Giloy Vine (Tinospora cordifolia)

Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia, heart-leaved moonseed, Amrita, Guduchi) is considered to be essential herb in Ayurveda.  The beautiful heart-shaped climbing vine makes for a gorgeous addition to any herbalist’s garden.

Giloy is a climbing vine with a coiling, woody stem, and aerial roots. It likes a supportive trellis or companion plant to thrive. Tinospora cordifolia prefers a warm climate, but is hardy to a variety of conditions. Suggested supporting plants include Neem (Azadirachta indica), Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) and Moringa (Moringa oleifera). Giloy can also tolerate a wide variety of soils, ranging from sandy to clay loam. However, the soil should be well drained with sufficient moisture and rich with organic matter for optimal growth.

Plant Power: When grown with Neem as a support plant, Tinospora cordifolia is said to absorb beneficial extracts from the plant.