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Herb knowledgeSarkaraivembu
Scoparia dulcis L. · Plantaginaceae
Sarkaraivembu, mithi patti in Hindi, is sweet broomweed, a wiry, bushy weed from tropical America that now grows on damp ground across India. Its Tamil name means sugar neem, after its leaves, which taste slightly sweet before turning bitter. Folk practice uses it for diabetes and fevers. In the Caribbean bundles of its stems were tied into brooms.
- Botanical name
- Scoparia dulcis L.
- Family
- Plantaginaceae
- Tamil
- Sarkaraivembu
- Hindi
- Mithi patti
- Sanskrit
- Svaṇṇabhūmi
- Parts used
- Whole herb
- Habit
- Wiry tropical weed with tiny white flowers
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Sarkaraivembu
It is an upright, much-branched herb, usually knee-high, with angled stems.
The leaves are small, narrow and toothed, in pairs or whorls of three.
Tiny white flowers with four petals and a hairy throat grow on thin stalks in the leaf axils.
The fruit is a small, round capsule full of tiny seeds.
The plant has a slightly sweet, then bitter, taste.
Traditional use of Sarkaraivembu
Folk use
Leaf decoctions are used in Tamil and Caribbean folk practice for diabetes, fevers and stomach complaints.
Tamil and Caribbean folk practice
Household
Bundles of dried stems were used as brooms in the Caribbean.
Caribbean household practice
Modern notes on Sarkaraivembu
It contains scoparic acid, scopadulcic acid and glutinol, studied in laboratories.
Animal studies report effects on blood sugar, but there are no reliable human trials.
It is a common weed of crops, lawns and roadsides in the tropics.
Its name comes from the Latin scopa, a broom.
Sarkaraivembu safety
People with diabetes should not replace their medicines with this plant, and should check blood sugar if trying it. Avoid it in pregnancy.
Ecology and sourcing
It is native to tropical America and has spread throughout the tropics.
It grows on damp, disturbed ground.
Its tiny seeds spread easily in soil and water.
Related plants
Also in Plantaginaceae
Questions about Sarkaraivembu
What does sarkaraivembu mean?
Sugar neem.
Is Sarkaraivembu neem?
No. It is a small plantain-family weed.
Does Sarkaraivembu help diabetes?
There are no reliable human trials.
Why is Sarkaraivembu called broomweed?
Its stems were tied into brooms.
Where does Sarkaraivembu grow?
On damp ground across the tropics.
How can I recognise Sarkaraivembu?
Look for tiny white four-petalled flowers and narrow, toothed leaves in whorls.
Sources
- Scoparia dulcis L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q7787299 (Scoparia dulcis)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.