Brahmi
Botanical Name: Bacopa monnieri

Brahmi is a perennial creeper with small succulent leaves and pale purple flowers.

In India it has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years for mental health including memory, learning, as well as anxiety and mental fatigue. It is used as a general tonic balancing the three doshas and increasing energy.

The leaves and stems of Brahmi are taken to improve memory, concentration, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, mental exhaustion and stress. For the older person it can be useful to ward off Alzheimer’s and Parkinson disease. It is also beneficial for anxiety and attention deficit disorders in children. In China it is used for warming the kidneys and stimulating yang energy. Research has shown that bacopa has great potential as a brain tonic.

The leaves and stems can be eaten in a salad or taken as a tea. The taste is rather bitter so you may need to add some honey or other sweetener such as stevia.

Growing Conditions

Brahmi likes to grow in a moist soil, in a warm position. It will tolerate full sun and grows well in part sun. It can be grown in the edge of a pond.