A strong aroma brewing in the kettle rejuvenated my breath while I stretched my hamstrings. So today was ginger and pennywort tea that I plucked from my little pot. One is so charged up with green energy when you start your day in the garden.

Pennywort is a specie that has twenty or more types with little variations of leaf shape. Dollor weed, Moneywort, Asiatic pennywort, Coinwort, many names many varieties. Not all but some of these are edible too.  The Indian pennywort is a leafy water plant that looks almost like a baby lotus with its shiny round leaves that look like green pennies floating in water. This precious green has been on my wish list and difficult to find in nurseries but finally received it as a gift from a generous green friend.

Little did I know then that this beauty is far more worthy than the pennies in its name.
It is a perennial from the wet lands of Southeast Asia and has been a part of Asian cuisine as tea, juice, salad and leafy vegetable. It has also been traditionally used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. Its antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant and memory-enhancing properties make it a favourite for natural healing. It is recommended as a detox for immune system, helpful in high blood pressure, urinary tract infections and healing of wounds. I love to add a few leaves to my morning cuppa, salads and stews.

Pennyworts are easy growing plants that are happy in water and good light conditions. In soil, you need to maintain moisture all the time or else it droops too quickly. It multiplies and fills up its pot more quickly than you can imagine. And remember if you are too liberal it will actually invade your patch all over. Overall it’s a great deal to own this easy to keep treasure both for its beauty and benefits.