The Amazing World of Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants

Medicinal and Ayurveda plants are great to have at home, in the garden, living room adds that wonderful aroma and a healthy zing. Low maintenance, extremely useful and  multiple heath benefits take a look at some of our medicinal varieties growing keep health up sickness away.

Chakramuni/ Vitamin Soppu/ Sweet leaf

Known as ‘Superfood’; a storehouse for all vitamins especially B, this plant has the highest amount of vitamins and tastes a bit sweet as its name. High in nutrients and best had raw you can add to your chapatis, dosa, idli eat them in salads or make soup. These grow easily and fast and love the sun. Sweet leaf are hardy and grow well in ample sunlight and even a few hours, saplings are available at most nurseries we recommend getting your hands from gardeners or farmers.

Mint/ Pudina

Fresh pudina added to drinking water is recommended this scorching summer as it keeps the body cool and boosts the immune system. Grown easily from seeds, we grew ours from a farm sapling and it just took a 1-2 weeks to spread its leaves. Best kept in full sun, watering as required snip off the leaves gently so pruning is maintained.

Bryophyllum plant

Known as the ‘Miracle plant’ with 8-9 medicinal properties, including curing kidney stones, urinary disorders (the leaf juice of this plant can be extracted and mixed with honey) cures cuts and burns and grows quite fast. We have two shooting up at the moment in the garden. Self-sufficient and needing little care, these hardy plants are little living encyclopedias. These require lots of sunlight and available in most nurseries.

Indian Borage leaf/ Doddapatre/ Ajwain

A very common household plant, these grow easily almost like weeds in some cases and thrive in warm weather conditions. Very useful for congestion and colds, the leaves are aromatic and thick leaved, best had in hot water even on a daily basis to boost immunity and keep any incoming infections away.

Tulsi plant

Also known as Karpoor tulsi, these amazing plant is well known, grown from seed they take just a few days to start sprouting and once they start up its advised to repot them individuals so they grow big and tall. Tulsi can be chewed everyday, had with hot water and even added raw to salads and chutneys. Do watch out they can overtake other plants so pruning and maintenance is required unless you are okay with your garden being overtaken!

Citronella plant

Citronella is commonly confused for lemongrass as they from the same species and look identical. However the distinctive smell of this plant describes it best. We love it since it chases away mosquitoes away, grows fast and low maintenance and smells great when you crush the long stalks on the skin.