Wouldn’t it be awesome to grow a plant with many beneficial properties in your garden or in your home? Bacopa Monnieri should be among your first choices for this matter. Not to mention it has a stunning and unique beauty with its bright white or light pink bell-shaped flowers and shiny green leaves that will undoubtedly steal anyone’s attention and catch their eyes in an instant.
Also known as water hyssop, Brahmi, thyme-leaved gratiola, or herb of grace, the Bacopa Monnieri is an extremely popular plant. It has been used as a long-standing remedy for many decades in Ayurvedic medicine. In fact, over the centuries, many medical practitioners and healers have used water hyssop to alleviate symptoms of certain diseases and improve the overall physical and mental health of their patients.
Hence, Bacopa monnieri is a staple remedy in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. So, who wouldn’t want to have this powerful and essential plan in their garden collection? And the best thing about this plant is that it isn’t too difficult to grow and maintain. This makes Bacopa Monnieri a great garden companion even for a novice gardener. Indeed, you need to ensure that you meet the plant’s needs and requirements in order for it to thrive. But as long as you are passionate about growing a beautiful garden and committed to maintaining it, there is no difficulty, only challenges you can learn to overcome.
So, suppose you want to start growing this perennial aquatic/semi-aquatic plant. In that case, it is crucial to know that Bacopa Monnieri grows best in bog gardens and water gardens but it can be grown successfully in containers or as an abundant groundcover. Read more to learn valuable facts about how and where to grow water hyssop properly.
Keep reading our guide to Bacopa Monnieri to discover exciting things about this plant such as its unique features, but also instructions on how to plant, grow and take care of it.
About Bacopa Monnieri
- Water hyssop is native to more than one continent, its presence being discovered in the wetlands of Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and North and South America.
- Being an aquatic and semi-aquatic perennial with succulent foliage, there is no wonder that Bacopa Monnieri can grow perfectly and thrive in wet environments such as swamps, salt, and freshwater marshes, by rivers, and generally around wetlands.
- Brahmi or Bacopa Monnieri has been long used in India for its medicinal purposes and is a vital long-standing remedy in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, given its many health benefits.
- Generally, water hyssop is known to be beneficial for the nervous system and for alleviating anxiety or stress symptoms. What’s more, taking Brahmi can help enhance brain and mental function, and improve memory and thinking skills. An essential noteworthy mention would be not to consider Bacopa Monnieri as a cure but instead as a natural remedy that may lessen specific symptoms. Always discuss with a professional medical practitioner before using it.
- It is called water hyssop for a reason. This plant will thrive when planted in standing water. Essentially, the most important thing the water hyssop needs to grow best is plenty of water and full sun. Dry conditions are to be avoided at all times, given it is a water-loving plant.
- Given that bacopa monnieri is a creeping and mat-forming plant with spreading tendencies, it is crucial to control its growth if you don’t want it to spread too much. These properties make bacopa monnieri an excellent groundcover that can survive under light foot traffic.
- Bacopa Monnieri can live for many years, given that the right conditions are provided. Because it can spread quickly and abundantly, this plant can colonize and capture an entire area. So, it is necessary to control its growth if you want it to live a long time without spreading too much.
- For many years, Sutera cordata varieties have been sold by flower shops and garden stores under the name ‘Bacopa’. These plants are attractive ornamentals that also produce beautiful white blooms, but they are not related to Bacopa Monnieri. This is a common mistake, so don’t be surprised if you come across these plants labelled as Bacopa. There are dozens of ornamental Bacopa sutera varieties that you can choose from and they make great garden companions as well.
Bacopa Monnieri Features: An Overview
- Bacopa monnieri is a stunning and interesting plant with its creeping and mat-forming features and axillary bell-shaped flowers that grow solitarily. It is an aquatic and semi-aquatic perennial plant that grows at its best only in wet environments.
- Water hyssop’s flowers are usually of a bright, eye-catching white. Sometimes they are featured in a soft blue or pink hue. Even though these blooming flowers are small in size, their captivating colour, bell shape, and shininess make them stand out among the abundant foliage.
- Speaking of foliage, Bacopa Monnieri’s oval-shaped leaves are pretty small as well. Their vibrant green and glossy appearance look beautiful in the sun. Because this is a water-loving plant, it has succulent leaves.
- Bacopa Monnieri’s flowers start blooming from the middle of spring until early fall. Or, in areas with mild climates, its bloomed flowers last all year-round. You can deadhead your plants to boost their blooming. Deadheading is recommended for young plants that haven’t yet reached their full potential in terms of flowering.
- Apart from being a long-lived plant, it is also a relatively tall one. Bacopa monnieri can grow as much as 12 to 36 inches (30 to 90 cm) tall and from 12 to 48 inches (20 to 120 cm) wide. There is no denying that once you plant water hyssop in your garden, this will become one of the head-turners of your plant collection.
- Given it is a water-loving plant that can grow submerged in several inches of water. Therefore, bacopa monnieri will make a great addition to bog gardens, near ponds, and in water gardens. It can also be used as a groundcover provided it is planted in moist soil or shallow water.
- If you wish to plant Bacopa Monnieri in a container, you can do so. Water hyssop looks stunning in hanging baskets given its spreading foliage, which will beautifully fall over the edge of the basket or pot. When planted in containers, Bacopa will reward you with its trailing stems covered in delicate flowers.
- Bacopa Monnieri, water hyssop, Brahmi, or the herb of grace is known to attract butterflies, bees and other small pollinators, especially the white peacock butterfly species. So, if they are pretty common in your area, you should expect to see their caterpillars on your Bacopa Monnieri.
- Ideal companion plants for Bacopa Monnieri include Angelonia, Sweet Potato Vine, Million Bells, Carex, Fescue, Coleus, Lamb’s Ear, Hibiscus, Ampleaster, Diascia, and Nemesia.
Growing Bacopa Monnieri
As mentioned earlier, this aquatic and semi-aquatic perennial grows best in wet conditions, so the soil should be poorly drained or moisture retentive. It can be challenging to grow bacopa monnieri in your garden; however, it isn’t difficult, nor is it impossible. Hence, if you are an amateur gardener, you can easily learn all the requirements and everything the water hyssop needs to grow healthily and beautifully.
The most crucial aspect you need to know when it comes to growing bacopa monnieri is that it uses water abundantly and requires wet soil type. As for how much light is necessary, Bacopa Monnieri is a sun-loving plant growing best in direct sunlight. Partial shade is also tolerated, and it doesn’t affect its growth.
Planting Bacopa Monnieri
If you have decided to add this highly beneficial and medicinal plant to your garden, here’s what you need to know. Bacopa Monnieri is not high-maintenance or difficult to plant. But there are certain aspects that you must know to ensure it will grow beautifully.
- Bacopa Snowtopia grows as a perennial groundcover in USDA Zones: 9 - 10 and thrives in full sun to partial shade areas.
- Bacopa, or Sutera cordata is a low-growing flower only reaching 4 - 6 inches in height with white blooms from late spring through fall.
- This ground cover is perfect for gardens, hanging baskets, or as a container plant with its spiller-type foliage.
- Sow these heirloom seeds at 2 - 3 seeds per plant in well drained-soil and keep moist until germination occurs in 7 - 10 days.
- Our seeds are always Non-GMO and packaged for the current year.
- Cognitive Support: Think more clearly so you can get everything done and enjoy more time for yourself! Himalaya Organic Bacopa supports memory and cognition, making it a useful, thoughtful choice for anyone with a busy lifestyle.*
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- Bacopa Utopia grows as a perennial groundcover mix in USDA Zones: 9 - 10 and thrives in full sun to partial shade areas.
- Bacopa, or Sutera cordata is a low-growing flower only reaching 4 - 6 inches in height with white and blue blooms from late spring through fall.
- This ground cover is perfect for gardens, hanging baskets, or as a container plant with its spiller-type foliage.
- Sow these heirloom seeds at 2 - 3 seeds per plant in well drained-soil and keep moist until germination occurs in 7 - 10 days.
- With a slightly mounded growth habit bacopa trails gently over containers softening sides with small white and lavender blue blooms on emerald green foliage. Bacopa plants grow best in full sun or light shade and well-drained soil.
Last update on 2024-10-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
First things first. Plant your Bacopa Monnieri in spring. The soil type you need to use should be clay, loam, or sand, with an acidic to neutral or slightly alkaline soil pH. Because it is a water-loving plant, there is no denying that Bacopa Monnieri needs to be planted in moisture-retentive soil. You can mulch the ground in summer to improve its water retention and to keep the soil cool. The water needs of Bacopa are high in its early stages as well as when it reaches maturity. Given its requirements, this is an ideal plant if you have a bog or water garden.
For hanging pots, you can plant your Bacopa in a special hanging pot soil mix, but don’t forget to water it regularly after planting. It is also important to avoid overcrowding your plants. Plant them at least 30 cm (12 inches) apart from each other because these plants can grow fast and will need plenty of room.
It is of the utmost importance to ensure the planting area is in full sun or partial shade, depending on how you want your Bacopa Monnieri to grow. Its foliage will grow abundantly when it receives direct sunlight, creating a lush aesthetic. In contrast, if it is planted in a partially shaded area, its foliage will tend to spread out. This will help bacopa monnieri expand its growth.
Watering Bacopa Monnieri
Naturally, the water hyssop plant requires plenty of water to live healthily and maintain its lush state. This means that it will be instantly harmed if drought conditions arise, and should you wish to kill the plant for any reason, drying out the soil is an effective method of doing this.
It is crucial to mention this to emphasize the importance of frequently watering Bacopa Monnieri plants. The watering schedule will have to be adjusted depending on the weather conditions. For instance, in extremely dry weather and in areas where these conditions last for a long time, you need to water your bacopa monnieri daily.
Propagating Bacopa Monnieri
You can propagate Bacopa Monnieri in two practical ways, either from root divisions or vegetative cuttings. The former method implies digging up the plant’s roots and immediately planting a few sections taken from them in the desired area either in spring or fall. As for the vegetative cuttings method, there are specific steps you need to do.
First, with a pair of pruning shears, you must cut off established stems’ cuttings from late spring until early summer. These cuttings, which should be around 6 or 8 inches, need to be placed in water and positioned in an area where they can receive bright indirect light. Once the roots have been properly established, usually after a week or two, you can plant them in your chosen area.
Bacopa Monnieri Pests and Diseases
Bacopa Monnieri a.k.a. Waterhyssop is quite resistant to pests and diseases. No major problems are known for these plants, except for occasional visits from insects like Spodoptera litura and grasshoppers. You can easily control these infestations by using natural insecticides such as Neem oil.
Snails and slugs may also find your Bacopa Monnieri plants attractive and munch on them. An effective way to avoid damage from snails and slugs is by picking them by hand whenever you notice them around your plants.
Bacopa Monnieri can also be affected by the presence of parasitic root-knot nematodes, which use this plant as a host. Tilling the soil regularly, frequent incorporation of organic matter, and solar heating are effective ways to avoid a nematode infestation.
Being a plant that thrives in moist environments, Bacopa may also be affected by powdery mildew. The first sign of powdery mildew consists of white spots on the foliage of the plant. Quite similar to flour or white dust, powdery mildew can quickly damage your plants. Read our complete guide to powdery mildew to learn more about preventing and treating this fungal disease.
In Conclusion
Have you decided to plant Bacopa Monnieri in your garden? Then you have come to the right place to learn everything you need to know about this wonderful plant, which has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Bacopa monnieri is a water-loving, long-lived, creeping perennial plant native to wetland environments which will undoubtedly be an excellent addition to your garden with its white flowers and shiny foliage.
Are you growing Bacopa Monnieri a.k.a. Waterhyssop? Share your experience in the comment section!
