Getting Started In regions with cold winters, Lamium is deciduous. She has spent over two decades working in the horticulture industry on new plant development, garden design, sales, marketing and consulting. It's also a beautiful ground cover to consider for moon gardens, but just beware the flowers are less than fragrant. Planted in groupings, it makes a lovely ground cover. The unusual common name of "dead nettles" alludes to the fact that, while it resembles stinging nettles, the stingers are dead on L. maculatum, rendering it harmless. Evergreen ground covers, such as creeping juniper, require little care. Native to Africa, purple ice plant (Delosperma cooperi) became popular as a cold-hardy ground cover in the United States in the 1990s. It is an excellent choice as a perennial ground cover since it tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, although it grows most quickly in slightly moist, humus-rich soils. Select either a shady or half shady location when growing Lamium maculatum. RELATED: 14 of the Best Plants for Your Drought-Tolerant Garden. She is married to photographer John Everett and they have one son. It needs full sun to flourish. David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience. Candytuft is a ground-hugging, clumping, and flowering perennial that dies back each winter and rebounds each spring and early summer. However, keep it away from turf grass to avoid damage. Water the seedlings and apply a mulch layer on top of the soil. Replant them in a suitable location, and water. It got its name from the way its red stems spread like strawberry plants do, and how its rounded, dark green leaves with white veins and maroon undersides resemble a begonia. I have some really hardy portulaca that I think I'll try there too. Most perennial ground coverings fall into these categories. Although it favors dry climates, this ground cover can survive in the warmer end of some humid regions. 6. The low-lying, flowering ground coverit grows no more than 4 inches tallcan endure being stepped and stomped on, making it a smart choice for planting between pavers or for replacing grass. In summer, the leaves take on burgundy mottling on the way to becoming totally burgundy (hence the name liverleaf). Society garlic can also tolerate dry conditions. Subscribe now and be up to date with our latest news and updates. Get daily tips & tricks to help make your best home, Spotted Dead Nettles vs. Stinging Nettles. Imagine sky blue flowers popping up in and around your shade garden in the springtime, swaying in the slightest breeze, rising above a carpet of Canadian wild ginger or lamium (see below). Pruning it back can help keep rambunctious runners under control or set your mower to high and shear it back after it flowers in the summer. Spotted dead nettles propagate easily by themselves from runners, by dividing, or from cuttings. Despite its vigorous growth, it's not considered invasive. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Basket of Gold also goes by the name yellow alyssum, another reference to its adorable clusters of bright yellow flowers. Kathy Huber has worked for the Houston Chronicle since May 1981. Lamium (Deadnettle) Wonderful as ground cover in a shady area, Spotted deadnettle ( Lamium maculatum) can cover large areas quickly, prevailing in the most unforgiving of conditions. It grows in little clumps, likes moist soil, and prefers full to part sun. Susan Martin is a lifelong gardener who enjoys sharing her passion for plants, gardening and the business of horticulture with fellow plant enthusiasts across North America. The plant prefers partial shade or full sun and well-draining moist soil. Creeping Charlie is also known as ground ivy, Alehoof, Catsfoot, creeping jenny, gill-over-the-ground, haymaids, field balm, run-away-robin and tunhoof. While many shrubs give you flowers, the prettiest thing aboutCotoneaster horizontalis is its colorful, red berries. chezmoose. You might be more familiar with the short, colorful asters commonly sold along with potted mums in the fall. In addition to white flowers, you can find colors like moonshine yellow, paprika, or vintage violet. Spotted dead nettles have few problems in the north; among other good features is the fact that they are deer-resistant plants. This species of plumbago is cold hardy to USDA Zone 5, but will survive winter better if you cover it with a light mulch, or if theres snow cover. And Beacon Silver has pink flowers and silvery leaves. Doesn't need much water. For example, choose Delosperma brunnthaleri, a hardy ground cover that grows around 2 inches tall and 2 feet wide with yellow flowers and ideal for zones 4 to 9. The only real maintenance required is trimming it back after it has finished flowering, or whenever it becomes too scraggly for your tastes. Compost should be sufficient, as the plants do not require rich soil. It does spread under the right conditions, but it is fairly easy to pull it out and keep it from taking over areas where it does not belong. Overview: Spotted Dead Nettle - Lamium maculatum is a herbaceous perennial growing to 0.2 -0.9m at a fast . It is far too unattractive a little for this low-growing carpet of leaves. With moist shade and deep, acidic woodland soil of good tilth, it will form a tight ground cover. Firecracker Sedum ( Sedum) This is not the form of thyme used in cooking, but its fragrance will attract bees and other pollinators. A native of Moultrie, Ga., she graduated from Queens University of Charlotte, formerly Queens College. The only maintenance you'll need to do is remove tattered leaves damaged from a bad winter. One of the best fast-growing ground cover plants for full sun is flowering candytuft. All rights reserved. Like sedges, many different types of asters that will grow in partial shade to full shade. Ferns come in many different colors, heights and forms. It even takes on the terribly invasive Garlic Mustard. These creeping ground cover plants will reward you with easy care and bright colors. Vinca minor(commonly known as periwinkle) is a very popular ground cover because it's drought-tolerant, pest-free, inexpensive, and easy to grow in just about any type of soil. One difference, though, is that it is more aggressive. Spotted dead nettles are generally grown more for their silvery leaves than for their flowers, but the latter can be quite pretty, as well. Plants that are under 12 inches tall are good for tight spaces and as edging but can require some weeding to look their best. Deer are usually not interested, leaving more for you to enjoy for your garden and fresh bouquets. They areespecially valued for use in shady spots, which is a condition that many plants dislike. By Sarah Littleton and Teresa Odle Published Jan 10, 2023 4:50 PM. It does best in cooler summer weather and prefers full sun to part shade. This ground cover requires very little care at allif planted in full shade. Ground-huggers in the 1- to 3-inch range that tolerate foot traffic can be used between stepping stones. The creeping juniper is a sprawling, creeping needled evergreen shrub that grows to a maximum height of about 18 inches and with a spread that can go as much as 8 feet. But beware: This hardy opportunist, if left unchecked, can become unsightly and sometimes invasive. In the right climate, brass buttons remain an evergreen ground cover year round. Ice plant is a fast and easy-growing ground covering, but pick the right species for your climate. And remember that although these ground cover plants are extremely tolerant, they still need to be watered during dry spells for the first year or two until their root systems are well-established. Press Esc to cancel. Sometimes called Pinks because the petals look like they've been trimmed with pinking shears, this pretty ground cover comes in a range of heights, anywhere from low-growing to 2 feet tall. It likes full sun, and requires regular trimmings to keep it from taking over the yard. Planted in groupings, which spread rapidly, they make an elegant groundcover for moist, shady areas. In zones 6 through 8, it remains evergreen most of the year. The following could be some of the best choices, depending on your own unique landscaping needs: Their stems root where they touch the soil, allowing the plants to spread. But its attractive variegated foliage spreads out to two or three times its height. In ideal sunny conditions, Amethyst in Snow will spread quite quickly, but you can control it easily by pulling out stray shoots. Dead-nettle is an ideal plant for ground cover which is much appreciated for its cute summer blooming and for its elegant evergreen leafage. With very attractive foliage and either white or pink flowers, Lamium maculatum makes an excellent ground cover plant for a shaded position. Lamium is a fast-growing, perennial ground cover that deer and rabbits avoid. A popular climbing vine, English ivy will creep along to cover the ground if you let it, and thrives in the shade. Hostas are some of the happiest and hardiest perennial ground coverings you can grow. Its cheerful bright lilac pink flowers add whimsy to the garden from early summer through midsummer. Miniature hostas will grow less than 9 inches tall, small hostas grow to a foot or more, and giant hostas can grow over 30 inches tall. Lamium groundcovers are the right choice for High Mountain, shady gardens. Lamium is a versatile plant, hardy in U.S.D.A. Growing as high as 36 inches, it blooms all summer long with purple flowers. Spotted dead nettles tolerate evenshady areas that have dry soil. This item: Perennial Farm Marketplace Lamium m. 'Beacon Silver' (Dead Nettle) Groundcover, Size-#1 Container, Metallic Leaves and Pink Flowers $1495 Mixed Heart-Shaped Hosta Bare Roots - Rich Green Foliage, Low Maintenance, Heart Shaped Leaves - 6 Roots $1699 ($2.83/Count) Total price: $31.94 Add both to Cart (Lamium maculatum) . This easy-care mat-forming ground cover provides pops of purple blooms from mid-spring to early summer. RELATED: 30 Plants for Your Easiest Garden Ever. 100 Perennials for a Zone 3 Garden Send me the list! They save their energy for the surprisingly large flowers, white on desert zinnia and yellow on prairie zinnia. Try growing it as a green carpet laid at the feet of your big leaf hydrangeas or Lenten roses. While this glossy, strappy green is popular in the southern states, it can survive anywhere. Lamium is one of the best choices for a tough yet showy perennial groundcover. Divide this plant in the spring for additional and long-living ground cover that can last for a couple of decades. Much like the fictional character, it has golden hair (flowers) that spread enough to be effective in covering a certain amount of space, but the plant is not so vigorous a spreader to create a nuisance. Scott Little. Dead nettle, also known as Lamium, is a low-growing perennial with silver-splashed leaves and bursts of purple, pink, or white flowers that pop up in spring and early summer. Though Lenten rose is not a rose (it's part of the buttercup family), its little buds are early season bloomers when it flowers at ground level in the late winter. The 'Six Hills Giant' cultivar is a good choice for covering large areas. But this plant with prettyfoliageand funny namerarely becomes a problem for those who grow it in areas where it is already native. It has a stripe down the middle that can be white, yellow, red, or silver. It is, therefore, a sterile plant that will not come true from seeds. Spotted dead nettles should be pruned in the summer after the first blooming period. Roger Clemens makes surprise appearance at Astros' Spring Training, Hiker captures 'once-in-a-lifetime' photo of wildlife at Brazos Bend State Park, This is how astronauts see Houston, Texas Gulf from space with unaided eyes, These bites won big at the Houston rodeo's foodie awards, Here's what Lina Hidalgo carb-loads before a long run, Heres how you can watch 'Daisy Jones and the Six', Houston police ticket man for feeding homeless people, Texas Republican wants to ban access to abortion websites. Its ornamental value is twofold: it bears splendid blossoms in various colors (depending on the variety), and it displays eye-catching silver leaves, which provide color long after the flowers have faded. They have silver foliage and produce showy pink, purple or white flowers in late spring. . It detests hot, humid weather, but thrives where temperatures drop at night. No special soil is needed for it to flourish and reseed. book to class, Report: Houston ranked No. Ooo. To propagate from the stem, cut the 10cm long portion of the stem and leave it to scab for some time. General description Fast-growing perennial ground cover that may be either trailing or upright depending on conditions. An evergreen perennial native to North America, heuchera is known for its vibrant foliage, which ranges in color from silver to green to brown. Its aromatic grayish-green foliage spreads easily, and lavender-blue flowers rise on stalks from spring through fall. Good news. What plant labels typically fail to mention is that, under the right growing conditions, 'Amethyst in Snow' makes a flowering ground cover that will spread nicely. Ice plant is a perennial succulent ground cover with fleshy leaves and colorful flowers. Dont worry if it doesnt reappear first thing in spring. It matures to a maximum height of only 6 inches, so many gardeners choose to plant creeping phlox on a slope or along the top of a retaining wall to appreciate its beauty from several angles. All that being said, ground covers are a terrific option for your situation. Copyright 2023 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. It spreads by seed, but not aggressively, making its way around the garden in light shade to full shade conditions in USDA Zones 3 through 8. Otherwise, no pruning is needed, and if you're using it only for ground covering, watch that it does not grab hold of a tree bark or the siding of your house because its roots will dig in, making it hard to remove without damaging the surface. It prefers well-drained soil but will do fine in the dry shade if you provide it with regular watering. Then, the leaves turn a gorgeous shade of burgundy red in fall. Ivy is invasive and toxic to humans and animals but the charm it can lend to a yard can't be beat. If the hill is big, remove the grass in stages so as not to take unnecessary chances with erosion. White flowers pop up in spring. Add compost if you have clayey soil to improve drainage. Farther north, it can take increasing sunlight. Its dense mats are threatening native plants on forest floors. They're also popular ground covers used to stop soil erosion. A member of the mint family, Lamium spreads quickly, is self-seeding, and will rapidly create a ground cover wherever it is planted. Hardy and deer resistant in USDA Zones 4 through 8, this colonizing fern prefers humus-rich, moist but well-drained soils. We recommend our users to update the browser. 1. Spectacular as a ground cover in the shade garden, Lamium maculatum (Spotted Dead Nettle) is a perennial plant whose appearance is unlike other perennial ground covers. Yarrow can grow in full sun in nearly any soil and can tolerate drought once established. The name "Dead Nettle" refers to the fact that Lamium does not have the stinging hair characteristic of other nettles. All our groundcovers are grown in biodegradable . It prefers moist ground, drought-tolerant once established, and needs full shade. Plant in full shade or partial shade. The ground has only recently thawed and most are waiting for just the right amount of consistent warmth and moisture before coming up. At the time of this publication, there were 30 cultivars of L. maculatumlisted in the RHS Plant Finder, compared to 11 cultivars for all the other species combined. Hmmm. Charismatic Planet 2022. Common pests for spotted dead nettles are slugs and snails, which seem to be the main pests for this plant, although aphids can also attach themselves to the stems and leaves. Choose from an annual or perennial variety, and watch charming daisy-like flowers bloom throughout this bushy plant. While grass is typically the best way to fill out empty space, sometimes low-growing plants are a better and prettier option.
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