How to Grow and Care for Centella

Asiatic pennywort (*Centella asiatica*) is a perennial herb that creeps along the ground. It is a common turf weed that reproduces by seeds and spreads aggressively by rhizomes underground. It features kidney-shaped leaves that are soft and tender. It is native to India and grows in shade with adequate moisture.

Centella is a petite perennial herb notable for its radiant green, kidney-shaped leaves that often bear a singular white or light pink flower at the center. This plant thrives in moist, shady environments, where its distinctive foliage can form a low carpet, gracefully blending with the forest floor. Its hardiness allows it to persist in a variety of mild habitats, making it a charming yet resilient member of its native ecosystem.

Erect centella stands out with its upright growth habit and small, rounded to kidney-shaped leaves that cluster at stem nodes. This perennial flourishes in damp, open woodlands, often along stream banks, where filtered light ensures its delicate white to pinkish flowers bloom. Its intertwining roots and stolons help it stabilize soil and withstand soggy conditions.

Centella triloba is characterized by its trilobed, rounded leaves that often draw comparisons to a fan or an artist's paint palette. This perennial herb thrives in moist, shaded environments where its creeping stems root at the nodes, forming dense mats of verdant foliage. The plant's small, inconspicuous flowers may be overlooked, but its striking leaf shape and penchant for wet, understory habitats make it a notable species in its ecosystem.

Centella lanata exhibits lush, velvety foliage, a distinctive trait owed to its fine, dense hairs. Adapted to a possibly shaded and moist environment, its leaves are often circular and can have a subtle scalloped edge. The greenery of centella lanata may hint at its restorative properties, a feature that could align with the potent therapeutic uses seen in its relatives.