Bacopa (60 photos): types, care and planting in the open field

Bacopa is a very original and ornamental plant for the embodiment of any design ideas. Landscaping of ponds, ground cover, spectacular ampelous compositions - what else can be so versatile? Let's get to know this curiosity in more detail!

general information

Bacopa is also called suthe, and it is a herbaceous plant with straight or more often creeping stems. Some perennial varieties become lignified over time. Bacopa shoots are densely covered with small bright leaves, the juice of which smells like citrus. The entire green part may be slightly pubescent.

The genus of Bacopa is very diverse. It contains real succulents that easily tolerate drought and store water in the fleshy leaves. And there are moisture-loving species that can grow in water and are even used for landscaping ponds or aquariums.

Types of bacopa

There are about 60 species in the genus and even more hybrids. It seems that there is an ideal bacopa for any conditions. It is not for nothing that it is grown everywhere: from the garden to aquariums!

Ampel Bacopa

Perennial with long shoots that hang beautifully from suspended and tall flowerpots. The stems are densely covered with small but bright leaves. But ampelous bacopa blooms so luxuriantly that during the season they are almost invisible behind the buds.

Carolina Bacopa

Moisture-loving perennial with straight stems up to 30 cm in height. Light green leaves turn orange or red in the sun. Karolinska Bacopa blooms with small blue flowers.

Bacopa Monier

An unpretentious moisture-loving plant feels great in swamps and even in water. Its firm, sessile leaves resemble those of a succulent. Bacopa Monnier has white, blue or pink bells.

Variegated bacopa

Perhaps the most capricious and demanding view of all, but at the same time very decorative. Segmented leaves form a kind of "skirt". The terrestrial part of the variegated bacopa blooms with delicate blue flowers.

Bacopa Zaltsmana

Another upright species with dense paired leaves. But the color of bacopa completely depends on the region and the conditions in which it grows, which periodically leads to confusion even among experienced florists.

Australian Bacopa

One of the smallest species in its genus, Australian Bacopa grows right in the water column. She has very thin shoots and small leaves - no more than 1.5 cm. Only the upper part blooms.

Undersized Bacopa

A breeding group of compact varieties with shoots up to a maximum of 15 cm, but at the same time with wide and rather large leaves. The undersized developmental bacopa has a root system, it grows rapidly and multiplies easily.

Bacopa care

Growing Bacopa is a bit specific due to the variety of its varieties. Therefore, we have collected general recommendations, but first of all we advise you to find out the needs of your particular variety!

Temperature and lighting

Bacopa prefers warmth, and the optimal summer temperature for her is from +18 to +24 degrees. When growing in an aquarium, we recommend reducing the temperature to +12 degrees in winter. Bacopa prefers moderate sunlight in the morning and evening.

Watering

Bacopa definitely needs plentiful daily watering. Naturally, this does not apply to species that already live in the water. In hot dry summers, you can water Bacopa twice - in the early morning and late in the evening. Plus, spraying for even moisture won't hurt.

The soil

Bacopa needs light, fertile soil, ideally slightly acidic. Therefore, when planting in open ground, it is recommended to raise its acidity and dilute it with peat.

Fertilizers and feeding

During the period of active growth, Bacopa reacts very sensitively to feeding.In particular, she needs nitrogen, but during the formation of buds, be sure to add a little phosphorus. Fertilizers are applied during watering every 1.5 weeks.

Pruning

Bacopa can be safely trimmed to form a beautiful fit. Remove excess lengths as needed and pinch off shoots for branching. In addition, sanitary pruning is needed to get rid of sick and old stems.

Wintering

Bacopa is not able to winter outdoors, because it freezes during prolonged frosts. Although brief cold snaps even up to -5 degrees, she is not afraid. Therefore, it is better to bring ampelous garden plants indoors in winter and leave them at temperatures from +8 to +15 degrees. Ground cover garden varieties are grown as annuals.

Planting and breeding

Bacopa seeds are sown in early March, without burying them in the ground, because they need as much light as possible. The optimum temperature for germination is about +22 degrees. Be sure to spray the seedlings and use the film before emergence. This is about 2 weeks.

In May, you can transplant Bacopa into the garden. Start gradually hardening the plant a few weeks before. Bacopa is transplanted with an extremely delicate transfer, because it has very sensitive roots. The distance between the bushes is from 15 cm.

Cuttings of most species can also be rooted in water or light soil. If using a substrate, make sure it never dries out. There are no more difficulties, because bacopa takes root very easily and quickly.

Bacopa pests and diseases

Most often, Bacopa suffers from powdery mildew. Leaves and shoots are covered with a whitish bloom, turn yellow and die off. It is important to remove all infected parts of the plant as soon as possible and treat it with fungicides. And then - reduce watering and do not wet the leaves. In room conditions, it is necessary to additionally provide good ventilation and improve drainage.

A thin web on the leaves is the main symptom of the appearance of a spider mite. Sticky droplets and deformation of the leaf plates indicate aphids. In addition, the whitefly infects bacopa. If there are few pests, treatment with soapy water or infusion of tobacco and aromatic herbs is enough. In other cases, it is better to immediately use insecticides.

Bacopa - photo

And in order to more clearly demonstrate how diverse and effective Bacopa can be, we have collected a large selection of photos!