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okiedawn1

Ground Cover Suggestions for Gardening Wannabe in Ardmore

Okiedawn OK Zone 7
16 years ago

Hi Wannabegardener,

As promised, here's some ground covers that grow well in our part of the state. Most of them grow well in much of the rest of Oklahoma as well.

NATIVES: All of the following are native in the woodlands of southern Oklahoma. In our woodlands, these are all interplanted with one another and provide a lovely woodland carpet between the mature oaks and other woodland trees. Natives can be hard to find unless you are getting them from a native plants nursery, but nothing is stronger or more resilient.

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)--native in the woodlands of Oklahoma. Here on our place it rambles across the forest floor and also climbs trees and buildings. It has five leaves which are green in the spring and summer and then turn red to orange in the autumn. It has inconspicuous black berries that are an important food source for birds in the autumn and winter. VERY drought-tolerant and very adaptable, doing equally well in conditions ranging from full sun to full shade. This is probably the most carefree of any groundcover I've every grown. Extremely low maintenance.

Inland Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)--also native in the woodlands and alongside fencerows in southern Oklahoma. Widely adapted to much of the state. This is a clumping grass that produces lovely nodding seedheads which hold together deep into the winter. Can be invasive if seeds are allowed to self sow....which makes it a great groundcover for a large area since a few plants will quickly become many plants. Grow in areas from part shade to full shade. I've never seen it in full sun. Also very low maintenance. Mine only get a couple of feet tall in an average year, but can get 3' to 4' tall in a very mild, rainy year.

Missouri Violets (Viola missouriensis) These late winter to mid-spring bloomers only get between 2" and 6" tall and are among the first plants to bloom in the late winter. They grow in well-drained soil in shade or dappled shade. Flowrs are a lovely purple-lavender-white, depending on the plant. Will tolerate clay soil if it is well-drained. These plants are evergreen in winter but tend to go dormant when the weather gets hot and dry. In our woodland area, they bloom in February for 2 to 3 weeks and are lovely mixed in with other groundcover plantings. A similar plant that thrives in soil that stays evenly moist is Walter's Violet (Viola walteri). It is evergreen and has deep purple flowers.

Ebony Spleenwort Fern (Asplenium platyneuron)--Although many ferns make great groundcovers, this one is native in the woodlands of southern Oklahoma and is shorter than most ferns. In our wooded area, it never gets more than 8" to 12" tall in dappled shade. It likes well-drained soil and is more drought-tolerant than other ferns. Other ferns that make taller groundcovers include Wood Ferns, Chain Ferns and Christmas Ferns.

Partridge Berry (Mitchella repens) Very low growing--generally only 2" to 4" tall. A low-growing everygreen that has small white flowers in summer followed by red berries in winter. Likes any well-drained sandy or loamy soil. Grows in full shade to part shade. Likes to be watered regularly. Will wilt if it gets too dry but bounces back if you don't let it stay wilted for more than a day or so. Native in our woodlands.

Pigeonberry (Rivina humulis) Another woodland native. Generally stays 1' to 2' tall, but sometimes gets 3' tall.

Grows in dappled shade to full shade in any well dry soil. Has small pink and white flowers followed by red berries. Stays evergreen in mild winters but goes dormant in severe winters.

Coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) AKA locally as Indian Currant. Another woodland native. Usually gets only 1' to 2' tall if you whack it back with the weedeater in the winter when it is dormant. Can get up to 6' tall if not pruned occasionally. Goes somewhat dormant in winter although it often retains a lot of its leaves. Will have new growth come out in Feb.-Mar. The leaves are a lovely lime-green and are a nice contrast to the purple berries still clinging to the plant from the previous year. In our woodland it spreads in a clumping manner. It needs well-drained soil and does very well in sand, loam or clay.

Widow's Tears (Commelina spp.) Another plant native to southern Oklahoma where it is often seed growing along fencerows and on the edges of woodlands. Grows 1 to 2' tall and has lovely blue flowers. Is not evergreen. Keep in a ground cover area away from your flower beds as it can be quite invasive.

Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium spp.) Native here in southern Oklahoma in mixed prairies and on the edges of woodlands. Grows from a small bulb, forming clumps of narrow grassy leaves roughly 6" to 10" tall. Has small blueish-purple blooms in mid-spring to early summer. Grows in any well-drained soil and in full sun to part shade. Can be grown from seed or from purchased plants.

OTHER GROUNDCOVERS: The following are well-adapted ground covers that are pretty easy to find in nurseries or at big box home improvement stores like Lowe's or Home Depot. Some of them can even be found at Wal-Mart, especially in the spring.

English Ivy (Hedera helix) Very vigorously growing evergreen vine with large lobed leaves and fairly woody stems that cling, enabling this vine to climb. Can be invasive, but is gorgeous.

Artemesia (Artemesia ludoviciana) Grows from 1' to 3' in height in any well-drained soil and likes part shade to full sun. Has silvery-white fuzzy leaves that benefit from being sheared back in autumn....which will give you rosettes of new growth that look pretty good throughout the winter. Likes part shade to full shade. Absolutely must have well-drained soil.

Vinca Minor/Periwinkle (Not the same as annual flowering periwinkles commonly sold as bedding plants.) This is a spreading everygreen ground cover with somewhat heart-shaped leaves and lavendar, 5-petaled flowers in spring. Will grow about 1' tall by 3' wide, and then the stems reach arch and reach down to the soil where they will root in and form another plant...and so on and so on. Can be invasive, but is great for covering large areas. Likes shade and well-drained soil.

Liriope or Lilyturf (Liriope muscari) This is the one some folks know as Monkeygrass. A VERY popular groundcover. Grows in ever-expanding clumps and forms a dense turf or very dark green grass-like leaves. Is evergreen. Has clusters of slender, spikey lavender flowers in summer. Often planting as a border alongside walkways or decks or used to edge flower or shrub borders. Many varieties are available comercially, with 'Big Blue' being one of the largest. 'Evergreen Giant' is a very tall version, growing 2' tall by 2' wide, while most others are roughly 1' tall by 1' wide. Both 'Silvery Sunproog' and 'Variegata' have green and creamy white leaves. Grows in full sun (if well-watered) to part shade. Very few pest problems. Can become invasive, esp. in sandy or loamy soil.s

Dwarf Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonica)--A clumping grass that will get 6"-12" tall. Grows in clumps of very narrow, shiny green leaves. Might spread out to about 1'tall with time. Can divide clumps and plant small divisions in order to cover a larger area more quickly.

There's a miniature Mondo grass called 'Kyoto Dwarf' that only gets 4" tall by about 6" wide.

Black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscarpus 'Ebony Knight' has purplish-black leaves but otherwise is identical to regular mondo grass. All mondo grasses need full to partial shade and will scorch in full sun.

Asian Jasmine--One of the toughest, sturdiest ground covers you can grow. Once it is well established, it needs very little irrigation, except in the hottest weather. Glossy, oval evergreen leaves.

Dwarf Yaupon Holly 'Nana' (Ilex vomitoria 'Nana') Has small glossy evergreen leaves. Gets about 3' tall by 3' wide. May not get as tall in heavy shade.

Heavenly Bamboo/Dwarf Nandina (Nandina domestica)--Comes in many colors from dark green to yellow-green to reddish/purplish/bronze. The dwarf ones make great ground covers. One of the most popular is 'Harbour Dwarf' which is about 2'tall by 2' wide. Another is 'Dwarf Stream', which gets about 3' tall by 2'wide. Nandinas grow well in sun to shade, are very drought tolerant once established and are pretty pest free.

Indian Hawthorne (Rhaphiolepis indian)--Lovely, low, spreading shrubs with terrific flowers, but are marginally hardy here and sometimes freeze back during extreme cold spells. Have very thick dull green oval leaves and flowers, usually pink or pinkish-white in spring. Grows 2' to 4' tall and needs full to part sun.

Dwarf Junipers (Juniperus spp.)--Come in many sizes and colors, with everygreen needle type foliage that ranges from blue-green to dark green to golden-green. Many of the dwarf junipers get only a foot or two tall and spread out to be 5' to 6' wide. 'Blue Pacific' is one which grows only about 1' tall and 5' or wider. There are many, many named varieties available.

Dwarf Wax Myrtle (Myrica pusilla/M. cerifera) Slightly taller than most shrubs used as ground covers. Can get 2' to 6' tall and makes a nice massed planting, especially on a slope that would otherwise be hard to maintain. Sometimes you can let other creeping groundcovers grow on the ground beneath it and you get a layered look, much like you see in a native woodland area. Can grow in any soil and tolerates poor drainage. Foliage is aromaric with a bayberry smell. Berries follow small flowers and often remain on plants throughout winter.

Dwarf Germander (Tecrium lacinatum) This is a shrub that makes a great groundcover as it grows low to the ground and creeps and crawls. Is great to grow between flagstones in a pathway, releasing a kind-of-minty scent when you step on it or bush against it. Gets about 6" tall and spreads about 12" wide. Has cream to white blooms in summer. Almost any soil as long as it is well-drained. Grows in part shade to full sun.

Wild Petunia (Ruellia nudiflora) Native to southern Oklahoma and parts of Texas. Similar to Mexican Petunia (Ruellia brittoniana). Is dormant in the winter time. Will begin blooming in early spring when emerged foliage is only a few inches tall. Attains a height of about 12"-18" by late summer. Grows in any well-drained soil but prefers part shade to full shade.

Horseherb (Calyptocarpus vialis/Zexmenia hispidula) This is a Texas native that makes a great ground cover. Usually 8-10" tall, but can be maintained shorter with regular mowing. Goes dormant in the wintertime. Has roughly-textured green leaves and insignificant yellow blooms. Outperforms grass in shade. Makes very dense mats of foliage. Hard to find commercially except at native plant nurseries.

As far as St. Augustine grass goes, both 'Raleigh' and 'Palmetto' are cold-hardy, but I believe 'Palmetto' is more cold hardy than 'Raleigh'.

If you have questions, feel free to ask.

I hope other Oklahoma gardeners will add to this list. I know there are some groundcovers I haven't thought of.

Dawn

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