{"id":297,"date":"2022-09-08T12:51:02","date_gmt":"2022-09-08T12:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/?post_type=product&p=297"},"modified":"2025-08-04T06:30:36","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T06:30:36","slug":"gotu-kola","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/product\/gotu-kola\/","title":{"rendered":"Gotu kola"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Botanical Name:<\/strong>\u00a0Centella asiatica<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Some other names:<\/strong>\u00a0Pennywort, Indian Pennywort, Indian Ginseng, kodavan<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

How to Grow It<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Gotu kola is a low-growing perennial<\/b> that creeps along the ground, forming a lush mat of small, round, scalloped-edged leaves<\/b>. It thrives in swampy, boggy spots<\/b> \u2013 think pond edges, wet garden corners, or even in pots with a saucer that\u2019s always kept wet.<\/p>\r\n

Native to Asia<\/b> (you\u2019ll find it across India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia), it\u2019s happy in tropical to temperate climates<\/b>. In warm zones it\u2019s green all year; in cooler climates it may slow or go dormant in winter, then bounce back in spring.<\/p>\r\n

Gotu kola tolerates full sun or shade<\/b> \u2013 in the hottest climates it appreciates a little shelter, but it will still thrive with plenty of water. It prefers damp soil, but will survive in ordinary garden beds<\/b> if you keep the water up to it.<\/p>\r\n

Propagation is ridiculously easy: simply break off a rooted piece and plant it \u2013 it will strike almost anywhere it touches soil. In pots it trails prettily over the edge and will often try to root into the ground below.<\/p>\r\n

Herbal & Nutrient Value<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Gotu kola might be small, but it\u2019s nutritionally dense<\/b>. It contains vitamins A, B, C, and D<\/b> plus a wide range of minerals<\/b>, and has been valued in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for centuries as a \u201cbrain tonic.\u201d<\/b><\/b><\/p>\r\n

Traditionally, it\u2019s eaten daily to boost memory, support circulation, relieve arthritis, and even \u201cextend life.\u201d<\/b> Some cultures call it \u201cIndian ginseng\u201d for its reputation as a longevity herb<\/b>. Modern studies have found compounds in Gotu kola that may help with wound healing and reducing inflammation<\/b>, so its legendary status isn\u2019t entirely folklore.<\/p>\r\n

Traditional & Home Remedies<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Gotu Kola Tea – <\/strong>Fresh or dried leaves steeped in hot water; drunk daily for calmness and focus.
Wound Poultice – <\/strong>Crushed leaves applied directly to minor wounds or burns.
Memory Tonic Juice – <\/strong>Fresh leaves juiced and mixed with honey; traditionally taken for brain health.
Skin Paste – <\/strong>Gotu kola blended with turmeric and applied for acne or scars.

<\/p>\r\n

Using It in the Kitchen<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Gotu kola\u2019s leaves are mild and slightly grassy<\/b>, not unpleasant but not a strong flavour on their own.<\/p>\r\n

The fresh leaves<\/b> can be chopped and added to salads, sandwiches, or smoothies<\/b> \u2013 that\u2019s the easiest way to get your daily handful. They also make a good tea<\/b>: steep the leaves alone for a light brew, or mix with other herbs like mint or lemon balm for more flavour.<\/p>\r\n

Cooking isn\u2019t really its thing \u2013 heat will likely destroy some of the more delicate compounds \u2013 but you can still toss a few leaves into soups or broths at the end for a green boost.<\/p>\r\n

Simple recipe ideas:<\/b>
– Gotu Kola Smoothie<\/b> \u2013 blend a handful of leaves with banana, mango, and yogurt for a daily tonic.
– Herbal Tea<\/b> \u2013 steep 6\u20138 leaves with mint and lemon balm for a calming tea.
– Salad Topper<\/b> \u2013 mix the leaves with lettuce and rocket for a mild, health\u2011boosting green mix.
– Gotu Kola Chutney<\/b> \u2013 pound leaves with coconut, garlic, and chili for a Sri Lankan\u2013style condiment.
– Fresh Leaf Wraps<\/b> \u2013 layer leaves with rice, cucumber, and herbs for light, refreshing wraps.

<\/p>\r\n

Other Uses<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Gotu kola has a long cultural history<\/b> \u2013 it\u2019s used in traditional ceremonies, made into pastes for skin healing<\/b>, and even fed to livestock for its tonic effects. The plant also helps stabilise soil<\/b> and create a living mulch wherever it creeps.

<\/p>\r\n

Why it’s a survival plant:<\/h3>\r\n

easy to grow, impossible to over-harvest, useful in pots or the ground, and endlessly medicinal.<\/b> A handful of leaves a day might not make you immortal \u2013 but they will help keep you thriving.<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gotu kola is a humble little creeper with a big reputation. Easy to grow, incredibly resilient, and loaded with medicinal history, this plant has been called a \u201cfountain of youth\u201d herb \u2013 and it\u2019s as at home trailing over a pot as it is carpeting the edge of a pond.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":246,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":100,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":""},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[37,38,40,48,42,43,47],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-297","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-bog-water-plants","7":"product_cat-cooler-climate-plants","8":"product_cat-high-nutrition-plants","9":"product_cat-medicinal-plants","10":"product_cat-pot-and-container-plants","11":"product_cat-salad-leaves","12":"product_cat-tea-plants","14":"first","15":"instock","16":"shipping-taxable","17":"product-type-simple"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=297"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/246"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=297"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=297"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}