Plants
Bacopa
Sutera cordata · Scrophulariaceae
Bacopa — the snowflake flower in German — is the most reliable white trailing plant there is: its long shoots spill over box edges like a veil of blossom and flower from May until frost without deadheading. It is also one of the few balcony flowers that blooms willingly in part shade. We source our stock well branched via the Veiling Rhein-Maas.
- Light
- Sunny to part-shaded, suitable for east-facing balconies too.
- Watering
- Regular — evenly moist, water daily on hot days.
- Care level
- Easy
- Botanical
- Sutera cordata
Botanically the plant is now Chaenostoma cordatum, but in the trade the old name Sutera and the selling name bacopa have stuck. Alongside the classic white there are varieties in pale pink, lavender blue and violet, plus large-flowered series such as Snowflake and Scopia.
Its great strength is self-cleaning: spent florets drop without leaving brown remnants, and the plant keeps flowering on new growth without any intervention. That makes it the ideal choice for anyone who wants beautiful boxes without daily fuss.
The most critical point is water: the shallow roots tolerate no dry root ball — if the pot dries out completely just once, bacopa abruptly sheds flowers and buds. It usually recovers, but needs two to three weeks to do so. Even moisture without waterlogging is the whole secret.
It is happiest in sun to part shade; unlike geraniums and petunias it also copes with an east-facing or bright north-facing balcony, merely flowering a little more loosely there. It is less fond of blazing south walls with trapped heat.
In plantings, white is the great mediator: bacopa calms colourful mixes, makes blues and pinks glow and gives structured partners like geraniums a soft frame. We work it into almost every hanging basket as a connecting element.
Is Bacopa toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Non-toxic
- Cats
- Non-toxic
- Dogs
- Non-toxic
Bacopa is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and children, making it a good choice for balconies with pets. As with all ornamentals, eating larger amounts is still not advised.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01A sunny to part-shaded spot; tolerates light shade too.
- 02Keep evenly moist — the root ball must never dry out completely.
- 03Avoid waterlogging; drainage holes and loose substrate are a must.
- 04Liquid-feed every one to two weeks.
- 05No deadheading needed — the plant cleans itself.
- 06Shorten overlong shoots in summer to encourage dense regrowth.
Frequently asked
- Why is my bacopa suddenly dropping all its flowers?
- The classic trigger is a root ball that has dried out completely just once — bacopa responds with immediate flower and bud drop. Water the plant well, keep it evenly moist and trim it lightly: after two to three weeks it will flower again on new growth.
- Is bacopa toxic to cats or dogs?
- No, it is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and children. That makes it one of the most pet-friendly balcony flowers of all — ideal when cats like to play with trailing shoots.
- Does bacopa flower in the shade?
- In part shade, yes — it is one of the few trailing flowers that also blooms reliably on east-facing and bright north-facing balconies, just a little more loosely. In deep shade, flowering does become sparse.
- Does bacopa need deadheading?
- No. The spent florets drop by themselves and the plant keeps flowering continuously on new growth. Only bare or overlong shoots may be shortened — that keeps the basket dense and shapely.