Tag Archives: drought tolerant ground cover

Horticulture Report: Snow-in-Summer

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Plant Name:  Cerastium tomentosum
Common name: Snow-in-Summer
Plant Type:  Herbaceous Perennial Evergreen Groundcover
Plant Height:  6” – 12”
Plant Width:  2’ – 3’
Bloom Time:  Summer
Flower Color:  White
Exposure:  Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Dry, Sandy, Well-Draining Soil
Water Need:  Dry
Fire Resistant: YES; Plant 30’+ from house.
Attributes: Fast Growing; Silvery-Gray, Wooly Foliage; Deer Resistant; Showy Flowers; Drought Tolerant
Uses:  Rock Gardens; Border Edging; Cottage Garden; Bulb Cover; Hanging Basket.
Note: Spreads by Runners; Shear off flowers after bloom; Plants are Short-Lived
Native to: Italy; Sicily
Oregon Native:   NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 7

Report by: Viki Ashford

Heron2 CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Delosperma nubigenum, Yellow Ice Plant

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Plant Name:  Delosperma nubigenum
Common name: Yellow Iceplant
Plant Type:  Evergreen Ground Cover Succulent
Plant Height:  1” – 3”
Plant Width:  24” – 30”
Bloom Time:  June – September
Flower Color:  Yellow
Exposure:  Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Average Soil; Good Drainage is Essential
Water Need:  Dry to Medium
Fire Resistant: YES; Zone 1 – 10’+ from house.
Attributes: Showy Yellow Flowers, Winter Interest of Reddish Bronze Foliage; Drought Tolerant; Deer Resistant; Attracts Butterflies & Hummingbirds
Uses:  Rock Gardens; Ground Cover; Containers; Front of the Border
Native to: South Africa
Oregon Native:  NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 10

Report by Viki Ashford, AGC Member & Master Gardener

Photo from: Washington State University Clark County Extension http://www.pnwplants.wsu.edu/PlantDisplay.aspx?PlantID=447

Oregon Native: Kinnikinnick

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Plant Name:  Archtostaphylos uva ursi
Common name:  Kinnikinnick
Plant Type:  Trailing Evergreen Shrub
Plant Height:  6” – 12”
Plant Width:  10’
Bloom Time:  March – June
Flower Color:  Pink to White
Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade
Soil Requirements: Rocky, Sandy, Acidic Soil
Water Need:  Low
Fire Resistant: YES
Attributes: Red Berries Succeed Through Winter; Reddish-Purple Fall Color; Papery, Reddish, Exfoliating Bark; Attracts Butterflies, Hummingbirds, & Other Birds; Larval Host for Butterflies & Moths; Drought Tolerant; Deer Resistant
Uses:  Large Scale Groundcover with Year-round Interest; Control Soil Erosion; Border Margin; Native Plant Garden; Rock Garden
Note:  Slow Growing; Trailing Stems Send Out Small Roots;
Native to: Almost All of North America
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  2 – 6

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member, Master Gardener

Posted by: Carlotta Lucas

Horticulture Report: Helichrysum petiolare

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Plant Name:  Helichrysum petiolarelicorice-plant1.jpg
Common name:  Licorice plant
Plant type: Annual
(Tender Perennial Zones 9-11)
Height: 6-9 inches
Spread: 1-3 ft
Bloom: White, but Insignificant
Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Average
Water Needs: Dry to medium
Attributes:   Dense trailing silvery leaves, Tolerates poor soil & drought
Notes: Good drainage is a must!
Uses:  Annual, Hanging Baskets, Containers, Rock walls, Annual ground-cover
Native to: Southern Africa
USDA Hardiness Zone: 9-11

Filling in the Spaces

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The small spaces between rocks, and stone pathways are tough area to grow anything except weeds, but here are a few plants that thrive between the cracks and crevices.

Thymus serpyllumCreeping Thyme  (Thymus serpyllum):  Excellent for pathways,  grows flat and tolerates foot traffic.  Likes well-drained soil.  Soft fuzzy Appearance. Herbaceous Perennial, Fragrant, Pink flower, Sun/Part Shade, Deer Proof, Attracts Bees. USDA Hardiness Zones  4 to 9.

 

Wooly thymeWooly Thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus): Durable plant perfect for filling in between stepping stones, or rock gardens. Soft foliage creates a low, lush mat with pink flowers.  Herbaceous Perennial, Attracts Butterflies & Bees,  Sun/Part Shade,  Drought Tolerant/ Water Wise Groundcover, Deer Proof.  USDA Hardiness Zones  5 to 8.

Blue Star Creeper.jpgBlue Star Creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis):  A wonderful creeping perennial for filling in. Use between stepping stones, under shrubs, in rockery, around ponds.  Tiny green leaves form a dense, low mat ½ inches high.  Produces tiny light blue star-shaped flowers which cover the plant late spring into fall.  Perennial, Evergreen, Full Sun/Part Shade,  Tolerates Foot Traffic, Like Moisture, Deer Proof.  USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9.

Horticulture Report:Rock Rose

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Plant Name: Helianthemum   heliamthemum
Common name: Rock Rose
Plant type: Evergreen, or Semi-evergreen, Shrubby Perennial
Height:   6-12 inches
Spread: 1-3 feet

Bloom Time: May – June
Flower Color: Various – White, Yellow, Red, Pink, Scarlet, Orange.
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Well Drained Rocky to Sandy Soil.

Water Needs: Low
Attributes:  Good in Alpine & Rock Gardens, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Evergreen Good accent plant with texture & form, Gray Foliage & Dark Green Foliage.
Uses: Attracts Butterflies,  Rock gardens, Container, Ground Cover, Xeriscape Gardens.
USDA Zone: 5-8  (check cultivar)