Re: New House, New Plants to ID

on 12/28/02 1:32 AM, Dave Poole at dave-poole@ilsham.demon.co.uk wrote:

> Your 'clover' is one of the Bacopa species or may be a cultivated
> variety.  It is a charming mat forming plant smothered in flower for
> much of the year if conditions are to its liking.  There are several
> native to the US, mostly found growing in dune slacks.  Although not
> spectacular,  they are well worth growing and have relatively few
> vices apart from closing down during periods of drought and extreme
> heat.  



Although it is commonly marketed as a "Bacopa", your "clover" does not
belong to that genus of North and South American subtropical and tropical
aquatic plants, commonly known as "Water Hyssop" (Scrophulariaceae).
See:

http://www.floridaplants.com/Eflora/bacopa_monnieri.htm

http://www.geocities.com/bwe407/bacopa.html

Bacopa monierii is often used as a medicinal herb.

Bacopa caroliniana is often planted in fish tanks and garden pools but is
considered a noxious invasive in various natural aquatic environments:

http://www.fish2u.com/apbc.html

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/watergarden/bacopa.html

http://www.easyfishkeeping.com/Tropica/43.htm

Your plant is a tender trailing perennial, Sutera cordata, a useful member
of a large genus of herbs and shrubs of the same family from South Africa:

http://www.csupomona.edu/~tbhfujimoto/HOR233/List5/Sutera_cordata.html

The misnaming has often been pointed out to U. S. nurserymen and it is
correctly treated in the latest edition of the Sunset Western Garden Book,
but some marketers are reluctant to correct the name "for fear of confusing
the public" (truth be told, it would cost them a lot of money to change
their labels).

The first form introduced in California was called 'Snowflake''.  It hugged
the ground, spreading widely, but never grew more than two inches high.

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Scrophulariaceae/Sutera_cordata.html
   
Subsequently, 'Giant Snowflake' appeared, with plants that built up to  6-8
inches deep, with flowers almost a half inch in diameter.  The latest
version is 'Snowstorm', with even larger flowers and more heat tolerance.
There is also similar form with gold-variegated leaves named 'Olympic Gold':

http://www.plants-magazine.com/newplants/newplant112.shtml

I am still partial to 'Snowflake', which appears to be off the market but
remains useful between paving stones and  as a very low groundcover in
places that are too sunny for baby tears or moss.

There are now several forms of other species on the market.  See:

http://www.pla-int.com/Pages/bacopa.html

http://metrolinagreenhouses.com/plants/baskets/Bacopa.htm

http://www.hatchettcreek.com/bacopa.php

http://www.fernlea.com/annual/variety/bacop.htm

Please note: Nomenclatural chaos reigns.  ALL the plans featured on the
above pages are forms or hybrids of Sutera species--not Bacopa!

John MacGregor
South Pasadena, CA 91030
USDA zone 9   Sunset zones 21/23
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