Sutera cordata

Sutera cordata

The South African groundcover known as bacopa is botanically Sutera cordata (ht 20-30 cm, spread to 40 cm). It has simple, rounded flowers and comes in various colours in single and double forms. Cultivars include 'Snowflake', 'Gulliver Snow', 'Double Pink Pearl' and 'Great Purple'. They bloom for many months, beginning in spring, and seem to do best in sun or part shade, with some moisture in the soil. They seem to be excellent plants for creating a soft and flowery effect, especially for cascading over walls. Propagation is by detaching rooted pieces and potting them on. In my experience, the plants don't last a long time in Sydney and should be started anew each year, but I have heard that if grown in part shade with sufficient moisture, they can endure longer.