Chanca Piedra / Chanca Piedra

Chanca Piedra, also known as Stonebreaker, is such a dainty and beautiful little medicinal plant. Its tiny leaves grow neatly along delicate stems, and underneath are the wonderful little round seed pods that almost look like miniature bells hanging below the leaves. This is one of its easiest identifying features. It will happily reseed itself once established, so you may find new little plants appearing around the garden.

Despite its delicate appearance, Chanca Piedra is a powerful medicinal plant and one that I use often. It is especially known for helping with stones, mineral deposits, crystals and cramping, which is where its name Stonebreaker comes from. I also use it when I see signs of crystallization in the blood, as part of supporting the body in breaking down and moving these accumulations. The whole plant can be prepared as a tea or tincture, and it has a long history of traditional use for the kidneys, urinary system and the movement of stones. This is one of those little plants that reminds me never to judge medicine by size. Chanca Piedra may be delicate, but it is an extraordinary plant to have growing in the Living Ground nursery.

This plant is in the Ecuadorian Plant Book