Bacopa (Sutera cordata): Trailing Cloud of Tiny Flowers

Sutera cordata (often sold as Bacopa), is a delightful, low-growing perennial (usually grown as an annual) that produces a profusion of small, five-lobed flowers along trailing stems. It's a classic "spiller" for containers, hanging baskets, and window boxes.

Botanical Profile

Growing Bacopa

Native to southern Africa, this mat-forming plant reaches 3–6 inches tall and trails 12–24 inches. The small, serrated leaves are bright green. Flowers—typically white, but also pink, lavender, and blue in cultivars—bloom continuously from spring to frost if kept moist. It thrives in full sun to part shade with consistently moist, well-drained soil; it wilts dramatically if dry but recovers quickly with water.

Hardy only to about 30°F (-1°C), it's used as a cool-season annual in most climates. Perfect for edging containers, softening walls, and combining with upright annuals. Shear back mid-season to rejuvenate. A reliable, floriferous trailer that adds a soft, frothy texture to compositions.