buchu

American  

[boo-koo, byoo-kyoo] / ˈbu ku, ˈbyu kyu /

noun

1. any of several southern African citrus shrubs of the genus Agathosma or the genus Diosma, especially A. betulina, A. crenulata, or D. ericoides, whose leaves yield a dark-colored oil formerly used as a urinary antiseptic and mild diuretic.

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buchu British  

/ ˈbuːkuː /

noun

1. any of several S. African rutaceous shrubs of the genus Barosma , esp B. betulina , whose leaves are used as an antiseptic and diuretic

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Etymology

Origin of buchu

1725–35; < Afrikaans (now spelling boegoe ) < Khoikhoi, first attested as boggoa (1668)

Example Sentences

During the day, I was prepping and tasting healthy stuff — green beans, spinach, buchu, daikon, snow peas, garlic, galangal.

From Salon • May 23, 2025

And Pernod Ricard launched a non-alcoholic version of gin, along with Cinzano Spritz 0% and Ceder’s, a gin-like non-alcoholic beverage with botanical notes of juniper, rooibos and buchu.

From Salon • Jan. 18, 2025

Until the advent of the modern synthetic products buchu was valued in diseases of the urinary tract, but its use is now practically obsolete.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 "Brescia" to "Bulgaria" by Various

“Oh, ghoisters!” said Abe, “there’s the blamed bung come outer the vaitje and not a drop of Dop left, and all the buchu collected for the soaking.”

From Tales from the Veld by Glanville, Ernest

Some practitioners state that they have found buchu beneficial.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various