July Plant of the Month - Bacopa caroliniana

[reiverix]

Bacopa caroliniana

Other Names : blue waterhyssop, giant bacopa, lemon bacopa

Origin : North America

Growth Rate : Slow to moderate

Planting Area : Mid to background

Lighting Level: Medium - High

Propagation: Cuttings and sideshoots

Difficulty: Easy

Temperature: 72-84 F

Size: 25 inches+

Availability: Very common


This plant occurs naturally in wet marsh and bog areas where it grows emerse. The emerse growth produces small blue flowers with five petals. The leaves of bacopa are oval in shape and are arranged opposite on the stem. Crushed bacopa leaves have a slight lemon scent.

Because it grows equally well submerse, it has been a popular aquarium plant for many years. Bacopa is not a hard plant to grow and will tolerate most aquarium conditions. I've had bacopa in a range of lighting conditions from 1.5wpg to 4.3wpg and it has always done well. However, under high light with CO2 the leaves are larger, the stem is thicker and it can take on a slight bronze tint. Low to medium lit plants still have a very nice olive green color though.

For a stem plant it does not grow too fast and is relatively easy to manage. It does have the habit of producing side shoots close to the base of the plant which can creep into the territory of other plants. These can go unoticed until you see bacopa sprouting as if from nowhere.

[wickerman]

I really like this plant alot.
And it does have a nice smell to it,when you rub the leaf
IMO it looks better right at the back behind something (a smaller plant or hardscape) just so the bottom half is hidden and the middle to top is seen

[reiverix]

When I took a bunch of cuttings to the AC picnic I thought they had a kind of minty scent. Quite pleasant anyways.

I've been letting a few stems grow out the back of my tank so I'm hoping to see a flower develop.

[jhj]

John: I am trying to grow it emersed. The plant is shooting out from the bak of the tank and is away from the light, will that matter?

[bencozzy]

im growing it emersed out side.

if its getting good light from a window or something it should be fine.

ive noticed that my emersed cultures dont have the hairy stems and the stems turn reddish purple.

[reiverix]

Any chance of getting a few pics of the emersed bacopa?

[FreddytheFish]

Cool plant.

[bencozzy]

ok here are some pics.

also ive noticed from the emersed i put in my tank that the stem and leaves are thicker(but the leaves are smaller in size) than submersed cultures, the stem loses the pink purplish coloring once submersed again.