Minor Spices Co-Operative

Minor Spices is a processing and distribution center for local Grenadian spices and herbs. We offer tours of the Laura Herb and Spice Garden and sell spices locally and regionally. Come see us!

Tours:

Tours are offered on an individual basis and through local tour companies. The cost for a tour is U.S.$2.00/EC $5.00. Contact us at the above phone number or email address for further information, or book a tour through your hotel, or one of our local partners, such as Sunsation, Carribean Horizon, West Indian International, Otway Baileys Tours (473-440-2540/2558), Henry Safari Tours (473-444-5313). If travelling by ship, you can book a tour through your cruise line.

Laura Herb and Spice Garden:

The concepts of this garden is truly unique. It is the realization of years of thought and effort, bringing together many Grenadian spices, herbs and medicinal plants, some of which are exported for use in patent medicines and in exotic restaurants worldwide.

Our garden is laid out with well-marked, easy to walk trails and signs indicating the local names, species and the family of the herbs and spices.

The garden is organic and dynamic so at various times of the year a new story unfolds with plants either flushing, flowering or fruiting. A splendid sight to experience.

Come and enjoy nature's colours, scents and sounds. Your experience will be enchanted with the sight of flitting colourful butterflies and the melodious chirping of tropical birds.

Learn more about our spices and herbs:

While you may know many of the plants and herbs below as food, they can also be used for medicinal purposes; we have described traditional medicinal use below.

Names of spices are displayed with common name, botanical name and family name.

1) Aloes, Aloe Vera, Liliaceae
Reported Uses: The gel is used for burns, bruises, shampoo/conditioner, also use as a cleanser and tonic.

2) Paw Paw, Carica Papaya, Caricaceae
Reported Uses: Eaten as a fruit when ripe, green fruit steeped in water and drunk for diabetes and high blood pressure. Pulp from ripe fruit mixed with sugar used for boils as a poultice, green fruit cooked with meat as a tenderizer.

3) Shado Benie, Erynguim Foetidum, Umbelelliferae
Reported Uses: A leaf tea drunk for fever. Leaves also used as a seasoning.

4) Black Sage, Cordia Cuiassavica, Boraginaceae
Reported Uses: A tea from yellow leaves used for purifying the blood easing menstrual pains, and for coldsand fever. Stems chewed for cleansing the teeth, yellow leaves used as a for jaundice.

5) Cochineal, Nopalea Cochenillifera, Cactaceae
Reported Uses: Mucilage used as a shampoo/conditioner, also as a poultice for boils and absesses.

6) Lemon Grass, Cymbopogon Citratus, Graminea (Poacea)

Reported Uses: A pleasant tasting tea drunk for fevers and menstrual pain.

7) Ginger, Zingiber Officinale, Zingiberaceae
Reported Uses: A warm tea of rhizome used as a canninative for gas, used as a seasoning, an oil known as gingerol is extracted from the rhizome and used for Rheumatism.

8) Santa Maria, Lippia Alba, Verbenaceae
Reported Uses: A tea from leaves used for colds and fevers, juice extracted mixed with coconut oil for head colds in babies.

9) Bois Bande, Roupala Mantana, Proteacea
Reported Uses: The bark soaked in rum used as a stimulant or aphrodisiac. Also used for rheumatism.

10) Bois D'Inde or Bay Leaves, Pimenta Racemosa, Myrtaceae

Reported Uses:The spice is found throughout the Caribbean, South and Central America and many countries throughout the world. The product bay rum is made from oils known as "myrcia" or bay oil which is distilled from the bark, leaves and twigs.
Bay rum is used as a rub for rheumatism, colds, etc. A refreshing tea from leaves is used for chills and gas, leaves are also mixed with other herbs to ease afterbirth pains.

Reported Uses:This spice is used similarly to its cousin Bois B'Inde (bay leaf). The difference is that the bark is used as the spice and has a better market then Bay leaf. It is used as a tea for chills, gas, baths, etc. It is also used to add flavour to cakes, ice cream,soups etc.

Reported Uses:Cocoa is Grenada second largest industry. It is used as a tea or beverage, in cakes in sum tan oils/lotions. It is believed that cocoa has a trace of the drug found in coffee known as "caffeine."

Reported Uses:This plant was brought to Grenada in 1843 by Hon. Frank Gurney from Banda. Today Grenada grows about 40% of the worlds production. The oil is used in ointments for colds such as "Vicks Vapour Rub", in cakes, rum punches, etc. Nutmeg and mace arepoisonous if taken in large amounts due to the presence of an aromatic oil called "Myristicin".

14) Coolie Paw Paw, Momordica Charantia, Cucurbitaceae
Reported Uses: Leaf tea used for diabetes, high blood pressure, fevers, colds, and menstrual pains. Large green fruits cooked as a vegetable.

15) Garden Balsam, Justica Pectoralis, Acanthaceae (Zep sepanche, Carpenter grass)
Reported Uses: A tea for colds, fever, hoarseness and chest pains.

16) Petite Baune, Ocimum Grastissimum, Lambiaceae (Libiatea)
Reported Uses: A herbal tea used for colds, also used as a seasoning.

17) Caca Beche, Senna Bicaosularis, Leguminosea
Reported Uses:Boiled leaves extracted is used for cleansing the skin, especially rashes on babies skin.

18) Wallcresses, Paperomia Pellucida, Piperacea
Reported Uses: A pleasant tasting tea for cooling and asthma.

19) Zeba Pique, Nueroaleana Lobata, Compositiae (Asteraceae)
Reported Uses: From 1/2 to 1 leaf boiled or soaked in rum used in treating typhoid and other fevers, also used to get rid of ticks from animals.

20) Big Thyme, Coleus Amboinicus, Myrtaceae
Reported Uses: A tea for colds, also used for headache and as a seasoning.

Reported Uses: Used in soups as a seasoning, clove oil is used as a sedative for toothache, soak in cotton and insert in cavity.

22) Tonka Bean, Dipteryx Ordorata, Sapotaceae
Reported Uses: Used throughout the world as a spice to add flavour to many different products; such as cakes, pastries, and to add flavour to vanilla. However, Tonka bean is used to be poisonous if used regularly or in large amounts because it is the source of the drug "Coumerin."

23) Sapote, Pouteria Sapola, Sapotaceae
Reported Uses: This spice is collected from a huge tree which grows to about 80 feet or more in height. The seed is protected by a round fruit the size of a breadfruit which is edible. Used in cakes, pudding, porridge, cookies etc. Alleged to be poisonous.

24) Sour Sop, Annoma Muricata, Annonocea
Reported Uses: Ripe fruit is eaten raw, used for making ice-cream from the pulp. A leaf tea is drunk for insomnia (sleeplessness), young fruit is steeped in water, strained and drunk for diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure).

Reported Uses:All Spice is grown on a small scale in Grenada when compared to Jamaica. It is believed however, that all spice has the aroma of both nutmeg and clove put together.
Used to flavour meat, fish, shellfish, soups, etc.

26) Seamoss, Chondros Cripus, Rhodophceae
Reported Uses: Seamoss is categorised as one of the lower plants. It is a pulp algea. It is gorwn in Grenada and other parts of the Caribbean as well.
Seamoss contains: protein, vitamins and traces of mineral such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, etc.
Used in Grenada as a aphrodisiac.

27) Ditay Paye, Capraria Biflora, Scrophulariaceae
Reported Uses: Leaves are boiled, strained and used for washing the eyes.

28) Honey Suckle, Leonotis Neptiflolia, Labitea (Lamineceae)
Reported Uses: Leaf tea used for chest colds, hoarseness and fevers.

29) Old Maid (Peri winkle), Catharanthus Roseus, Apocynaceae
Reported Uses: Leaves from whites flower variety used for diabetes. A drug found in this plant is used to treat childhood Leukimia.

30) Spanish Needle, Bidens Pilosa, Compositae
Reported Uses: Leaf tea is used for colds and fevers.

31) Christmas Bush, Eupatorium Odoratum, Compositea
Reported Uses: An herbal tea of leaves used for colds.

32) Wild Coffee, Senna Accidentalis, Leguminosae
Reported Uses: Seed roasted and steeped in water. The strained beverage used for stoppage of water.

33) Plantain, Plantago Major, Plantaginceae
Reported Uses: Leaves boiled, extract strained and used for washing eyes and for ear ache.

34) Malome, Chamaesyce Hirta (Euphorbia Hirata), Euphorbiaceae
Reported Uses: Leaf tea drunk for cooling and for treating diarrhoea and venereal disease (VD).

35) Casse, Cassia Fistula, Leguminosea
Reported Uses: The pulp is used in tea as a purgative (laxative).