If you are very lucky it is one of the fungi that decomposes wood. Now that it is started, it cannot be turned off. I would not try to stop it. Instead I would encourage it with the occasional drink of water. I had a stump buried under compost for 10 years. I finally unburied and kept it moist to start the fungal decay process (sometimes called dry rot). Once that stuff started there was no going back. The 10 year old stump has disappeared just 24 months after I really went for the fungal approach. The worst thing you could do at this point is try to bury it under the soil. Let it breathe and keep it moist.

I love groundcovers! I think I have tried almost every one I have ever come across, lol. That's quite a list there - everything from ground-creepers to taller ones. I have not, however, tried asarum because it is rather pricey and spreads so slowly. I've tried lamium and just have no luck with it. Love it, but it sadly does not love me. I also killed off Anne Greenaway... three times. The one that held on the longest was White Nancy, which looked wonderful in spring under blue hostas, but it is fading fast. I even killed off ajugas, except for a plain ol' variety I got at a swap. I love it in the hosta bed its in, and keep an eye on it when it wants to escape. Speaking of escaping, I am also loving Golden Creeping Jenny. I have it in a small (about 4' x 2') bed surrounded by a sidewalk, a brick patio, and a driveway. Figured it was safe to try there! I also have the Georgia Blue Veronica. I got some at a swap and wasn't aware it was a groundcover. But it is lovely in spring, and spreads nicely without being overly aggressive. I am planning on moving it out of its bed and putting it in place of the blue creeping phlox that I've supplemented for ten years and am finally giving up on. Did I mention I tried phlox?... maybe I should get a few tips from the folks at the local Wendy's. They have an amazingly beautiful swath of it. Sedums - wonderful! I've got kamschaticum planted on a slope, put there by mistake when I thought I was buying and adding to my Westeinphaler (sp??) Gold. So I have half WG and half kam. I like both, and will just separate and add to each. Wonderful foliage, takes abuse, needs no care, nice carpet, pretty flowers, nice winter interest. What more can you ask for? I also love chrysogonum. I have Pierre, which really forms a nice mat with cheerful yellow flowers in spring. Tried gaultheria procumbens several times and just can't get it to grow - too expensive to keep trying. Also a big fan of sweet woodruff, iberis, and yes, pachysandra. I don't know why so many people dismiss pachysandra. It really does have a beautiful leaf, is so low maintenance and easy, grows in lots of situations, and stays evergreen. What's not to like? I guess it's dismissed because its so common, but I have to put in a vote for it. There are one or two on that list I have not tried... yet... Dee

Yes, I'm growing a couple varieties of Lamium and it can be an aggressive spreader under the right conditions. But the plant is so attractive that I don't mind and it's easy to pull up the bits you don't want. Haven't you ever seen Lamium for sale at your local nurseries or the garden centers in home improvement stores? Many varieties of Lamium are commonly available at our local nurseries through out the year. To tell you the truth, if you don't have them growing in the right spot, they can look rather ratty and they won't spread that much. They prefer dry shade... soil that is too damp can cause the foliage to take on a muddy hue and they're likely to rot. I learned that the hard way. And though they are mainly grown as a shade plant, they do appreciate a bit of sun. Early morning or late afternoon sun is ok. It might be alright under your maple. My mother recently cut down her maple because it was sucking up all the water in her front yard and its roots were choking out other plants nearby..it killed a 20 ft long hedge of Indian Hawthorne.

Not sure it would help me, but perhaps it might help someone else with ID, if we could perhaps see some close-up shots of blooms, foliage, etc, Jackie? (I wouldn't mind seeing close-ups of the white one too, just out of interest - and in case they're related...) I always love seeing pictures and hearing about the history of your amazing garden! How are all your resident and visiting pussycats and other fauna these days?