The African Tulip, referred to locally as ‘Donkey Pee Pee’, has been around for centuries after being brought here by West Africans during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Besides having a peculiar and rather humorous alias, the plant has been used medicinally as eyedrops by Jamaicans for generations. Its popularity has recently been revived as folks seek natural alternatives for common ailments.

The plant is commonly used as an eyedrop as its spuds store water in preparation for drought. If someone had an irritated eye, maybe an eye-itch that won’t budge, or simply wanted to flush debris out, this plant could do the trick.

Though its medicinal value as an eyedrop has not been proven, the African Tulip has other functions.

According to ScienceDirect.com, the African tulip tree has been used to treat epilepsy and convulsion control, kidney disease and urethritis, and as an antidote for animal poisons. The plant is also reported to exhibit anti-plasmodial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Maybe next time you are out on a stroll in the woods, and there are no water sources close by —- look around for a Donkey pee-pee tree, it may come in handy.