This bacopa grows in the shady hollow of a tree that was cut down years earlier. As the wood rots away, the soil is topped off to maintain height and the stump provides compost.
Bacopa (Sutera cordata) is in the Scrophulariaceae family, and is a tender perennial requiring dappled shade and consistently moist soil — not the best plant in our Davis climate unless planted near a water feature or daily water is provided. Its evergreen foliage ranges from green to chartreuse. Native from southeastern US to Central America, bacopa has a trailing habit and grows up to 6" high with small white or lavender flowers; bacopa thins and drops its flowers when stressed such as with underwatering. Ideally, bacopa should be planted in a pond or bog area to maintain adequate moisture. This plant blooms from late spring through early fall and propagates fairly easily from cuttings. Bacopa is a slow grower compared to other plants such as bellflowers, dead nettle or confederate violet, so you'll need quite a few plugs to establish it as a ground cover, but it also isn't nearly as invasive as the latter two plants.
To learn more about plants found growing in Davis, visit our Town Flora.
