Bacopa: growing and planting locations

Bacopa is a still little-known perennial plant that is valued for its unpretentiousness, abundant flowering and decorative appearance.



This plant with long drooping shoots can be used both as an ampelous (indoors and outdoors) and as a ground cover.
 

Bacopa has changed its name several times, which is why there is some confusion. Let's try to figure it out.

Bacopa is a name that is widely used in ornamental gardening, but it is not entirely botanically accurate. In fact, the plant that we are accustomed to calling bacopa belongs to the genus Sutera and has the scientific name Sutera diffusus (suterus diffusus), or Sutera cordata (suterus cordatum).

Previously, this plant was part of the genus Bacopa and that is when it got its name. However, later botanists revised the classification and allocated it to a separate genus Sutera. But despite this, gardeners still call the plant bacopa.

There is another name that is sometimes found in literature - henostoma cordatum. The reason is that earlier, back in the late 19th century, in some classifications, bacopa was attributed to the genus Henostoma. At the moment, this name is used less often.

Let's summarize:

Bacopa is a perennial herbaceous plant that is grown as an annual in the middle zone.

It is distinguished by its small height - 10-15 cm. Its drooping, heavily foliated shoots can reach 30-60 cm in length, due to which bacopa is often used in hanging pots, containers and as a ground cover plant.

Bacopa leaves are small, heart-shaped, with smooth or slightly serrated edges, dark green. The plant becomes especially attractive during the flowering period, when the bush is literally strewn with flowers. The flowers are small (1-2 cm in diameter), simple or double, with five rounded petals; they are formed in the axils of the leaves along the stem. They can be white, blue, lilac, pink or purple, depending on the variety.

Flowering is long: from spring to late autumn (all year round for indoor plants), and the plant does not lose its decorative qualities even during periods of prolonged rain. Another important advantage of bacopa is its ability to self-clean: wilted flowers fall off on their own, so plant care is reduced to a minimum.
 

One of the main advantages of bacopa is its unpretentiousness. However, to achieve the maximum decorative effect, it is worth considering several important conditions.

Soil. Bacopa prefers light, fertile soils with good drainage. Excess moisture can lead to root rot, so when planting in containers, do not forget about the drainage layer.
Lighting. Bacopa grows well both in the sun and in partial shade. However, in conditions of insufficient light, flowering may become less abundant.
Temperature. The optimum temperature for active growth and flowering is from 18 to 25°C. But bacopa can also withstand short-term cold snaps down to -5°C.
 

Bacopa is propagated in two main ways: by seeds and cuttings. Both methods have their own characteristics, advantages and requirements.

Reproduction by seeds

Growing bacopa from seeds requires a certain amount of patience, since the plant develops slowly. Sowing seeds is usually done in late February or early March so that the seedlings are strong enough by the time they are planted in open ground.

The seeds are very small, so they are not buried in the soil, but only slightly pressed into a pre-moistened substrate. For sowing, use a light, loose soil mixture based on peat with the addition of sand or perlite. The containers are covered with transparent film or glass to create a greenhouse effect.

The optimum temperature for germination is 20-22°C. Shoots appear in 10-14 days, after which the cover is gradually removed. When the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, they are pricked out into separate pots so that the plants can develop without competition. Due to the lack of natural light, it is advisable to provide additional lighting for the seedlings.

Propagation by cuttings



Cuttings are a faster and more reliable way to propagate bacopa, allowing you to get strong plants in a short time. Cuttings are prepared in spring or autumn, using apical shoots 8-10 cm long from mother plants.

The cut cuttings are cleared of lower leaves and placed in a container with water or directly into a light substrate. To speed up rooting, you can treat the cut with a root formation stimulator.

When rooting in a substrate, the cuttings are deepened by 2-3 cm and covered with film or a transparent plastic lid, creating greenhouse conditions. After 2-3 weeks, when roots appear, young plants can be transplanted into separate pots or directly into open ground.
 

Transplanting bacopa into open ground or containers is carried out in late May - early June, when the threat of night frosts has passed. By this time, the plants should be well rooted and have a developed root system.

Before transplanting, the soil is thoroughly loosened and, if necessary, improved by adding compost or humus. If bacopa is planted in containers, it is important to ensure good drainage: expanded clay or gravel is poured onto the bottom of the container.

The seedlings are planted at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other, leaving enough space for each plant to grow. After planting, bacopa is watered abundantly to speed up adaptation to new conditions.
 

Although bacopa is considered an unpretentious plant, to maintain its decorative appearance, it is important to follow several rules of care.

Watering should be regular and frequent enough, especially on hot days, because bacopa does not tolerate drying out of the soil. But at the same time, moisture stagnation at the roots should not be allowed.

Fertilizers are applied once every 10-14 days, especially during the period of active growth and flowering. For fertilizing, complex mineral fertilizers for flowering plants are used. During the period of active growth, fertilizers with a high content of potassium and phosphorus are especially useful, promoting abundant flowering.

If bacopa is grown as a perennial, the plant can be cut in the fall and transferred to a cool room (10-15 ° C) for wintering. With proper care, it will begin to actively grow and bloom again in the spring.
 

Due to its decorative qualities, Bacopa is widely used in landscape design, decorating balconies, terraces, flower beds and rockeries. One of the most spectacular ways is to place the plant in hanging pots and balcony boxes. Long shoots covered with flowers create picturesque cascades, especially if you plant Bacopa next to petunia, lobelia or verbena.

Another option is planting in open ground, where Bacopa can serve as a ground cover plant, as it forms a dense "carpet" of greenery and flowers. In this capacity, it is used in the design of garden paths, rockeries and alpine slides.

It is also great for combined plantings with other plants. Bacopa often serves as a background for larger flowers or is used as a living border for flower beds.

Due to its versatility, bacopa fits perfectly into various styles of garden design. It can be grown as an independent plant or combined with other crops, creating expressive long-flowering compositions. And all this - with minimal care.