Bacopa caroliniana

This marsh plant from the southern and middle USA is a hardy stem plant with most of the virtues and only a few of the faults of stem plants. Its ovoid leaves are thicker and stems sturdier than the many needle-leaved stem plants that tend to be delicate both to touch and to water conditions. However, like most stem plants, it has a tendency to send out roots from almost any node above the substrate. These side roots are easily dealt with by pruning. Because the caroliniana grows quickly, pruning can, indeed must, be done frequently. Under strong light the freshest growth will have a characteristic reddish coloring that makes this a useful plant both for accents and for filling in large background areas in an aquascape. Shaded lower portions of stems may lose leaves; cut the tops, remove the lower portion and replant the cutting.