Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I'm interested in Gotu Kola for its medcinal properties.

Gotu Kola is also called Pennywort so I went to the local pond shop and bought a pennywort plant but through further research I have bought the wrong plant.

Both HYDROCOTYLE ASIATICA and CENTELLA ASIATICA are both called pennywort but I think only one is Gotu Kola.

Does anyone know where I can get the correct Gotu Kola plant in Perth WA?

Also I think some people may have the HYDROCOTYLE ASIATICA and refer to it as Gotu Kola.

Here is a link to each plant:

HYDROCOTYLE ASIATICA
http://www.homeopathyandmore.com/forum/ ... a+asiatica

CENTELLA ASIATICA
http://www.homeopathyandmore.com/forum/ ... a+asiatica

The two plants are similar but clearly different and I think some websites mix them up and also use the wrong picture. I'm actually not sure which is the corrrect plant.

This website calls Gotu Kola HYDROCOTYLE ASIATICA but has a picture of CENTELLA ASIATICA.

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-gotu-kola.html

Or maybe the other web site has got it mixed up.



Anyone with experience about this plant?

We have the two different types at the BYAP shop.

Coca and Pepsi?

Im interested in this as well, was just thinking about this herb the other day.

Gotu Kola and Pennywort are NOT the same.

99% of the stuff growing around Perth, in the storm water drains and down by the river etc, is Penny wort... which has about the same medicinal value as goat sh!t. Even some of the plants being sold at nurseries as Gotu Kola is Pennywort.

You can tell them apart by the leaf margin, if you know what you're lookin for.

I think I still have some Gotu Kola growing in the backyard, I was taking it a few years back, but I stopped. As well as the much publicised benefits, it can have adverse affects which aren't really mentioned anywhere, benefits your wife will tire of within a few weeks... if you know what I mean... I was walking around like a half shut pocket knife all the time.

I will have a squiz tomorrow and if there's still some there you can have some... it reproduces easily by division.

CENTELLA ASIATICA is the 'correct' medicinal GK. I tell it apart from PW in the the leaf shape looks like a brain sliced in half (its good for your brain!) - ie its not round and has a bit of a wedge in it on one side.

If you think GK puts too much lead in the pencil - try Ashwaganda (Withania_somnifera)! Can be moderated to some extent by combining with a more 'female' type herb such as Shatarvari (Asparagus_racemosus).

Would like to get some cutting of each once I get my AP system up and running. Also Brahmi (Bacopa_monnieri) would go like wildfire in an AP as well. Its also a very good nervine tonic herb.

Laksa leaf is also tradionally eaten by Buddhist monks to help maintain a celibate life...
I need to eat less laksa and more gotu kola...