Bacopa caroliniana
blue water-hyssop, blue waterhyssop
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Leaf Arrangement
opposite
Leaf Attachment
clasping
Leaf Margin
entire
Leaf Type
simple
Leaf Shape
elliptic, ovate
Growth Form
forb
Flower Color
blue
Flower Petals
5, fused
Flower Month
May - September
Height (meters)
0.1 - 0.4
Milky Sap
No
Armed/Unarmed
Unarmed
Origin
native
Lifespan
perennial
Growing Season
Warm season
Wetland Class
OBL
Wetland Coefficient of Conservatism
5
Prairie Coefficient of Conservatism
4
Field Characters
Bacopa caroliniana can be differentiated from Bacopa monnieri and B. rotundifolia by its blue flowers and lemon scent when crushed. Bacopa monnieri and B. rotundifolia have white flowers and no lemon scent. Opposite leaves that are longer than wide, egg shaped and attached at the broad end, and are clasping at the stem. Flower pale to deep blue, subtended by 2 awn-like bracts.
Habitat
Sandy, shallow pond and marsh or stream margins.