Chaenostoma spp.

skunkbushes

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Chaenostoma spp. is a genus of about 46 species of low, spreading subshrubs and perennials in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae, native to southern Africa. Most form trailing or mounding plants 4–12 inches (10–30 cm) tall that spread 12–24 inches (30–60 cm) wide, with thin, branching stems and small, toothed, oval leaves under 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. The five-lobed flowers are 0.2–0.5 inch (5–12 mm) across and appear in great numbers along the stems through the warm months, ranging across white, pale pink, lilac, mauve, and blue. C. cordatum, widely sold as bacopa or sutera, is the species behind most trailing basket selections. The genus flowers continuously where temperatures stay mild but pauses in cold or very hot, dry spells. Chaenostoma spp. is frost-tender and is grown as a warm-season annual in cold climates, lasting one season before frost. Plants grow quickly and need steady moisture, wilting fast when the soil dries. Cultivated forms include white, lavender-blue, and double-flowered selections.

Native Range

Chaenostoma spp. is native to southern Africa, mainly the eastern and southern coast of South Africa, where it grows on rocky outcrops, streambanks, and forest margins. C. cordatum occurs in moist, sheltered sites in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

Suggested Uses

Chaenostoma spp. is grown in hanging baskets, window boxes, and container edges, where the trailing stems spill over the rim. In frost-free gardens it is used as a fast groundcover or border filler, spaced 10–12 inches (25–30 cm) apart. It also pairs with upright summer annuals in mixed plantings.

How to Identify

Identify Chaenostoma spp. by its low, trailing mat of thin stems set with small, toothed, oval leaves and many tiny five-lobed flowers with a yellow throat. The flowers are scattered evenly along the stems rather than clustered at the tips. The combination of a creeping habit, finely toothed leaves, and a long bloom season separates the common bacopa types from similar basket plants.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height4" - 1'

Width/Spread1' - 2'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Chaenostoma spp. blooms more or less continuously from late spring through autumn, and year-round in frost-free climates. The small flowers open in flushes that peak in warm, moist weather and pause during heat or drought. In container culture the long season runs from planting out after frost until the first hard freeze.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white, pink, lilac, mauve, or blue

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 6.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

1 season

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Chaenostoma spp. grows in full sun to part shade and moist, free-draining soil rich in organic matter, at a pH of 5.5–6.5. The genus needs steady moisture and wilts quickly when the root zone dries, recovering if rewatered promptly. Regular feeding through the growing season keeps the foliage green and the flowers coming. Plants are frost-tender, growing as evergreen perennials only where temperatures stay above about 25°F (−4°C). In colder areas they are grown as warm-season annuals or overwintered as cuttings under cover. Light, frequent watering suits container plants, which dry out faster than those in the ground.

Pruning

Chaenostoma spp. is self-cleaning and needs no deadheading. A light shearing in midsummer revives stems that have grown thin or stopped flowering, prompting fresh growth within a couple of weeks. Trimming straggly trailing stems keeps container and basket plants dense.