Bacopa caroliniana is found in the Southern United States, from Maryland to Texas. It grows in warm, wet areas like marshes and ponds with rich soil and ample sunlight. Bacopa caroliniana grows underwater and outside of it so long as the substrate is wet and humidity levels are high.
Lemon bacopa is one of the oldest aquarium plants. Stem plants tend to be difficult to care for, requiring a lot of light and nutrients. But bacopa caroliniana requires little to no specialized fertilizer or attention. It grows slowly and will flower once it reaches the surface of your tank.
Bacopa caroliniana is easy to confuse with its close cousin, B. monnieri or moneywort. The plants look similar, with bright green, succulent leaves. Bacopa caroliniana has triangular leaves and the flowers are either blue or purple. Bacopa monnieri has round leaves and creates small, white flowers.
The two plants also get mixed up since both are sold as “bacopa” or “water hyssop.” Lemon bacopa is the most reliable common name for bacopa caroliniana since when crushed, it has a lemony or limey scent to it. Moneywort has no smell.
Moneywort is an herbal remedy as well that has been used for thousands of years. It is believed to be useful for memory improvement and nerve regrowth. But these claims are still being investigated. It is unclear if Bacopa caroliniana has the same active ingredients or not.
- Common Names: Lemon Bacopa, Water Hyssop, Mint Bacopa, Giant Red Bacopa
- Scientific Name: Bacopa caroliniana
- Origin: Southern United States
- Height: 15-30 cm
- Light Needs: Medium
- Nutritional Needs: Low
- Carbon Dioxide: Not needed to Low
- Growth Rate: Medium
- Ease of Care: Easy
Lighting for Bacopa Caroliniana
Aquarium bacopa plants are so popular with beginner live plant enthusiasts because they make few demands on you. They are considered a medium-light plant. So you will need to choose a light fixture that puts out moderate levels of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR).
Medium light LED fixtures are more affordable than ever, however. Even a basic unit will provide enough light for bacopa caroliniana. In higher light conditions the plant will grow a little faster, but not by much.
Bacopa aquarium plants have a moderate growth rate so don’t provide more light if your other plants don’t need it. Otherwise you are fueling algae growth, which will use up any available light and nutrients that plants aren’t taking up.
One common name for this plant is giant red bacopa. Like many aquarium plants, bacopa caroliniana will take on an intense red color under certain conditions. The strategy is called nitrate limitation and is used by advanced level aquarists to turn green plants scarlet.
All nutrients need to be available in excess, except nitrogen in the form of nitrate. Light levels also have to be intense. When this happens, the upper leaves of bacopa caroliniana (and other plants like ludwigia sp.) will turn scarlet red. The leaves will also remain tiny.
The flip side is that plant growth rate slows to a crawl. But for aquascaping purposes, that’s fine since it means less maintenance. And once your giant red bacopa reaches its final size it will stay that way for longer.
When left alone bacopa caroliniana tends to grow straight up towards the light. If you want bushy growth, you need to trim the plant. It will then create lateral shoots, making it look bushier with each trimming.
Bacopa Aquarium Plant Fertilizer
You don’t need complex fertilizer regimens to keep bacopa caroliniana. But you do need to provide some nutrients. Slow-release fertilizer tabs should be placed in the substrate, spaced every few inches. They will provide bacopa aquarium plants with all of the nutrition they need.
The slow-release formula also keeps more of the nutrients locked away so algae in the water column won’t get to them. Since bacopa caroliniana also feeds from the water column, liquid fertilizer dosing is also effective. Occasional iron and potassium supplements are important for good growth and green coloration.
Lemon bacopa will grow in both sand and gravel substrates. So choose the substrate that is more pleasing in terms of visual character.
Water parameters are otherwise unimportant. It will thrive in a range of pH (6.0-8.0) and water hardness levels. As a North American native plant, temperatures of 60-78℉ are ideal. As long as water conditions are not too extreme, bacopa caroliniana will do well.
Does Bacopa Caroliniana Need CO2?
Carbon dioxide enrichment is not required for bacopa caroliniana to survive. But adding CO2 is a good way to get it to grow faster.
Carbon is a major element that all plants need for building their cell walls. Adding even small amounts improves the growth of all aquatic plants. CO2 will also help plants compete better with algae in nutrient-rich, high-light environments.
Use a carbon dioxide detector, such as a liquid drop checker, on any tank with fish and invertebrates. CO2 is essential to plants but dangerous to animals in high concentrations.
Put your carbon dioxide system on a timer as well. Plants use CO2 during the day, releasing oxygen that animals breathe. But at night they switch modes, using oxygen and releasing CO2. If you leave your CO2 on at night your fish may end up being suffocated.
Propagating Bacopa Aquatic Plants
Bacopa caroliniana has two modes of propagation. Once it reaches the surface it will start to produce small purple flowers. Bees are their natural pollinators but there are not going to be bees in your home. Instead, you can propagate the plant yourself using stem cuttings.
Cuttings can be taken from the top portion of the plant or the lateral shoots it sends out sideways. Bacopa caroliniana stems are crisp and fragile. So don’t use dull scissors or try to tear them by hand.
Use sharp planting scissors to trim bacopa caroliniana stems for propagation. Insert them with care into the substrate, being sure not to bruise them against hard gravel grains.
Choose cuttings that are at least 3 inches long and remove the leaves from the lower 2 inches of stem length. You can also allow your bacopa cuttings to float in the tank. They will have access to more light and carbon dioxide that way. Causing new roots to form faster.
Conclusion
Bacopa caroliniana is an easy stem plant to grow. It won’t grow as lush as difficult species. But it provides the same oxygenating and water purifying abilities as other live plants. It is also simple to propagate and with time, you could fill an entire aquarium with it.
FAQs
Bacopa caroliniana is one of the easiest stem plants to grow and is excellent for beginners. The one thing you have to provide is medium light levels.
Bacopa caroliniana does not require carbon dioxide. But adding CO2 will boost its growth rate and enable better competition with algae.
Bacopa caroliniana prefers growing in soil, sand or gravel. But it does not need a substrate if the water contains enough nutrients. It will grow as a floating plant instead.
