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Bacopa is a South American plant that blooms continuously from May to October. The cultivated version appeared in 1993. Another name for the flower is sutter. Care and cultivation of bacopa is not fraught with great difficulties, since this ground cover plant is rather unpretentious.
What does bacopa look like
This is a creeping herbaceous plant, the length of the shoots of which does not exceed 60 cm. The stems are drooping, flexible, thin and long, densely strewn with small flowers. They quickly grow on the surface of the soil, forming a dense carpet. The height of the perennial does not exceed 15 cm.
The leaves are miniature, oblong, ovate or broadly oval. Their edges are covered with small notches, the color of the leaf plate is pale green. The leaves grow in pairs, densely cover the shoot.
The flowering of the plant is long, plentiful from May to October
The flowers are small, formed in the axils of the leaves. Corolla of the correct form, consists of 5 petals, fused at the base. The diameter of the flower does not exceed 2 cm. In its center are short yellow stamens. Depending on the variety of bacopa, the color of the buds can be white, pink, red, blue, lilac. After flowering, in place of the buds, small, dry, flattened boxes are formed, filled with a huge amount of dusty seeds.
Types of bacopa
There are approximately 60 species in the genus Bacopa. On their basis, breeders develop new varieties. They are distinguished by a brighter and more varied color of the buds. There is a bacopa with buds of blue, pink and white flowers at the same time.
The disadvantage of such plant varieties is that after pollination after a few flowering they become white.
Giant Snowflake – a large plant with long meter shoots. Suitable for growing in hanging pots. Blooms profusely for several months. The care of the variety is simple.
In relation to the size of the shrub, the flowers of the plant are quite small.
Bluetopia – perennial with short (up to 30 cm) shoots and lavender-colored buds. The leaves are small, olive, flowering is lush, long.
Bluetopia grows well and looks good in flowerpots, boxes, balcony pots
Olympic Gold – a herbaceous perennial plant, the leaves of which are cast in gold. The length of the shoots does not exceed 60 cm, the flowers are small, white, densely cover the branches.
Olympic Blue is unpretentious, resistant to diseases
Snowstorm Blue – a large perennial, the shoots of which grow up to 100 cm. The leaves are medium in size, dark green. The flowers are bluish-lilac with a bright yellow core, densely cover the entire surface of the shoots.
Snowstorm Blue – a hybrid variety of ampelous bacopa
Scopia Double Blue – This is a variety of ampel bacopa with short stems up to 40 cm. The flowers are pinkish-lilac in color, the leaves are dark green.
Thanks to its compact size, this bacopa looks great in hanging pots and flowerpots.
How to grow and care for bacopa at home
Bacopa is a moisture-loving plant that needs frequent watering. Otherwise, the plant is unpretentious, it is right to grow a bacopa under the force of beginner growers.
When to plant bacopa at home
Bacopa is sown in March in containers or flower pots. They are filled with slightly acidic, loose, fertile soil.
Seed material is ground with sand and scattered on the soil surface.
Bacopa seeds are germinated indoors, not outdoors. In open ground or in balcony flowerpots, grown seedlings are transplanted in early or mid-May, depending on the region of cultivation.
Location and lighting
Pots with planting material are placed on the windowsills. Bacopa loves good lighting. As soon as it gets hot, the plant can be shaded, but you should not put it in a dark room: the flowering will weaken, the green part of the bush will grow strongly.
Watering
Properly plant bacopa immediately in moist soil or sand. Then, every 2-3 days, the seeds are moistened with a spray gun, the same applies to grown plants. In winter, watering bacopa should be abandoned.
Temperature and humidity
Bacopa tolerates sudden changes in temperature well. It can be grown on the balcony from early spring to late autumn. In winter, the plant is cleaned in a warm, wind-protected room. During this period, all biological processes are inhibited.
Regular watering (at least 3 times a week) will provide the necessary moisture for bacopa. On especially hot days, the flower is additionally sprayed from a spray bottle.
Additional fertilizing
Bacopa is fed in spring and summer. For these purposes, organic and complex mineral fertilizers are alternately used. Liquid top dressing for flowering crops is also needed. They can be applied every 10 days.
Trimming
As soon as the bush begins to bloom poorly, cut the stems and pinch the shoots. Excessively long lashes are shortened, aligned in length. The tops of young shoots are pinched, stimulating the growth of new branches and abundant flowering.
Bacopa care: growing conditions in the garden
Bacopa can be grown from seeds. The main thing is to properly sow bacopa in March in cups or containers. The grown seedlings are rooted in open ground in early May.
When to sow
To plant bacopa in a personal plot, its seeds are first germinated. The process starts in the first half of March. In the southern regions, seeds can be immediately planted in open ground at the end of March, when the soil has already warmed up.
In the central regions and in the north, hardened seedlings are rooted in the garden at the end of May, as soon as the threat of frost has passed.
Seedlings are pre-hardened: they take them outside for an hour
Gradually, the hardening time is increased until the plants can stay in the fresh air for days.
Where to plant
Bacopa is planted in open, well-lit areas, protected from the wind.
Exposure to direct sunlight should not be allowed, the light should be diffused
Slight shading is acceptable, but it is impossible to completely cover the bacopa from the sun. In a temperate climate, the crop is not grown as a perennial, they are dug up for the winter, it is important to take this moment into account before planting. You can learn more about the process of growing bacopa in the video:
Watering
Bacopa loves moisture. The soil under the plant should always be well spilled, its short-term flooding is allowed.
After watering, the soil is loosened, bacopa grows on light, well-drained soils.
Additional fertilizing
Without fertilization, the crop during the flowering period is greatly depleted. Top dressing is applied in spring and in the first half of summer. It is better to use fertilizers in liquid form: a solution of mullein or bird droppings. Liquid complex mineral fertilizers are applied 2-3 times per season.
Trimming
To preserve the splendor of the bush, pinch the ends of the shoots. Apical cuttings can be used to propagate the culture. How the process of propagation of bacopa by cuttings takes place will be shown by an experienced grower in the video:
Too long shoots that break out of the total green mass are cut with pruners. As soon as the lower shoots become hard, covered with bark, they are shortened by a third.
Features of seasonal care
Bacopa is a perennial plant, but in regions with cold winters it becomes an annual. The flower is dug up in the fall, transplanted into a flowerpot, transferred to a closed cool room until spring. The air temperature should not rise above + 15 ᵒС. The flower does not need frequent watering in winter, 1-2 moistenings are enough for a month.
In autumn, faded buds are not removed, they crumble themselves, after which the plant enters a state of rest, ready for wintering.
Flowering period
During flowering, special attention is paid to watering and top dressing. Each plant needs at least 2 liters of water every 2 days. Bacopa responds well to complex mineral supplements. Irrigation solutions are prepared from them. A month before the appearance of buds, the plant is fertilized every 10 days.
Reproduction
Bacopa ampelous propagates in 3 ways: cuttings, layering, seeds. Each of these methods is applicable in the economy, does not require special skills.
Cultivation from seeds
First of all, the smallest bacopa seeds are mixed with dry sand. This makes them easier to spread on the surface of the soil.
How to sow a bacopa flower:
- Mix in equal parts peat, soddy soil, river sand and humus.
- Ignite the resulting soil mixture in the oven for 3 hours for disinfection.
- Spread the seeds mixed with sand on the surface of a leveled, cooled, moistened soil.
- The filled container is covered with cling film, put in a bright, warm place.
It is important to observe the temperature regime: the thermometer should not fall below + 20 ᵒС. Periodically, the seeds are sprayed from a spray bottle. After 2 weeks, the first shoots will appear.
As soon as 2 true leaves appear on the seedlings, the film is removed.
Hatched plants are planted in larger containers. From now on, the flower is fed with ready-made fertilizers for seedlings, diluting them in water.
As soon as the seedlings get stronger, they are transplanted into pots. A week later, the bacopa is fed again.
Young shoots
To begin with, prepare large boxes, fill them with loose fertile soil. The containers are placed close to the bacopa bush, its long shoots are laid out on the surface of the soil in a box, pressed tightly. A new root system will develop at the point of contact between the soil and the plant.
As soon as the root shoots develop well, young plants are cut off from the mother bush, transplanted to a new place. Caring for children is no different from the basic rules.
How to propagate bacopa cuttings
For these purposes, the apical cuttings of bacopa are used. They remain in large numbers after the pinching procedure.
Algorithm of actions:
- The cuttings are cut so that 2 pairs of leaves remain on them, the length of the plant is 10 cm.
- A growth stimulant or root formation stimulator is diluted in water.
- Containers are filled with loose fertile soil, cuttings are rooted in it, deepening the stem to the second pair of leaves.
- Plants are watered, covered with a film, put in a warm, bright place.
- As soon as new leaves appear, the film is removed.
Young plants are cared for in the same way as seedlings.
Bacopa care in winter
The plant does not tolerate wintering in open ground. The flower must be dug up, transplanted into a flower pot and placed in a bright, cool room. The air temperature in it should not rise above + 15 ᵒС and fall below + 8 ᵒС. Water the flower rarely.
Diseases and pests
If the growing conditions are not observed, bacopa suffers from fungal diseases: gray rot, mold fungus. Treatment: the crown is thinned out, the plant is treated with a fungicide solution twice with an interval of 14 days.
Whiteflies, spider mites, and aphids are dangerous for bacopa. In the fight against them, acaricidal preparations are used. Processing is carried out in 2 or 3 stages.
Photo of bacopa in landscape design
Bacopa looks good as a groundcover. The flower is grown on small lawns or alpine hills.
A dense plant completely covers the soil, leaving no bare patches.
Flowerpots with bacopa are used to decorate an artificial pond, fountain, gazebo.
Wooden planters in the form of a bench – an original, fresh solution
Bacopa is also suitable for vertical gardening. It is possible to ennoble with a plant not only verandas, loggias, balconies, but also low vertical buildings.
Varieties of plants with large flowers look especially good in vertical compositions.
Photos without master classes from designers will help determine the planting and care of the bacopa, its correct placement on the plot.
Conclusion
Care and cultivation of bacopa is an interesting activity for real flower growers. The culture reproduces well in several ways, takes root easily, blooms quickly. If desired, the flower can be used as a perennial or grow young bushes every year.