8 Important Benefits of Mother of Thousands Plant

I once asked my plant enthusiast friend to suggest a plant with extraordinary leaves and exotic looks. He told me to bring in a “Mother of Thousands.”

Confused, I drove him away, hurling curses at him. Later, I discovered that a plant called “Mother of thousand” actually exists.

I lost a friend, but I got myself an exotic plant with many benefits.

There are more benefits if you look at it. We will discuss the benefits and risks of the Mother of Thousands plant.

Read on to find out!

Mother of Thousands Overview

Mother of Thousands has unique leaves that have a separate world living on them. They have several small plants all along their edges.

This plant has a tremendous medicinal significance and can also be used as a decorative plant. Also, it doesn’t usually bloom, but you’d be awestruck by its beauty when it does.

You might think this incredible plant is hard to care for with so many plantlets in the leaves, but you’re mistaken.

Consider it a bonus; this plant is easy to look after. Let’s look at the basic overview of this plant.

Mother of Thousands is not a hard plant to take care of. You need to fulfill specific requirements to ensure that your plant grows well.

Let’s look at the requirements of the optimum conditions.

8 Important Mother of Thousands Benefits

Mother of Thousands is a great plant to have in your household. Its intriguing foliage can turn the heads of most people.

On top of that, it is loaded with various benefits. Let’s look at a few of them.

1. It May Prevent Premature Labor in Pregnant Women

Mother of Thousands, for its namesake, is quite beneficial for pregnant women.

It is believed that this plant helps prevent premature labor in pregnant women in some parts of the plant’s native zone, Madagascar.

In some tribes of Madagascar, where modern medicine is still a myth, people use this medicine to prevent premature childbirth.

Talking about its other benefits, they also believe that this plant can cure infertility.

However, we must be considerate while eating these plants as they are not 100% safe. We will talk about the hazards in another section in detail.

Disclaimer! Researchers still suggest that pregnant women should not consume the mother of thousands plant.

2. It has Anti-Cancer Properties

Many plants in the plant kingdom have certain compounds that are effective against the deadly disease of cancer.

One of the plants is this Mother of Thousands. Among the many benefits of a Mother of Thousands, its anti-cancer property stands out the most.

An article by biointerfare research mentions that Mother of Thousands has anti-tumor properties that help prepare cancer medicine.

According to them, bufadienolide from the Mother of Thousands leads to cancer cells’ death by giving them oxidative stress.

Mother of Thousands contains different glycosides, steroids, flavonoids, and organic acids with prophylactic anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties.

So this plant may not be able to treat cancer directly, but scientists will discover the cure for cancer soon, and the Mother of Thousands will play a pivotal role.

3. It Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Walking home from your office/school, walking peacefully, playing a Led Zeppelin song on your headphones.

The song is good, and you are headbanging so hard that you do not notice a pole in front of you and bang on its head first.

The result is inflammation and a bump on your head. But hey, don’t worry; the Mother of Thousands is here to save the day.

According to Dinafem, the mother of thousands’ extracts and the contains of different compounds is helpful against inflammation.

The analgesics that we consume usually consist of extracts from plants with anti-inflammatory properties.

Applying the cosmetics or products containing mothers of thousands helps reduce inflammation.

So, the next time you consume an analgesic for your inflammation, you might be consuming the extract of a mother of thousands.

4. Good for Skin

Well,well, I see a few raised eyebrows. You read the words ‘good’ and ‘skin’ and get all excited.

But yes, mother of thousands is good for your skin.

According to Zali cosmetics,

• Mother of Thousands contains catechins, flavonoids, organic acids, polysaccharides, and vitamin c with other elements that you can find in any natural product.
• The compounds in this plant can help you prevent clogged pores, regenerate skin, and control sebum production.
• Its antibacterial properties help clear acne, and its astringent properties tighten pores and remove oil from the skin.
• It provides hydrated skin due to its extraordinary water retention properties.

Although there are risks associated with using the mother of thousands as an ingestion agent due to its cardiotoxic effects, it can be used in cosmetics and the treatment of skin diseases.

In an article published in nature.com, they mentioned that Mothers of Thousands is rich in vitamin C, which is good for the skin.

So what is the secret behind clear and beautiful skin? Yes, Mother of Thousands.

5. Good for Decorative Purposes

Besides the medicinal benefits of the Mother of Thousands, there is also one other benefit. It’s a stunning-looking plant that boosts decoration in the home.

If you look for an indoor plant for your home, you will look for something beautiful and elegant to look at.

The leaves are a different world on their own. Different tiny plantlets grow across them, and the plantlets can form a new plant independently.

The leaves are big with bluish-green colors on them. To maintain the aesthetics, you can give them a timely pruning. If the leaves are too crowded, you can trim off the old leaves.

6. Anti-Oxidant and Anti-Microbial Properties

Anti-oxidants are essential elements in our bodies as they are responsible for eradicating harmful free radicals from our bodies.

Similarly, microbes are the harmful bacteria in our bodies responsible for causing diseases.

Here is good news! Mother of Thousands contains bufadienolides, a chemical compound that is helpful against microbes and has anti-oxidant properties.

Bufandienolides are beneficial chemical that has different benefits.

According to the National Library of Medicine, bufadienolides have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, and anti-viral properties.

The Mother of Thousands is a cough medicine popular among the Hmong people.

So you get it? This Mother of Thousand is a mother of benefits.

7. Provides More Oxygen

Who would not want to stay inside the home and breathe in the fresh oxygen that your plants provide?

Mother of Thousands is one of the few plants known for providing more oxygen and purifying the air.

The giant leaves of the mother of thousands efficiently absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) at night, store them, and provide more oxygen later.

When you are sleeping, these plants are doing their work of absorbing the harmful compounds in the air and the CO2.

You are guaranteed a good night’s sleep, and when you wake up the next day, the plant will provide you with fresh oxygen.

8. Helps Against Anxiety and Depression

Did you know? Nearly 40 million adults aged 18 or older are directly affected by anxiety-related disorders in the United States.

Although many youths and teenagers romanticize anxiety-related problems, it still is a prevailing condition that someone should not ignore.

Researchers at the National Library of Medicine say that Kalanchoe sp. has been used since 1921 for disorders like depression and psychosis.

Not only that, in an article published in The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, researchers have mentioned that bufadienolides found in Kalanchoe help against insomnia.

Another book by Inaury Diaz Di Medeiros states that the Mother of Thousands plant effectively treats psychological problems like schizophrenia and depression.

So if you feel that you or your friends or relatives are going through tough times, you know what to gift them now.

Health Considerations to Keep in Mind

No matter how beautiful this plant looks, it has specific properties that can be harmful to you and the pets around you.

Many indoor plants can be either toxic, or you may be allergic to them. Sadly, the Mother of Thousands is one of them.

According to ASPCA, Kalanchoe from the family Crassulaceae has bufadienolides that can be toxic to your dogs and cats.

If you or your pets ingest this plant, it may cause symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea and disrupt your heart rhythm.

The sap of this plant may not carry any serious threat, but if you are allergic to it, it may cause rashes and itching bruises all over your body.

Keep your pets and kids away from the plant as even the plantlings carry the harmful compounds.

This plant contains daigremontianin, a cardiac glycoside, and a highly toxic steroid that can cause poisoning.

The compound daigremontianin can lead to heart and kidney failure if the saturation of the compound is too high.

Other effects of consumption of this plant include gastrointestinal diseases, gastritis, irritation, etc.

If you or your pet ingest this harmful plant, call one of the following numbers.

• Pet poison helpline – 1 (855) 764-7661
• American Association of Poison Control Centers – (800) 222-1222
• The Animal Poison Control Center of the ASPCA – (800)426-4435

Where to Buy Mother of Thousands?

Due to the strange propagation habit of this plant, the mother of thousands is not much rare.

Also, as an added bonus, it is much easier to care for and is drought-resistant.

You may want to get your hands on this elegant plant. Let’s look at a few online stores where you can buy them at their prices.

Conclusion

Mother of thousands is a beneficial plant that can serve as a decorative addition to your home.

If you are considerate about the side effects associated with the plant and take the required measures, this plant will do you a world of good.

Good luck with the mother of thousands!

Read about the benefits of other plants too! Calathea, Aglaonema, Jasmine, Bromeliad, Kale, Indoor Plants, Avocado, Monstera.