Chaenostoma cordatum comes from the forest margins and shaded coastal hills of South Africa's Western Cape, which explains its preference for bright indirect light rather than the harsh midday sun that would bleach its tiny blooms. In its native habitat it is a perennial ground cover, but in most of North America it is grown as an annual in containers, hanging baskets, and window boxes, where its sprawling, fast-spreading stems can trail freely without the need for training. Each flower is a small five-petaled funnel, white with a yellow throat, produced continuously and in such numbers that the overall effect reads as a soft white cloud.

At 3 to 6 inches tall with a spreading habit, bacopa functions best as a filler or edging plant alongside taller annuals, cascading over the edges of containers and softening hard lines. It wants moist, well-drained soil and regular watering, particularly in hot weather when containers dry quickly. A liquid fertilizer during the growing season keeps the flowering continuous. Light trimming when growth becomes leggy will encourage fresh branching and sustained bloom. It is largely trouble-free in terms of pests and diseases, though root rot follows overwatering in poorly drained situations, and powdery mildew can appear in still, humid conditions.