This plant became known under the trade name Bacopa sp. “Japan”. It is still quite new in the aquarium hobby. At the beginning of May 2014, Cavan Allen (USA) announced in the forum of aquaticplantcentral.com that the plant had been identified as Bacopa serpyllifolia on the basis of a flowering, emersed specimen. This species is widespread in tropical South America. Even before that, it already seemed likely that the plant did not originate from Japan, but from the American continent. No species of the genus Bacopa are native to Japan, and the Bacopa species of the Asian mainland differ clearly from the aquarium plant.
Bacopa serpyllifolia probably came onto the market in Japan first. In the USA it spread by exchange or trade among hobbyists. It had been introduced to Europe by 2012 at the latest, but is still little known here.
According to the APC Plantfinder, this plant will undoubtedly find wide use in aquascaping. Unlike the other Bacopa species known in the hobby, it grows mainly horizontally to ascending and thereby forms a carpet or compact bush, similar to Staurogyne repens. Bacopa serpyllifolia has a vivid yellow-green colouration. The leaves are oblong-oval and resemble those of Elatine triandra in shape, but become much larger.
(For more, see “Culture” and “Design”)
For successful cultivation of Bacopa serpyllifolia, intense lighting and fairly large amounts of iron and CO2 are important. Newly planted specimens may need some time to acclimatise and to begin growing.1 Like other stem plants, this Bacopa can be propagated by top and section cuttings. Over time the stand does become taller, but selective or area-wide pruning and, if necessary, replanting of top shoots keep the growth low and compact. The plant grows faster than Staurogyne repens, which has a similar growth form.
For emersed cultivation on wet substrate the plant should be well lit and have plenty of room.1
References and further reading:In contrast to other Bacopa species, B. serpyllifolia, with its low growth, can be used like Staurogyne repens: as a taller ground cover or compact bush. It can be modelled well by trimming. As a contoured bush in the midground, with its vivid yellow-green colour it is an eye-catcher and contrasts effectively with plants of other colours. It presumably suits the Dutch planted-aquarium style just as well as nature aquariums.
References and further reading:
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[widget=aquaticplants/bacopa-serpyllifolia]Bacopa serpyllifolia[/widget]