What Kind of Plant Is Pennywort (Hydrocotyle)? An Introduction to Its Benefits and Key Growing and Care Tips

Pennywort (Hydrocotyle) is a common perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Hydrocotyle in the family Araliaceae; in older classification systems it was mostly placed in the family Apiaceae. In folk usage it is also called "broken copper coin", "ground money grass" and "all-star". Its stems are slender and creeping, and roots form easily at the nodes; the leaves are round or kidney-shaped, lying flat on the ground like little copper coins, which is how it got its name. Wild pennywort mostly grows in moist places such as field edges, beside ditches and along streams, and it is fairly widely distributed in southern China.

As a traditional medicinal herb, pennywort is used medicinally as the whole plant, and it is generally considered to clear heat and drain dampness, and to remove toxins and reduce swelling. In folk practice it is often used for sore, swollen throat, damp-heat jaundice, red swollen eyes and similar conditions, and in some areas it is also called "eye-brightening grass". Fresh leaves crushed and applied externally are often used as an aid for bruises and swelling or snake and insect bites. However, the specific usage and dosage should follow a doctor's advice, and taking large amounts on your own is not recommended.

Besides its medicinal use, pennywort also has considerable ornamental value. It is low-growing and spreads quickly, making it suitable as a groundcover to cover bare soil, and it can also be grown in a small pot for trailing display; it likewise grows well in hydroponic or semi-aquatic conditions. For care, it likes a warm, humid, semi-shaded environment, and it is enough to keep the soil or water clean and moist; propagation is mostly by division or by cutting the creeping stems for cuttings, which root readily and are relatively worry-free to manage.

It should be noted that pennywort and the similarly named "stone pennywort" (Centipeda minima) are two different plants, with different benefits and uses, so do not confuse them when using them. In addition, it tends to spread naturally in warm, damp lawns; if you grow it as a garden plant, you should appropriately limit its planting range so it does not crowd out the growing space of other plants.