Large-flowered Bacopa (Purple Glory Plant) care

Light

Large-flowered Bacopa needs sun on the leaves, not just bright ambient room light. Requires at least four to six hours of direct sun daily for the most abundant flowering; in very hot summers light afternoon shade helps prevent flower drop. A south or west-facing windowsill in the northern hemisphere is the default; anywhere else, expect the plant to stretch and pale out within a season.

Watering

Water large-flowered bacopa keep soil evenly and consistently moist. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Plants drop buds without wilting when drought-stressed, and recovery takes two to three weeks; check soil moisture daily in containers during summer.

Soil and pot

Large-flowered Bacopa grows best in fertile, moist but free-draining loam or potting mix. Optimal pH is slightly acid (5.6–6.5); in containers use a high-quality potting compost with added perlite to ensure drainage while retaining moisture. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Large-flowered Bacopa sits happiest at around Moderate (50–65%) humidity and 5 to 25°C (41 to 77°F). Prefers moderate humidity; avoid very dry, hot air indoors which can cause bud drop and increase spider mite pressure. If you keep the room above 5 to 25°C year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed large-flowered bacopa sparingly. Feed every one to two weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser (10-10-10) during the growing season; switch to a high-potash feed in late summer to encourage continued flowering. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on large-flowered bacopa in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Bud drop from drought stress — Even brief periods without water cause buds and flowers to abort; plants show no wilting as an early warning sign, so check soil moisture daily and never allow compost to dry out completely.
• Whitefly and aphids — Under glass or on sheltered patios, whitefly and aphids colonise the soft stems; introduce Encarsia formosa for biological control under glass or treat outdoors with insecticidal soap.

Propagation

Take softwood cuttings in spring or summer, rooting them in a free-draining cutting compost at 18–20°C. Can also be grown from seed sown under glass in early spring at 18°C. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Large-flowered Bacopa is mildly toxic to pets. Sutera grandiflora is not listed in the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant database; no toxic compounds have been identified in this species, but a mildly-toxic classification is used as a precaution in the absence of a confirmed non-toxic assessment. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Large-flowered Bacopa deep-dive guides

Every aspect of large-flowered bacopa care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common large-flowered bacopa problems & fixes
• Large-flowered Bacopa watering schedule
• Large-flowered Bacopa light requirements
• Best soil mix for large-flowered bacopa
• Large-flowered Bacopa fertilizing guide
• When to repot large-flowered bacopa
• How to propagate large-flowered bacopa
• How to prune large-flowered bacopa
• What's eating my large-flowered bacopa?
• Large-flowered Bacopa growth rate & size
• Large-flowered Bacopa cold hardiness
• Large-flowered Bacopa temperature & humidity
• Is large-flowered bacopa toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is large-flowered bacopa toxic to cats?
• Is large-flowered bacopa toxic to dogs?
• Getting large-flowered bacopa to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Large-flowered Bacopa qualifies for 6 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best trailing & climbing houseplants — Vining and trailing houseplants for shelves, hanging pots, and moss poles — selected by growth habit.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Large-flowered Bacopa is also known as Large-flowered Bacopa, Purple Glory Plant, and Bacopa.

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