Centella asiatica is both beautiful and useful, and can be called the all-purpose remedy of the beauty and skincare world.

Centella asiatica, also known as wild mint, coin grass, beng da wan, and bian di xiang, is the whole plant of Centella asiatica, a plant in the Apiaceae family. Tao Hongjing explained the name, saying: "This herb is probably named for its cold and cool nature." This is because it mostly grows near streams and water, spreading like a vine, with leaves in opposite pairs, and remains fresh and green through the winter, hence the name.

Centella asiatica is a perennial herb with slender creeping stems that root at the nodes. The leaves are membranous to herbaceous, round, kidney-shaped, or horseshoe-shaped, 1-2.8 cm long and 1.5-5 cm wide, with bluntly serrated edges and a broad heart-shaped base, hairless on both surfaces or sparsely pubescent on the veins beneath; palmate veins 5-7, raised on both surfaces, with some branching along the veins; petioles 1.5-27 cm long, hairless or pubescent in the upper part, with a transparent, membranous sheath at the base.

Beauty benefits

Centella asiatica can inhibit fibrous tissue proliferation, clear heat and drain dampness, invigorate blood and resolve stasis, and fight bacteria and inflammation. Most importantly, it has beauty benefits, which beauty-conscious women have certainly heard of: it can stimulate the renewal of deep skin cells, make the skin smoother and more elastic, and promote collagen formation.

Centella asiatica has antioxidant effects, and can also remove the aged stratum corneum, promote skin metabolism, increase skin elasticity, and supplement nutrients.

Directions: 15 g Centella asiatica, 5 g raw rehmannia, 15 g raw hawthorn, and an appropriate amount of rock sugar. Add water and boil for 3-5 minutes, strain off the liquid, then add rock sugar and drink. Regular use can nourish the skin and delay aging.

Watering method

It likes a relatively moist growing environment. Because it has many leaves and a high transpiration rate, in summer it should be sprayed with water frequently to maintain high air humidity, and the leaves should be kept clean to facilitate photosynthesis. In winter, the potting soil should preferably be on the dry side; watering should follow the principle of preferring moist over dry, and waterlogging should be avoided, otherwise the roots rot easily.

Tap water in northern China should be exposed to the sun and left to stand for 1-2 days before use. During the growing period, water once every 2-3 days to keep the potting soil moist. For water culture, change the water once every 7-10 days in spring and summer, and once every half month in autumn and winter. If growing in water, be sure to change the water once a week and add a special nutrient solution for foliage plants. If using soil culture, be sure to retain moisture over the long term. Water once every morning, not too much, just until water flows from the bottom hole, ensuring the potting soil is thoroughly moistened.

Propagation methods

Propagation is mainly by division or cuttings, mostly carried out from March to May each year. Cultivation is easy; keep the growing medium moist, and roots will form in about 1-2 weeks. Seed sowing can also be used for raising seedlings.

Growing environment

It likes warmth and humidity. A semi-sunny or shaded location is best for cultivation, and direct sunlight should be avoided. There are no strict requirements for the growing medium, but a loose, well-drained one is best, or it can be grown directly in water. The optimal water temperature is 22-28 degrees. It is shade-tolerant, moisture-tolerant, slightly drought-tolerant, highly adaptable, robust by nature, easy to plant, and fast to propagate; it can grow both in water and on land.