Propagating Bacopa australis (Needle-Leaf Bacopa) from Cuttings

A step-by-step guide to multiplying needle-leaf bacopa from cuttings. This easy, bright-green creeping stem plant branches freely and forms low cushions under good light.

Overview

Bacopa australis, sometimes called needle-leaf or southern bacopa, is an easy stem plant from southern Brazil with small, round, bright green leaves. It grows in a creeping pattern that forms decorative cushions across the substrate and can be used as a low midground accent or kept short for a loose carpet.

It is forgiving and branches freely, so propagation is simply a matter of taking cuttings. Snipping the tops both shapes the planting and gives you new plants, while the bases push out fresh side shoots.

Propagation Method (Cuttings)

Needle-leaf bacopa is propagated by topping cuttings. As a stem plant it is readily multiplied through side-shoot cuttings: cut off the top few centimetres and plant them directly into the substrate, where new buds and roots grow from the internodes. It responds well to trimming, so each cut yields more plants.

Step-by-Step

Cut off the top 5-10 cm of a healthy stem, just above a leaf node.
Strip the leaves from the lowest 1-2 cm so they will not rot in the substrate.
Plant each cutting 2-4 cm deep into nutrient-rich substrate.
Space cuttings a little apart for a midground clump, or close together for a carpet.
Leave the trimmed bases in place; they will send out side shoots and thicken the planting.

Conditions for Healthy Growth

Bacopa australis is easy and grows at a medium rate. It does not require CO2, but it needs decent light and benefits from liquid fertiliser; under strong lighting and added CO2 it grows more compactly and the tips take on a yellow-green to reddish tone. Keep it at 20-28 C, pH 6-7.5, in a nutrient-rich substrate.

Light: medium to high; brighter light yields compact growth and yellow-green to reddish tips.
CO2: optional, but improves density and colour.
Temperature 20-28 C, pH 6-7.5, GH 3-12.
Can be grown emersed; submersed it forms low creeping cushions.

Trimming & Maintenance

Trim roughly every two weeks, or more often under bright light. As the stems grow taller, simply cut off the tops and replant them for a fuller, denser planting. Regular topping keeps the cushion low and tight and provides a steady supply of cuttings for spreading the plant.

Common Challenges

In dim light the plant stretches, loses its compact creeping form, and stays pale. Lower leaves dropping signal shading within a too-dense clump, so thin and replant the healthiest tops. Newly planted cuttings can lift free before they root, so plant them deeply and gently firm the substrate around them.