Bacopa monnieri: cultivation, care & benefits of brahmi

Brahmi, also known as herb of grace or water hyssop, is a plant with many beneficial uses. Find out more about this South Asian ayurvedic herb below.

Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) is a tiny but powerful plant. Known by many names, brahmi is also often referred to as water hyssop or herb of grace. Because of its creeping growth habit, it grows well in hanging baskets but is also excellent for aquariums. This article will teach you everything you need to know about growing and caring for Bacopa monnieri, beginning with the right location, cultivation, and care.

Bacopa monnieri: origin and characteristics

Brahmi is native to Southeast Asia, where it thrives in wetlands and along the edges of other bodies of water. This small plant belongs to the plantain family (Plantaginaceae) and is also related to the European ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata). Brahmi is a perennial herbaceous plant that needs considerably warm temperatures to survive. For this reason, the plant cannot be overwintered outdoors in the UK. The plants grow to a height of about 15 cm and remain rather small throughout their lives. They are easily identified by their small, thick, almost fleshy leaves. Under ideal conditions, Bacopa monnieri will bloom white, almost blue flowers all year, emitting a delicate and pleasant fragrance. In cooler climates, however, water hyssop usually blooms only from late spring to late summer.

Tip: There are several plants on the market that are marketed as brahmi. Be careful to not confuse Bacopa monnieri, for example, with Asiatic pennywort (Centella asiatica), also called gotu kola.

How to grow brahmi

Brahmi plants are accustomed to subtropical to tropical conditions, which should always be kept in mind when choosing a location and caring for them. Bacopa monnieri needs a sunny, warm location up to 30 °C, high humidity and constantly moist soil to thrive. Brahmi like humus and nutrient-rich soil. Under the right conditions, herb of grace can even live in aquariums, where it also grows leaves underwater. Between June and August, the plant can also thrive outdoors in a sunny spot. However, care must be taken to ensure an adequate water supply.

Brahmi plants and seeds are available in most nurseries. Growing the plant from seed is fairly complicated though.

Growing brahmi from seed:

• Best time to sow: end of March.
• Fill the seed tray with loose, nutrient-poor soil – such as our Plantura Organic Herb & Seedling Compost
• Brahmi needs light to germinate; only lightly press seeds into the planting soil and do not cover with soil, like our peat-free Plantura Organic All Purpose Compost
• The optimal germination temperature is 25-28 °C. Heat coming from below is perfect, for example on a sunny windowsill above a radiator. Mini-greenhouses are useful for maintaining high temperatures and humidity
• Keep the soil constantly moist but not dripping wet over the next few weeks. If conditions are right, seeds should germinate within 14 days
• Prick out the young plants into 8-9 cm pots filled with a high-quality, nutrient-rich potting soil.
• Continue to keep young plants warm and moist

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Bacopa monnieri care

Because brahmi prefers humid environments, it must be watered on a regular basis. Every day without water significantly harms the plant. After just a few days of drought, it may be beyond saving. Nonetheless, remove excess water from the saucer after watering to prevent your water hyssop from drowning.

In its initial year of planting, Bacopa monnieri does not need to be fertilised provided it is planted in a nutrient-rich soil. From the second year onwards, regular fertilising with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser is an important part of caring for your brahmi plant. Fertilise the brahmi during its growth season, from March to September. A well-balanced fertiliser, like our Plantura Liquid Flower Food is ideal for brahmi plants. It contains 5% nitrogen and 4% potassium.

Because brahmi grows so small, it usually does not need to be pruned. However, some shoots may die and turn brown during the winter. These can then be removed with no remorse. A moderate pruning around February can also encourage the plant to grow bushy.

Is Brahmi hardy? As Bacopa monnieri does not tolerate temperatures below 15 °C, planting it outdoors makes no sense. Brahmi plants that are kept outdoors in the summer months need to come back inside for the winter to a warm, humid location. The bathroom is ideal.

Summary: Brahmi care

• Water regularly and keep the soil constantly moist
• From the second year of growth, fertilise with nitrogen during the growing season
• Prune back moderately in February if necessary
• Keep indoors over winter

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Use and effects of Bacopa monnieri

Mainly the leaves are harvested and used. Brahmi leaves can be picked all year round. In small quantities, Bacopa monnieri leaves can be added raw to salads, used for dips and herb butters or brewed with hot water to make tea. Alternatively, you can pick short shoots, which usually results in better branching of the plants. In winter, go easy on your brahmi plant, as it is affected by a lack of sunlight, dry heating air, and cooler temperatures. Treat this time as a resting period for the plant.

Caution: If you use too much of the healthy herb, its bitter taste will quickly emerge. A brahmi overdose also has harmful side effects, such as the breakdown of red blood cells. If you want to consume the herb safely for a long period of time, make sure not to drink more than two to three cups of tea with brahmi leaves per day. Also, if you are pregnant or suffer from a disease such as thyroid or lung disease, you should definitely consult your doctor before consuming.

Bacopa monnieri has numerous health benefits. It is said to help with depression, mild insomnia, high blood pressure, and water retention and it is also said to soothe skin problems. Recently, brahmi has become well-known because of its effect on our cognitive abilities. Nowadays, Bacopa monnieri is even found in some hair care products. Manufacturers advertise that the plant has a positive effect on hair, such as preventing split ends and strengthening the roots. Not all of these effects have been scientifically proven. However, the improvement of memory performance after regular and long-term consumption of brahmi is thought to be fairly certain. Nevertheless, many other factors, such as diet and lifestyle, play a role here as well.

If you are looking for more unique, yet easy-to-care-for houseplants, you are sure to find what you are looking for in our dedicated article.