Indonesians call it kumis kucing and in Malaysia, the Malays call it misai kucing and so, it's not a wonder that in the US, Java tea is called cat's whiskers. Java tea, the one made by drying the leaves of the medicinal herb Orthosiphon aristatus; supposedly contains no caffeine and helps reduce blood pressure and is also used to treat urinary tract, kidney Infections and gall bladder problems. The plant bears white flowers that resemble the whiskers of a cat; hence its name, kumis kucing or misai kucing which all mean the same thing, cat's whiskers. In Lombok, Indonesia, I was surprised to come across the plant growing in the wild. Over here in Malaysia, I had cultivated the plant in the garden; not knowing that other than southern China, the Indian Subcontinent and tropical Queensland; the plant is also native to South East Asia. I suppose that means it grows in the wild here too.
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