cordata: A Great Ground Cover for the Landscape

Barry Glick

 hen Thomas Meehan, a upcoming visit. I had requested one Talk about getting caught not Philadelphia botanist, died the year before, but it always seemed practicing what you preach—I tell in 1901, I’m sure he went to the big they were sold out. So I was everyone during my lectures on forest in the sky feeling proud that emphatic that I must have one, and native to “look in your own Nathaniel Lord Britton (1859– intimated should they not bring me backyard!” Well, after I recovered 1934), named a of plants in one, they may end up sleeping in my from my initial embarrassment, we his honor. I’d also bet that he didn’t barn that chilly autumn night. looked further and found the entire know how wonderful his namesake Saxifragaceae (Tiarella L., west facing slope of the hill down to was. Heuchera L., and Heucherella L.) are the creekbed was a veritable carpet of In fact, most people don’t know the main focus of their breeding dark, almost glossy green, cordate how wonderful Meehania cordata work, so we had planned a day of (heart-shaped, hence the specific (Nutt.) Britt. () is. Tiarella hunting in Wolfpen Hollow, epithet cordata) leaves, vining over Charles and Martha Oliver are a hauntingly mysterious woodland rocks and decaying tree limbs in the proprietors of the Primrose Path area near my farm. We’d just deep shade of hemlocks and oaks. Nursery in Scottdale, Pennsylvania, descended a summit into the foggy I took some cuttings not knowing and dear friends of mine. I’d noticed creekbottom when I heard Charles whether they would root so late in Meehania cordata listed in their laughing hysterically behind me on the season, but I had a gut feeling of catalog. After reading their descrip- the trail. I turned to see what he optimism. Sure enough, they rooted tion and hearing them extol the found so amusing and saw him in a matter of weeks. virtues about how charming this pointing to the ground. There, all The following spring, I checked little plant was, I asked them to around him, the ground was covered in on the population and found that please bring me one on their with Meehan’s mint. the new growth was thick and lovely. In June, I went back to observe the Abstract flowers and found a sea of lilac, pink and lavender trumpet-like blooms at Meehania cordata (Nutt.) Britton (Lamiaceae) is an easily propagated the tips of the stems (Figure 1). The member of the mint family. With its growth habit, heart shaped leaves, and 30 delicate 2.5-cm-long (1-in) flowers spring flowers, Meehan’s mint has potential as a ground cover, particularly in reminded me very much of Scutellar- deep shade locations within the landscape. ia L., another member of Lamiaceae KEYWORDS: creeping mint, trailing mint, Meehan’s mint, cuttings, and close relative of Meehania. propagation In my garden, now having many plants from the rooted cuttings that NOMENCLATURE: ITIS (1998)

SPRING 2000 I overwintered under a dark bench

NATIVE PLANTS JOURNAL Figure 1 • Meehania cordata blooming in the woods of West Virginia. in a poly tunnel (another testament in) tall. I suspect that it is hardy to Meehania cordata is one of the to the virtues of Meehania is how zone 4, maybe even 3. best plants I can think of for those deep a shade it thrives in), I planted I take about a 7.5-cm-long (3 in) dark and foreboding corners of the them under a small grove of lilacs cutting, dip it in 10% Wood’s garden where there isn’t enough light and viburnums. They responded to Rooting Compound [1.0% indole- for most other plants. Even if it the rich humus that had accumu- butyric acid (IBA) and 0.5% didn’t have the added benefit of lated under these older shrubs and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA)] those really bright colorful flowers, I almost immediately started to wind without any apparent alcohol would recommend it as a very useful their way around on the ground. sensitivity, and bury at least 2 nodes groundcover. However, unlike other Lamiaceae, in a 3:1 pine bark:perlite rooting Meehania cordata is non-invasive. medium. Without bottom heat but Reference Taxonomically, Meehania cordata with mist, 100% rooting occurs in 6 [ITIS] Integrated Taxonomic Information is a member of the Lamiaceae (Mint) to 8 wk. I suspect the same rate of System. 1998. Biological names. Version 4.0 (on-line database). URL: http:// family. In North America, Meehania rooting would occur without www.itis.usda.gov/plantproj/itis/ cordata is a monotypic species in the misting. Rooted cuttings are itis_query.html (updated 15 December genus. Its reported range is from transplanted into 160-ml, 6.25-cm- 1998). southwest Pennsylvania to North deep pots (2-in “bandpots”) filled Carolina and northeast Tennessee. It with a 4:2:1:1 composted pine Author Information

is listed as “threatened” in the later 2 bark:peat moss:perlite:vermiculite 31 SPRING 2000 SPRING states. The heart-shaped leaves are medium. Plants are fertilized once Barry Glick 2000 SPRING Sunshine Farm & Gardens on the small side, averaging 2.5 to every 4 to 6 wk with Peters Peat-Lite Renick, WV 24966 3.8 cm (1 to 1.5 in) wide at the Special (15N:16P2O5:17K2O) at 375 [email protected] petiole and about 2.5 cm (1 in) long. ppm N (1 tbsp/gal). Plants are ready www.sunfarm.com Meehania grows 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 for sale in about 1 y.

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