Brahmi (water hyssop)
Bacopa monnieri
A creeping, succulent-leaved plant for wet edges and pots in the water; the Ayurvedic herb of study and memory.
Hardiness: zones 9 to 12
Light: part shade
Size: about 0.3 ft tall, 2 ft wide
Harvest: year-round
From: Tropical Asia and Australia
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food, traditional use, Ayurvedic tradition.
Native to: South & Southeast Asian tropics, Australia, African savannas & tropics. Hardy in zones 9 to 12.
The story
Brahmi has been the herb of scholars in India since Vedic times, taken as a leaf tea or stirred into ghee for study and memory. It creeps along streams and paddy edges, rooting at every node.
Planting
Wet feet, warmth and part sun. Grow in a pot standing in a saucer of water, or at the edge of a pond; it needs temperatures above freezing all year.
Growing
Keep the soil soggy, trim the tips to keep it dense, and bring pots indoors before frost. Cuttings root in a glass of water.
Harvest and use
Snip the tender tips and leaves any time. Use fresh in tea or salads, or dry in shade. Traditional use only; not a substitute for medical care.
What to watch for
Frost, and drying out even for a day. Do not confuse it with gotu kola, which is often sold under the same name.
Safety
Medicinal uses here are shared as history, not advice. Kitchen amounts are fine for most people, but teas, tinctures and supplements can interact with medicines and aren't safe for everyone, especially in pregnancy, while breastfeeding, for children, or with liver or kidney problems. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking any plant as medicine.
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More perennial vegetables, greens and herbs
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home