Groundcovers—Nature's Living
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The Seed A Publication of the Nebraska Statewide Arbore- Groundcovers—Nature’s Living Inside: Groundcovers for Sun & By Bob Henrickson incredible variety of groundcover Shade Too often, groundcovers are offerings—woody not considered when new landscape or herbaceous; Groundcover Prairie Grasses plantings are installed. Traditionally, the limbing, clumping or soil surface of new planting beds that running; evergreen or Woody Groundcovers incorporate trees, shrubs and herbaceous deciduous—in all kinds perennials is covered with a 2-3” layer of colors, textures and Establishing Groundcovers of organic mulch. The organic mulch fragrances, leaves an helps to conserve moisture, control array of possibilities for weeds and give the landscape a uniform, use as living mulch. finished look. However, it usually takes Mulch rings around a number of years before the plants trees are usually kept mature, prompting a yearly top-dressing to a minimum size to of mulch to keep the open areas covered. reduce maintenance This yearly addition of mulch can be upkeep. Under-planting relatively expensive and excessive mulch trees within the mulch Groundcovers can greatly reduce the need for weed- can build up on the soil. It can also be a zone is a good way to lot of work to mulch use groundcovers, and a good way to between plants. The dense carpet of expand the mulch bed around the tree. shrubbery or growing along a mowed leaves, intertwining stems and abundant By planting around trees, the trunks will edge. roots of living mulch can function in “Bare earth bothers me not be injured by being scraped with a Try planting a combination of many of the same ways as traditional lawn mower. It also eliminates the need creeping groundcovers in small groups, mulches. Moreover, the constant because nature leaves for having to trim around trees. Plants where one is allowed to slowly weave growing, dying and breakdown of living provide seasonal interest and reduce the its way into the edge of another. In this nothing bare that will mulch will help build a healthy nutrient need for conventional mulches. But, case it’s important to choose plants that rich soil over time. be warned: Some of these pretty plants will grow and spread at about the same support life. Often I The list of available ground-covers pack a powerful punch and will invade rate. For example, sweet woodruff and has grown exponentially in recent years, have reflected this is everything near it. Ask before you buy. ajuga for shade or snow-in-summer and finally giving us some relief from tired The aggressive groundcovers can be kept leadwort in sun. old has-beens like Hall’s honeysuckle why men worry about in check by planting in a confined bed and dragon’s blood sedum. The or between dense upright perennials or baldness. In any case, ground in the garden that is not planted solid Groundcover Alternatives for the with ornamental plants will soon be solid with By Justin Evertson is no small advantage in the community American lawn has evolved into landscape. There really is no better something that is now expected to be a Turfgrass is by far the most weeds, so the point is to surface for field sports, kite flying, dog monoculture of grass kept lush, green, dominating groundcover in our lives. chasing, picnicking, tent camping and weed-free and tightly cropped throughout cover the ground.” In fact, it is now estimated that we are numerous other things people like to do the growing season. approaching 50 million acres of turf in outside. Continued on back Henry Mitchell, this country (Amy Vickers, Handbook Over the last half century, the of Water Conservation, 2001). Although The Essential turfgrass has many benefits, visual appeal remains the primary reason for its widespread use. People just seem to connect to the look of a green lawn, as if it were a living carpet radiating from What is a groundcover? our homes, businesses and public places. By Justin Evertson will settle on a common-sense Another great benefit of turfgrass is its definition for a groundcover that ability to withstand foot traffic, which ground cover n. Low-growing plants includes primarily those plants less than that form a dense, extensive growth and knee high and which tend to spread Spring 2005 arboretum.unl.edu Phone: 402-472-2971 Lincoln, NE 68583-0715 University of Nebraska P Nebraska Arboretum Statewide .O. Box 830715 tend to prevent soil erosion. (American horizontally just above the ground plane arboretum.unl.edu Heritage Dictionary, 1982) in a natural fashion. Such spreading As its name implies, a groundcover can occur in numerous ways such as is just that—a low-growing plant that by seeding, rhizomes, stolons (stems or covers the ground. From a dictionary runners growing above ground), branch we also learn that a groundcover is elongation and branch rooting. typically dense in habit and tends to Groundcovers can have a myriad prevent soil erosion. Therein lies of uses and benefits. They save time by a conundrum. Depending on one’s crowding weeds, shading the soil surface, point of view a groundcover could be conserving water as living mulch and just almost any plant imaginable. When we generally making the garden less work. travel high above the earth’s surface Best of all, they don’t have to be mowed in an airplane, for example, large trees and can be used on slopes where mowing become ground covers. They form is impractical. In this issue of The Seed dense canopies and they certainly help we explore some new and seldom-seen prevent soil erosion. Conversely, from uses for groundcovers, such as for living mulch around trees and shrubs and as U.S. Postage PAID the perspective of our lives on the Nonprofit Org. Lincoln, NE ground, only those plants that we see alternatives to the traditional turfgrass Permit 46 radiating forth below us would seem to lawn. qualify. For the purposes of this publication we Groundcovers for Sun Achillea millefolium, common yarrow. Clematis x jouiniana ‘Mrs. Robert Fern-like foliage with white, flat- Brydon.’ A vigorous, non-clinging topped flower clusters in early vine with many small bluish-white summer; moderate spreading from flowers in early fall; makes a nice 2’ fibrous rhizomes; can be mowed high groundcover when allowed to back after flowering to renew. grow between large shrubs. Introduced varieties offer flowers in Conoclinium coelestinum, mist flower. various shades of pink, salmon, red Hardy Great Plains native with and orange. clusters of bright blue “ageratum” Anemone canadensis, meadow flowers in fall on 18” stems; plants anemone. Attractive dark green, spread slowly by creeping rhizomes deeply divided leaves form dense and from seed. colonies to 2’ high; 1” white flowers Euphorbia cyparissias, cypress spurge. in late May; spreads by rhizomes Gray-green, ferny foliage topped rapidly in shady areas; mow back in with sulphur yellow flowers; spreads August for a flush of new growth. rapidly by underground stolons; Prairie smoke--Geum triflorum. Antenneria neglecta, plains pussytoes. plant in a confined space and dry Handsome silver-gray leaves soils. Oenothera speciosa, evening form a dense mat of growth from Euphorbia polychroma, cushion spurge. primrose. Lovely, large 2” pink creeping stolons; excellent for hot, A bushy plant that forms a 15-18” flowers over a long period in late sunny areas and between flagstone; wide cushion; covered with bright spring; tough, carefree plant to 18”; combine with Turkish veronica, yellow flower bracts in spring; easy rapid spreading, aggressive; plant in Plumbago—Ceratostigma plumbaginoides; creeping thyme or desert globe to grow; will spread by seed in open confined space. and candytuft--Iberis sempervirens. mallow; creeping in heavy soil and ground. Phlox subulata, creeping phlox. Dresses moderate in loose soil. Fragaria virginiana, wild strawberry. up a walkway with sheets of pink, Artemisia. Silver gray foliage; fine Strawberry-like leaves and flowers lavender, white or rose. textured plants make a great filler on this rapid spreading native; great Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’, black- in the perennial border; ‘Sea Foam’ combined with bracted spiderwort eyed-susan. Large deep yellow and ‘Silver Brocade’ are excellent for they like similar conditions; sun flowers with black centers bloom selections; great for dry, well- to shade, moist to dry areas profusely from June through frost; drained areas. Geum triflorum, prairie smoke. forms a nicely branched 2’ rounded Aster oblongifolius, aromatic aster. Nodding pink flowers followed plant; will spread gradually from Forms dense plants to 20” high by feathery seed heads on this 15” rhizomes; not recommended for covered with violet-blue flowers in beauty; creeps by rhizomes to form extremely dry soils. September; lower leaves often shed dense colonies; quite adaptable to Native Groundcovers Salvia nemerosa, meadow sage. Although before flowering; creeping rhizomes; soil and moisture. not wide-spreading, many varieties needs sunny, dry conditions. Iberis sempervirens, candytuft. Showy If you’re looking for can be used in mass as reliable Aurinia saxatilis, basket of gold. white flowers can be sheared back groundcovers; proven cultivars groundcovers that will handle Clusters of brilliant yellow flowers after spring bloom for a bushier include ‘May Night’, ‘Blue Queen’ in early spring; 10” gray-green growth; dark green narrow leaves the climate conditions of and ‘Marcus’ with deep blue flowers foliage mat; allow to reseed before are evergreen in winter; likes sunny, on 12” spreading plants. your region, consider using shearing back; great combined with well-drained conditions. Saponaria ocymoides, soapwort. creeping phlox; drought-tolerant. Lysimachia clethroides, gooseneck ones native to the Great Abundant pink flowers in loose Callirhoe involucrata, purple poppy loosestrife. White flower spikes on sprays in May; leafy plants form Plains, which have been mallow.