Brahmi or Bacopa Monnieri: Easy to grow medicinal herbs

Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (Image Cropped)

Bacopa Monnieri is easy to grow herb that has many health benefits. The plants have low maintenance and can be grown in any soil.

Quick Details of Bacopa monnieri

Bacopa monnieri Buying Instructions

• Buy a bushy plant.
• It is easy to grow and can be best choice for hanging basket.

Overview of Bacopa monnieri

It is a perennial herb belonging to the family of Plantaginaceae and native to the wetlands of southern and eastern India, Australia , Europe, Africa , Asia, North and South America. Leaves are Succulent, oblong, and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide. The leaves are oblanceolate and oppositely arranged on the stem. The flowers are small, white, and actinomorphic, with four to five petals.

It can also grow in slightly brackish environments. propagation is through cuttings. Bacopa is covered with tiny white, lavender, or pink blooms from spring to frost and can flower year-round if winters are mild. Due to its bright green coloration, longevity, and ease of care, it is an immensely common aquarium plant.

The South African native can grow two to eight inches tall, depending on the variety, and stretch from two to four feet across. Beyond reasonably clean, nutrient-rich water and ideally mild illumination, it has very few requirements for growth. It is a low-growing, spreading herb that reaches a height of around 6 inches maximum and spreads in a sprawling pattern outward.

Usage and Advantage of Bacopa monnieri

• Bacopa monnieri contains potent chemicals that can have antioxidant properties.
• Research shows that Bacopa monnieri can help enhance brain function.
• In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, Bacopa monnieri is used to improve memory and to cure different diseases.
• There is a large list of illnesses that can be treated using brahmi, from respiratory and gastrointestinal issues to loss of memory to leprosy.

General Care for Bacopa monnieri

Soil

It can grow in any type of soil as far as the soil is well drained and is maintained moist.

Water

They prefer moist soil. Water the plants regularly to maintain the humidity. The plants can also grow in water.

Sunlight

It requires moderate light. Dependent on the amount of light it often absorbs, it changes colors and the stem arrangement. The stems turns pinkish to red / brown and the leaves grow in smaller clusters, making it bushy when under high light conditions. It becomes bright green under lower light conditions and the leaves grow further apart.

Temperature

They prefer warm humid conditions for growth. They can tolerate little frost. The best temperature for their growth is in between 15-35 degree Celsius.

Special Care

They do not require much care. A well draining nutrient rich moist soil is enough for their growth. The plants spread quickly, so regular pruning of the tips can help prevent the plants from spreading.

Fertilization

It does not require any fertilizer. However, a slow release fertilizer or a liquid fertilizer can be added ones in 2 or 3 months.

Pests and other problems for Bacopa monnieri

They are not prone to any pests or diseases.

Propagation of Bacopa monnieri

The propagation takes place through cuttings. The plants continue to send off side shoots or pseudo runners to create new stems. Clip it where the new roots on the stem are beginning to grow and plant such clippings. You can also cut a piece off and allow the piece to float before roots grow if no pieces on your stem have roots yet. If you want to plant it before the roots form, you can plant it until the roots have formed, your new clipping will possibly rot.