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Blue Water Hyssop

Bacopa caroliniana (buh-KOH-puh kair-oh-lin-ee-AY-nuh)

Family: Plantaginaceae Native Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

Lemon Bacopa is a creeping native herbaceous perennial wildflower in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae) found a;ong shores, tidal muds, marshes, disturbed wetlands, and coastal shores of the southeastern U.S.A. and Cuba. This plant grows up to 1 foot high and spreads up to 40 inches wide, preferring partial shade outdoors but bright light indoors. It is not drought or salt-tolerant. It will root easily from stem cuttings. The thick, succulent leaves are lemon-scented when crushed. The small bright blue flowers bloom from late spring to fall, attracting small pollinators. Lemon Bacopa can be grown along a pond or bog as a groundcover or grown fully submerged. Use in a native, water or rain garden. It can be grown indoors in a hanging container or in an aquarium. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 55 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Herbaceous Perennial; Native Plant
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Wet
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 8 in. - 3 ft. 4 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping
Texture
Medium
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Fleshy
Leaf value
Fragrant
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Thick succulent leaves are oblanceolate and opposite. 1/8 inch wide and 5/8 inch long
Flower color
Blue
Flower value
Long Bloom Season
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers are blue with 5 petals and bloom May-September.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Fruits are available July-October. Small inconspicuous capsules
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Green stems growing out of the water have fine hairs. Those growing in the water are hairless.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southeastern U.S.A., Cuba
Distribution
AL, FL, GA, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TX, VA
Wildlife value
A food source for the larvae of the White peacock (Anartia jatrophae) butterfly.
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Hanging Baskets; Houseplants; Pond; Riparian
Landscape theme
Native Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rain Garden; Water Garden
Design feature
Mass Planting; Small groups
Garden tags
#native perennial #NC native #wet soils tolerant #heat tolerant #native wildflower #Coastal OBL #food source herbage #food source nectar #Piedmont Mountains OBL #moth caterpillar host #bird friendly #aquariums #Audubon #butterfly friendly #moth friendly #fragrant leaves #herbaceous perennial #pond
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Heat; Wet Soil
Propagation
Stem Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.