How to Grow and Care For Bacopa Plants Like a Pro Gardener

Common Name	Bacopa
Botanical Name	Sutera cordata
Family	Scrophulariaceae
Plant Type	Trailing herbaceous perennial
Mature Size	4 to 6 inches tall, 1 to 2 feet wide
Sun Exposure	Full to part sun
Soil Type	Moist, well-drained, average
Soil pH	5.6 to 5.9
Bloom Time	Summer through autumn
Flower Color	White, pink, blue, purple
Hardiness Zones	USDA 9 to 11
Native Areas	South Africa

Bacopa Care

Bacopa is nearly effortless to grow. It adapts to many soil types but blooms best in fertile soil kept evenly moist.

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Light

Bacopa thrives in full sun or part shade. Excessive heat can cause it to stop blooming so some afternoon shade in areas with extremely hot temperatures keeps plants looking their best. When planted in full sun bacopa needs a consistent watering schedule.

Soil

Fertile, moist but well-drained soil is the goal for successfully growing bacopa. Loosen heavy clay soils with compost or mix in some sand or perlite before planting. For container plants, choose a good quality potting mix.

Water

Bacopa requires a consistent watering schedule especially when grown in containers. If soil is allowed to dry out, plants will stop flowering. Once the problem is corrected it may take two to three weeks for buds and blooms to reappear.

For in ground plants plan to water weekly and more often when bacopa is grown in full sun. Water container plants more frequently, up to daily during the hottest days of summer.

Temperature and Humidity

Optimal temperatures are 75°F to 80°F during the day and 60°F to 70°F at night. Levels above 80°F and below 50°F cause bacopa to stop flowering. Plants die back when exposed to heavy frost and freezing temperatures. Overexposure to excess heat and humidity causes foliage to turn yellow and wilt.

Fertilizer

A regular feeding schedule supports healthy growth and consistent flowering. Fertilize container plants every two weeks and in-ground plants every three weeks throughout the growing season with a water-soluble balanced fertilizer such as NPK 10-10-10.

Types of Bacopa

Although bacopa comes in several colors, white is most popular with the longest bloom period and largest flowers.

• ‘Snowstorm Giant Snowflake’: A best selling trailing white variety. Grows to 8 inches tall and trails to 3 feet.
• ‘Snowstorm Blue’: Features violet flowers with yellow centers. Grows 4 to 8 inches tall and spreads to 2 feet.
• ‘MegaCopa’: Large white flowers on plants 4 to 6 inches tall with a spread of 18 inches. This variety has better heat tolerance.
• ‘Calypso Jumbo White’: Large white flowers on plants 4 to 6 inches tall with a spread of 16 inches. This variety has excellent heat tolerance.
• ‘Gulliver’s White’: White flowers with yellow throats on 4- to 6-inch plants. Trailing to 16 inches, this variety performs well in hanging baskets.

Pruning

Bacopa is self-cleaning so spent flowers do not need to be deadheaded. Plants that become over-long in pots or overcrowded in the ground can be trimmed back for a tidier appearance.

Propagating Bacopa

Bacopa propagates easily from cuttings which can be replanted directly into the ground or in pots with potting soil. Take 2- to 3-inch cuttings from branch tips just below a set of leaves. Remove lower leaves and dip the cutting bottom in rooting hormone to cover one or two leaf nodes. Replant in your desired location.

How to Grow Bacopa From Seed

Seeds are tiny and often come in a pelleted form to make sowing a little easier. Start them about eight weeks before final frost in your area. To grow bacopa from seed gather together seed starting mix and a flat with plastic cover. Follow these steps.

1. Fill the flat with lightly moistened seed starting mix.
2. Sow seeds thinly and barely cover with mix. Bacopa seed requires light to germinate.
3. Cover the flat with a plastic dome and place in a warm (70°F to 75°F ) location that receives indirect light.
4. Keep moist but not wet. Germination occurs in seven to ten days.
5. When seeds have sprouted remove the plastic dome and gradually reduce the temperature to 60°F .
6. Pick out the largest seedlings for planting outdoors after all danger of frost has passed.

Potting and Repotting Bacopa

Choose a large container with plenty of drainage holes for growing bacopa and allow about 10 inches of space for each plant. It’s grown as an annual in most U.S. zones and won’t need to be repotted.

Overwintering

Bacopa is winter hardy only in USDA growing zones 9 to 11 and some parts of zone 8. Container grown plants can be overwintered indoors in areas where it’s usually grown outside as an annual.

You’ll need to place the pot in a sunny window and slightly reduce watering to keep it going during winter months. If given enough light plants will continue to bloom.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Mostly disease-free bacopa can attract sap-sucking plant pests and is particularly vulnerable to aphids. Try a strong spray with your garden hose to knock them off or spray infected plants with neem oil.

High humidity can lead to fungal infections like powdery mildew. Prevention is the best solution so if you grow bacopa in an area with wet heat, start early and treat your plant with an appropriate fungicide to stave off infection.

How to Get Bacopa to Bloom

The beauty of bacopa comes from its season-long prolific blooms. Planted in good quality soil. kept moist, and fertilized regularly, bacopa is a steady, reliable bloomer.

Bloom Months

In its hardiness zones, bacopa blooms year round. Grown as an annual in most U.S. zones, flowers appear in spring and last until first frost in autumn.

What Do Bacopa Flowers Look and Smell Like?

Flowers have five petals surrounding a disc-like button center. About 1 inch across, the flowers may be white, pink, or blue with slightly darker shading or yellow in the center. Some varieties are faintly fragrant.

How to Encourage More Blooms

A regular fertilization schedule encourages consistent flowers. If buds and blooms start to thin out, move the plant to a location with some afternoon shade. A gentle haircut can also give overcrowded or overgrown plants a fuller appearance.

Caring For Bacopa After It Blooms

Since bacopa is self-cleaning and blooms until frost, nothing is needed as plants will die back. If you want to try to overwinter your plant, pot it up or move already potted plants indoors where they receive plenty of light. A grow light supports continued blooming indoors when winter days get short.

Common Problems With Bacopa

With the right care routine, bacopa has few problems. If your plant starts to decline it’s likely due to an environmental or care issue.

Wilt

Bacopa should be kept consistently moist. If plants appear droopy and wilted looking check to make sure soil has not dried out. An aphid infestation is another cause of wilting.

Spotty Flowers

The plant is exposed to too much heat. Try moving it into a location that receives morning sun and afternoon shade. It may take up to three weeks for buds and flowers to return to desirable numbers.