tetraptera – Aidan, Aridan
• Thaumatococcus danielli – Ewe moi-moi
• Thorny pigweed/prickly amaranth – tete eleegun in yoruba
• Tumeric – ata Ile pupa in Yoruba
• Vernonia amygdalina – Ewuro
• Yoruba Names for plants
• Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides – Senegal prickly-ash or artar root – Orin ata
• Zingiber officinale – Ginger – Jinja, Atale in yoruba

Different Plants in Yoruba:

• Afzelia africana – Afzelia, Lenke, Lengue, or Doussi – Apa-igbo
• Alchornea cordifolia – Ipa
• Allanblackia floribunda – tallow tree – Eku, Eso roro
• Alternanthera sessilis – sessile joyweed or dwarf copperleaf – Reku-reku
• Anacardium occidentale – Cashew – Kasu
• Anthocleista djalonensis, Anthocleista liebrechtsiana – Sapo, Shapo
• Arachis hypogea – peanut, or groundnut – Epa
• Argemone mexicana – Mexican poppy, Mexican prickly poppy, Flowering thistle, cardo or cardosanto – Egun arugbo, Ekan-ekun
• Artocarpus altilis – Berefurutu
• Aspilia africana – Yunyun
• Bambusa vulgaris – Golden Bamboo, or Buddha’s Belly Bamboo – Oparun
• Baphia nitida – African sandalwood – Osun, Irosun
• Boerhaavia diffusa – punarnava – Etiponla, Olowojeja
• Borreria verticillata – Irawo ile
• Byrsocarpus coccineus – Amuje wewe
• Caesalpinia pulcherima – Barbados pride, dwarf poinciana, Barbados flower-fence – Eko-omode
• Calendula officinalis – pot marigold – Ododo-Maria in yoruba
• Calotropis procera – Sodom apple – Bomubomu
• Canarium schweinfurthii – African elemi or canarium – Paapo, Origbo
• Canavalia ensiformis – jack bean – Sese-nla
• Carapa procera – Carapa – Abo-oganwo
• Cardiospermum halicacabum – balloon plant or love in a puff – Shaworo
• Carpolobia lutea – Osunsun
• Ceiba pentandra – Araba
• Celastrus indica – Ponju-owiwi
• Chromolaena odorata – Siam weed – Akintola, Awolowo
• Cissampelos owariensis – Ewe jokoje
• Citrullus colocynthis – colocynth, bitter apple, bitter cucumber, desert gourd, egusi, or vine of Sodom – Egusi-baara
• Citrus aurantium – Bitter orange, Seville orange, sour orange, bigarade orange, or marmalade orange – Osan
• Nicotiana tabacum – Ewe taba
• Tetracarpidium conophorum – Nigerian walnut – Awusa, Asala
• Tridax procumbens – Igbalode, Muwagun
• Uraria picta – Alupayida
• Urena lobata – Ilasa-agborin, Ilasa-omode
• Uvaria afzelii – Gbongbose, Anikan wogba-arun
• Uvaria chamae – finger root or bush banana – Eruju
• Vernonia colorata – Ironweed – Eriro-Ijebu
• Viscum album – mistletoe- Afomo in yoruba
• Vitex doniana – Oori-nla
• Voacanga africana – Ako-dodo
• Waltheria indica – Ewe-epo
• Xylopia aethiopica – Eeru, Erunje

 Some Other Plants in Yoruba:

• African mahogany, counterwood – Yoruba : apa, ako apa, apa igbo
• Alligator weed– sawewe
• Allium ascalonicum – Onion – alubosa gambari, alubosa keta, elubasa
• Alstonia boonei – Ahun
• Alstonia Boonei – awun
• Alstonia boonei – Stool wood – Ahun
• Amaranthus spinosa – spiny amaranth – Tete elegun
• Amaranthus viridis – slender amaranth – tete- abalaye
• Anacardium occidentale – cashew nut tree – Kausu
• Anacardium occidentale – kasu
• Ananas comosus – Pineapple – Ope-oyinbo
• Anise – Pimpinella anisum – Eweise, Ochiosi, Azowano.
• Arachis hypogaea – peanut, grouns nut, pea nut, chinese almond – egpa, epa gidi, ogodsia
• Asparagus africanus – aluki, kadankobe
• Bambusa vulgaris – bamboo – oparun
• Black currant tree – yoruba: aduigbo, asofeyeje, olowuko, yanya holo
• Blighia konig sapindaceae, akee apple – isin odo, isin jise, isin oka, isin odan
• Bridelia ferruginea benth – ira
• Brimstone tree – oruwo, owuru
• Bryophyllum pinnatum – Life plant – Abamoda
• Bryophyllum pinnatum – mother of millions – Odundun Abamoda
• Cajanus cajan – Pigeon Pea – Otiili
• Cajanus cajan – pigeon pea, cajan pea, Conge pea, yellow dhal, cajan pea – otili, otimi
• Calotropis procera – milkweed – Bomubomu
• Canavalia ensiformis – jack bean, horse bean – papanla, popondo, poponla
• Canna indica – edible canna – ido, okun
• Carica papaya – pawpaw – Ibepe
• Celosia argentea – soko (yoruba)
• Centella asiatica – asiatic pennywort, wild violet – ewe karo
• Christmas bush – yoruba: isin, ipa, epa, esin, asiyin, esin abata
• Citrus aurantifolia – Lime – Osan wewe
• Citrus aurantiifolia – osanwene
• Citrus paradise – Grape – Osan nla
• Coastal goldenleaf, coast goldleaf – asaragba, asa gidi, aarasa, ira, fonu fonu
• Colocasia esculenta – taro, dasheen – ikoko, kok, isu koko, koko, koko funfun
• Crassocephalum crepidioides – hawksbeard velvetplant – ebolo, efodu, egusi
• Cucuma doonestica valeton cucuma longe – turmeric – atale, atale pupa
• Cucurbita pepo – summer squash, courgette, zucchini, marrow, pumpkin – elegbe, elegede, apala
• Cymbopogon citratus – lemon grass – Ewe tea, Oko oba
• Cyper esculentus – chufa, rushnut, earth almond – ofio, ofio omu, imumu ofio omu, erunsha
• Dioscorea alata – water yam, common yam – ewura duduku, kiamfa, arunfanfan, atti, egbodo
• Dioscorea bulbifera – potato yam, aerial yam – emina, guite sinde, guite sode, aparia isu, emina esi,
• Dioscorea cayenensis – yellow yam, negro yam – pansaga, agandan, aginipa, apepe, igangan
• Dioscorea dumetorum – Bitter yam – itakun isu
• Dioscorea esculenta – lesser yam – isu alubosa
• Elaeis guineesis – Red oil palm – Ekuro
• Emilia coccineus – Scarlet tassel flower – odundun-odo
• Enantia chlorantha – Awopa
• fermented seeds of Parkia biglobosa, African locust beans in English, Igba/Iyere in Yoruba
• Flat Crown – yoruba: ayinre, ayinre isingede, ayinre ogo
• Garcinia kola – Bitter kola – Orogbo
• Garlic – Allium sativum – ayu
• Gossypium barbadense – cotton seed – Owu
• Guava – guafa
• Heliotropium indicum – scorpion weed – Ogbe ori akuko, Agogo igun
• Holarrhena Floribunda – Holarrhenna – Ako-ire, are-ibeji, areno, isai
• Hybanthus Enneasprmus – abiwere in yoruba Usolala-ocha in Igbo.
• Hymenostegia – ikun
• Job’s tears, gromwell-read, pearl barley – yoruba: obi, obi ifin, obi pupa, obi abata
• Kalanchoe crenata – Eti eleti
• Kola nut – yoruba: obi-abata, ogungun
• Lablab purpureus – hyacinth bean, lubia bean, Indian bean – awuje
• Lagenaria siceraria – bottle gourd,calabash gourd, white flowered gourd, white pumpkin – igba
• Launaea taraxacifolia – African lettuce, wild lettuce – efo yanrin.
• Lawsonia inermis – henna, cypress shrub, egyptian privet, alkanna – laali in yoruba, uhie inine in Igbo.
• leaves of Senecio biafrae – worowo in Yoruba
• leaves of Talinum triangulare (water leaf) or Basella alba, Indian spinach in English, Amunututu in Yoruba
• Lebbeck tree, siris tree, white siris tree, bastard lebbeck, tall albizia, white siris – Yoruba: ayinreta; Edo: ekpaghudo; Igbo: nyie avu
• Luffa aegyptiaca – smooth loofah, discloth gourd, sponge gourd, vegetable sponde – run, erun kaankan
• Manihot esculenta – cassava, tapioca, manioc, yucca – Gbaguda, Ege
• Medicine plants with yoruba Names
• Momordica charantia – bitter melon, bitter gourd, balsam pear – Ejinrin were
• Monodora myristica – abo lakoshe, arigho, eyinaghose
• Morinda lucida – Oruwo
• Mucuna prurins – velvet bean, buffalo bean – werekpe, esin, esinfunfun, esise, ewe ina, here, wepe, werepe, yerepe
• Musa paradisiaca – plantain – (banana fruit) ogede agbagba
• Nicotiana tabacum – Virginia tobacco – Ewe taba
• Ocimum basilicum – Basil – Efinrin wewe, ofen, eferi, efinrin aruntantan, efinrin ata, efinrin marugbosanyan, efinrin aja
• Opuntia ficus-indica – prickly-pear, Indian fig – oro agogo
• Parsley – Petroselinum crispum – Isako, Oshun
• Pattern wood, alstonia – atikekereheyin, dagunro kekere
• Peperomia pellucida – Silver bush – Renren
• persea americana – avocado pear – Pia
• Phyllanthus amarus – ehin olobe or eyin olobe in Yoruba
• Physic nut, termite plant, Barbados nut, fig nut – eto-mkpo
• Pond apple – afe
• Purslane, Pigweed, Little Hogweed – Portulaca oleracea – Gbure.
• Ricinus communis – Castor oil plant – lava pupa, Laa funfun
• Sage -Salvia officinalis – Kiriwi, Babaluaye, Obatala.
• Satin leaf, Damson plum – osan edun, osan palambi, osanko
• Scrub ironbark, grey birch – ira odan, ira, iralodan
• Sessile joyweed, sessile floweres globe amaranth – ewaowo, awo crede, moni roderode, sajeje
• Shea butter tree – emi, emi-egidi
• Silk tree albizia, mimosa, mimosa tree, silk tree, silk sirirs, Persian acacia, pik siris tree – ayinre, ayinreye
• Solanum incanum L. – Bitter apple – ikan
• Solanum melongena, eggplant – Igba aja
• Source – CRC World Dictionary of Plants Names – Umberto Quattrocchi
• Soursop, prickly custard apple : eko oyibo, eko omode
• Spinach – Spinacia oleracea – Obedo, Ewe tutu, Ede.
• Star apple – osan agbalumo, osan olomo wewe, onidosan, agbalumo olomo
• Sweet potato – oduku, anamo, edumsi, kukundunkun
• Syzygium aromaticum – Clove – konofuru
• Tassel berry – yoruba: aponlojusese, aroro
• Telfairia occidentalis – fluted gourd – egusi, iroko
• Transvaal alchornea – yoruba: ijandu, ijandudu, gbaluwo, ijan pupa, sewo sese pepe, ijan, ijan funfun, pepe
• Triangle tops, Phialodiscus unijugatus, P. plurijugaturs, P. zambesiacus – isin ako, ako isin, odofin ile, akoisin
• Trrichosanthes cucumerina – snake gourd – tomato elejo
• Upas tree, antiaris – oriro, oro, oro efun, abori kefun, awase, oriro omo oluugbo
• Verbena – Verbena officinalisVerbena – Ewe Orukan, Yemaya.
• Vernonia amygdalina – Bitter leaf – Ewuro
• Vernonia amygdalina Delile – ewuroaja
• Vitex grandifolia – Stool wood – Oori
• West African black pepper/Ashanti pepper (Piper guineense, Uziza in Igbo and Ata iyere in Yoruba
• White mahogany – yoruba: ifa okete
• Wild custard apple, custard apple – abo, arere, afon
• Xanthosoa poeppigii – ewe koko
• Yellow siris, yellow bean – yoruba: ayinreta, ayinre popo, ayunre, akudinrin, alota
• Zea mays – sweet corn – agbado
• Zulu coshwood, vanquisher – yoruba: atewu-edun, orodo, ofun, fomu, obi-edun