Tag Archives: drought tolerant ground cover

Horticulture Report: Wall Germander

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Plant Name: Teucrium chamaedryswall-germander
Common Name: Wall Germander

Plant type: Broadleaf Evergreen
Height:   1 foot

Spread: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: July
Flower Color: Rosy lavender to pinkish purple
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements: Well drained soilwall-germander2

Water Needs:  Dry to Medium
Attributes: Showy Fragrant Flower, Winter Interest, Drought Tolerate, Deer Resistant
Note: Shrubby, woody-base, clump forming, attractive dark shiny leaves.
Uses:  Edging, Mass plantings for groundcover, Old world knots and herbal gardens.
USDA Zone: 5-9

Horticulture Report: Kinnikinnick

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Plant Name:  Arctostaphylos uva-ursi100_7668F.JPG
Common Name: Kinnikinnick, Red Bearberry
Plant type: Ground cover
Height:   6-12 Inches
Spread: Trailing to 15 Feet
Bloom Time: May -June
Flower Color: White tinged with Pink,  Urn-shaped and Waxy
Exposure:  Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Rocky or Sandy, Acid Soil.  Soil should not be compacted around the plants and plants should not be fertilized.
Water Needs: Low
Attributes: Firewise Pant, Evergreen, Drought-Tolerant , Cold and Heat tolerant, Fall Color,  Mat-Forming Low Shrub,  Pollen is beneficial to Native Bees, Hummingbirds & Butterflies.  Red Fall Berries are favored by birds and wildlife.
Native Habitat: Rocky, open woods; dry, sandy hills; mountainous regions
Uses: Ground Cover, Rock Gardens, Erosion Control, Footpath control.
USDA Zone:  2-6

2012 November Horticultural Report: Firewise Plants

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The Ashland Fire Dept is asking residents to seriously consider planting fire resistant plants around their house and property to reduce fire hazards. They are advising homeowners to remove all plants they consider fire hazards and in their place plant firewise plants.

For more information, and to schedule a free wildfire safety home assessment call: Ali True, Ashland Firewise Community Coordinator at 541-552-2231.

Junipers are especially combustible!  This drought tolerant ground cover is planted around so many homes in our area the City is requesting they be cleared back 50 feet away from a any structure

Also, the Oregon State University Extension Service has a list of recommended fire-resistant plants which you can obtain from Valley View Nursery, or you can download it here: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/sites/default/files/fire-resistant_planting_wd_2011.pdf

The following is a short list of recommended firewise plants:

Ground Covers:
Kinnikinnick and Creeping Oregon Grape both look good year round and prefer sun or part sun. For shady areas, plant Japanese Pachysandra.

Perennials:
Firewise perennials plants:  Yarrow (note: can spread), Cone flower, Iris, Oriental poppy , Russian sage, Lamb’s ear, and Cranesbill.

Shrubs:
Burning bush, Rockrose, Ferns, Witch Hazel, Heavenly Bamboo, False Holly, Pieris, Potentilla Fruticosa,  Rosa Rugosa, Lilac, Viburnums, Sweetspire and Cotoneaster.

Regina, at Ray’s Nursery, highly recommends the following plants because they are not only fire-resistant, they are very attractive, easy to grow and deer resistant.

Cotoneaster Dammericotoneaster_dammeri_var_radicans
Plant Type: Evergreen, groundcover, shrub
Size: 2ft tall 6ft wide
Bloom Time: Late Spring
Flowers: White
Exposure: Full sun
Attributes: Fall color & red berries, Deer resistant, Attracts Birds, drought tolerant once established.  Grows fast.
USDA Zone: 5-8

Itea Virginica  (Little Henry Sweetspire)ilex Little Henry
Plant Type: Deciduous Shrub
Size: 2 ft High 3ft Wide
Bloom Time: June – July
Flowers: Fragrant white sprays
Exposure: Part to full sun
Attributes:  Attracts butterflies, Bright red fall foliage, Deer resistant, North America Native. Needs moist soil.
USDA Zone: 5-9

Horticultural Report by: Mary Anne Wallace
Article written by: Carlotta Lucas