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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Bacopa monnieri (Herb-of-grace)
Romfh, Peggy

Bacopa monnieri

Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell

Herb-of-grace, Water Hyssop, Coastal Water-hyssop

Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)

Synonym(s): Bramia monnieri, Lysimachia monnieri

USDA Symbol: bamo

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), HI (N), PR (N), VI (N)

The solitary, axillary, bell-shaped flowers of these creeping, mat-forming, aquatic or semi-aquatic perennials are borne on slender pedicils. The small, white flowers are often tinged with blue or pink. The leaves are small, oval and shiny.

Water Hyssop is a member of the figwort or snapdragon family (family Scrophulariaceae), which includes about 220 genera and 3,000 species occurring nearly throughout the world.

 

From the Image Gallery

10 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Prostrate stems up to about 1 foot long.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink , Blue
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AL , AZ , CA , FL , GA , HI , LA , MD , MS , NC , OK , SC , TX , VA
Native Distribution: Coastal Plain from MD to TX & s.w. AR
Native Habitat: Wet sands; mud flats; pond or stream margins

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
Soil Description: Wet sands.
Conditions Comments: Water-hyssop is a good choice to plant in bogs,water gardens and in hanging baskets or draping over the edge of a pot. It will also grow in moist soil or shallow water as a groundcover. The small, white flowers are often tinged with blue or pink. The leaves are small, oval and shiny.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Butterflies
Deer Resistant: Moderate

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

White Peacock
(Anartia jatrophae)

Larval Host
Learn more at BAMONA

Propagation

Propagation Material: Clump Division
Description: Very easy to grow water plant. Pick off trailing stems with roots and replant. Might look more lush if roots were kept wet, but does fine outside tanks too.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: OBL OBL OBL OBL OBL OBL
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Nueces River Authority - Uvalde, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0937 Collected Aug 5, 1994 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe

1 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-1096 Collected 2007-08-10 in Montgomery County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

1 collection(s) available in the Wildflower Center Seed Bank

Bibliography

Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Bacopa monnieri in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Bacopa monnieri in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Bacopa monnieri

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-17
Research By: TWC Staff, RLU

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