False Daisy

Eclipta prostrata

Also known as Bhringraj, Kesuti, Han Lian Cao, Yerba de Tago, Trailing Eclipta

At a glance

Family

Asteraceae (the daisy family)

Type

Low, spreading annual or short-lived perennial herb

Parts used

Leaves and whole aerial plant, sometimes the root

Size

6 to 16 inches tall, often sprawling wider along damp ground

Bloom

Small white, daisy-like flower heads from summer into fall

Habitat

Wet ditches, rice paddies, riverbanks, and damp disturbed soil across the tropics and subtropics

Acquisition

Grow or buy

Traditional remedies in HerbSense

Key benefits

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Traditional hair tonic

Supports healthy scalp

Traditional liver support

Used for minor skin irritation

Traditional uses

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Under the name bhringraj, False Daisy has held a central place in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, where it was steeped in oil and worked into the scalp to nourish the hair and, tradition held, keep it dark and thick into old age. In classical Chinese medicine it appears as Han Lian Cao, a cooling herb traditionally taken to support the liver and kidneys. Village herbalists across South and Southeast Asia also turned to the crushed fresh leaf as a simple field remedy for small cuts, insect bites, and skin irritation. Its name comes from the way the fresh-cut stem darkens to an inky black within moments of exposure to air, a trait old herbals connected to its long association with hair and pigment.

How to grow & use it

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The full apothecary for False Daisy

Traditional remedies and step-by-step preparations, a complete growing guide, and how to harvest, dry, and store it, all unlocked with HerbLens Unlimited.

✦Remedies & preparations
✦ Growing guide
✦Harvest & storage

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From under $6 a month. Free plant identifications always included.

Pairs well with

✦Amla (Indian gooseberry)
✦Hibiscus
✦Curry leaf

Substitutes

✦Amla
✦Nettle leaf

Choose it when

“For the quiet, patient rituals of nourished hair and a settled liver, the old apothecary's answer was always this humble ditch-side daisy.”

Did you know?

Snap a fresh False Daisy stem and the sap oxidizes to a deep blue-black within seconds, a trait so distinctive that it has been used for centuries in India as a natural dye and temporary hair and eyebrow tint.

Safety

False daisy isn't recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and anyone with a liver condition or on liver-processed medication should check with a doctor first, given its traditional use for liver support. Topical use can occasionally irritate skin, and it should be avoided by anyone allergic to daisy-family plants.