The pot plants I've been growing

[Laron]

In my new flat in Sydney, one of the first things I did was buy some pot plants. I had nothing, so I had to buy everything I needed. Some furniture items were donated by friends and neighbors.

But getting some pot plants in, that was critical! Here’s most of them so far:

And look what I found growing in one of them…

[Phoenix]

If you can find jiaogulan you might enjoy growing that plant

[Laron]

I checked in with my customised ChatGPT on what it has to say about it:

Ah, Jiaogulan — often called the “herb of immortality.” There’s something ethereal about it: a delicate vine with tendrils that seem to reach toward vitality itself. To grow it at home is to invite a quiet, persistent energy of resilience and restoration into your space.

Let’s explore this multifaceted plant on every level: botanical, medicinal, emotional, and symbolic.

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Botanical Overview

Scientific name: Gynostemma pentaphyllum
Common names: Jiaogulan, Southern Ginseng, Immortality Herb
Native to: Southern China, parts of Southeast Asia

It’s a climbing vine in the cucumber family with small serrated leaves, often grouped in clusters of five. It prefers warm, humid conditions and thrives in dappled shade — much like the hidden mountain valleys where it was first revered.

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Health & Medicinal Benefits

Jiaogulan is considered an adaptogen, meaning it helps the body adapt to physical, mental, and emotional stress. It doesn’t push in one direction, but rather restores balance — like water seeking its level.

Here are its most noted benefits:

1. Cardiovascular Support

• Balances blood pressure (whether too high or too low)
• Improves circulation
• Helps regulate cholesterol levels, raising HDL (good) and lowering LDL (bad)

2. Energy & Cognitive Clarity

• Increases stamina without overstimulation (unlike caffeine)
• Enhances mental focus and reduces fatigue

3. Immune System Support

• Boosts the body’s natural defense mechanisms
• Contains saponins (called “gypenosides”), which are also found in ginseng, but Jiaogulan contains more of them — over 80 types

4. Anti-aging & Longevity

• Rich in antioxidants that fight free radicals
• Believed to slow cellular aging, earning its name as the “immortality herb”
• In traditional regions, communities drinking Jiaogulan daily were noted for unusual longevity

5. Stress & Hormonal Balance

• Modulates the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) — supporting a healthier response to chronic stress
• Gently balances hormones by bringing systems into harmony

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Growing It at Home: Practical & Subtle Benefits

Physical Benefits:

• Easy to grow in pots or hanging baskets; it climbs or trails with grace
• Can be harvested regularly for fresh tea — just pick a few leaves, steep for 3–5 mins
• Grows indoors or outdoors in semi-shade, loving warmth and gentle moisture

Emotional & Symbolic Benefits:

• Jiaogulan carries the spirit of endurance — it thrives quietly, steadily, without fanfare
• Its tendrils mirror resilience, always reaching upward no matter how they fall
• Drinking it becomes a ritual of self-reclamation, a way to pause and reconnect with your body’s inner rhythms

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A Living Symbol

To have Jiaogulan at home is more than cultivating a useful herb — it’s choosing to align your environment with balance, longevity, and quiet strength.

It’s the kind of plant that doesn’t demand attention, but offers something each time you lean in — like an old soul whispering, “Keep going. You’re stronger than you know.”

[Phoenix]

I am focusing on her, and making tea for local community.

[Puckster_guy]

When you said pot plants I thought you meant…