is lamium a good ground cover?

When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. But its attractive variegated foliage spreads out to two or three times its height. 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. Getting Started Flowering: Yes. Clover Unless you want it as your lawn or have a horse to feed, don't plant it. A. Check with your local county extension for any warnings that they may issue for your own region. Being creepers and having a tendency to spread, these classic cottage-garden plants are popular flowering ground covers. Soft, aromatic creeping thyme seems to check off all the boxes for a gardener, plus more. Select either a shady or half shady location when growing Lamium maculatum. Plant it in full sun during the spring in cooler climates and in shadier areas during the fall in warmer regions. These plants spread out, and you can keep them under control by pruning, too. Oak sedge prefers partial shade to full shade in USDA Zones 3 through 8. Although strawberry begonia is winter hardy in USDA Zones 7 through 9, some people in Zone 6b have reportedly had luck with it overwintering, too. With full sun, this green herb will grow small flowers in summer, attracting plenty of pollinators. Most of my dl have been in the ground at least 6 months, so I'm guessing they are well established enough for a ground cover. The low-lying ground cover is a popular option as a filler for rock gardens or as an accent above retaining walls. Fix your gardens trouble spots with these low-growing perennials, annuals, and shrubs. Our native white wood aster (Aster divaricatus), which grows in USDA Zones 3 through 8, spreads underground and by seed to form dense colonies even in dry shade conditions. It quickly forms a thick mound and blooms all summer long, producing a sweet honey scent that attracts pollinators throughout the season. Creeping lamium averages 10 inches tall, with small flower groups appearing in the summer. Botanical Name: Cotoneaster horizontalis This tall ground cover has a horizontal growing habit, give it plenty of water and afternoon shade until it is fully grown. In shade, its OK if the soil dries out now and then. Just beware: Its rapid growth makes this an invasive plant throughout the Eastern United States, as well as parts of Texas and the Southwest. Because the common name is often given as spotted dead nettle. Liverleaf (Anemone americana, formerly classified as Hepatica americana) is a perennial wildflower native to North America. The Ground Cover Dogwood blooms then produces edible berries. book to class, Report: Houston ranked No. This tenacious perennial spreads rapidly, thrives in full sun, is cold hardy, grows in poor soil, and is drought tolerant once established. The promise is that Lamiums are fast-growing perennial ground cover or container plants that brighten partly sunny spots and produce charming flowers. (I prefer to call it lamium), Lamium . Commonly used as a ground cover in the shade garden, spotted dead nettle is short- Some leaves may revert back to an all-green color (instead of being variegated); be sure to prune these out, so that the green color does not eventually take over the plant. Lamium is evergreen from Zone 6 south. 25 Low-Maintenance Ground Cover Plants for Sun and Shade - The Spruce Being creepersand having a tendency to spread, these classic cottage-garden plants are popular flowering ground covers. Dead-nettle, beautiful little ground cover - nature-and-garden.com She has over 30 years of experience in gardening and sustainable farming. They can spread across bare ground, suppressing weeds and dust, preventing erosion, decreasing water evaporation, and adding color. It forms a dense, 8- to 12 . When selecting a ground cover for shady areas, make sure to choose shade-tolerant plants that naturally thrive with minimal sunlight. Ground Covers for Alabama Landscapes - Home Grounds 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 prefers full shade, but can handle some morning sun. How to Plant Lamium | Home Guides | SF Gate One of the most popular is Carex pensylvanica, commonly known as oak sedge, and it can be found across the eastern half of North America. 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 With very attractive foliage and either white or pink flowers, Lamium maculatum makes an excellent ground cover plant for a shaded position. 'Album', has white flowers, shown here blooming before the leaves on September 28, 2011, and spreads to form a ground cover that stays green through the winter . 25 Low-Maintenance Groundcover Plants That Look Great With Little Work It's also used for ground cover to stop erosion because its tough roots hold soil in place. The thick, dense foliage is excellent for trouble spots where other plants have a hard time becoming established. In moist soil, however, brass buttons spread vigorously, forming 2-inch-tall mats of growth strong and thick enough to withstand even regular foot traffic. Alyssum is an annual ground cover that grows very well from direct sow seeding once temperatures have reached 65 to 70 degrees. Aside from good exposure to sunlight, these leafy green clusters ask little of their gardener with no need to replant every season. Ooo. Do spotted dead nettle attract butterflies? We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Fast Growing Ground Cover Plants (With Pictures) This fast-growing annual looks gorgeous tumbling over rock walls or along the edges of walkways. Thats the beauty of this native spring ephemeral that goes by several names including woodland phlox, wild sweet William and Phlox divaricata. It's also a beautiful ground cover to consider for moon gardens, but just beware the flowers are less than fragrant. Flowering Plants for Bare Garden Spots - Ground Cover Dogwood. 20 Ground Cover Plants to Fill out Your Garden, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Species can be annuals or perennials, with many valued for their ground cover abilities, pollinator-friendly flowers and preference of shady areas. Many use the ground cover to define the borders of garden paths. The little silver leaves of lamium are like bits of glitter strewn about the garden floor, reflecting any dappled sunlight that finds them. That kind doesnt make a good ground cover and needs lots of sun to grow well. Select Delosperma floribundum'Starburst', a mat-forming cultivar with pink flowers and white centers for zones 6 to 8. It prefers full sun. 15. To plant creeping juniper on a grassy slope, get rid of the grass, then lay down landscape fabric along the slope. World of Flowering Plants. 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. Because the common name is often given as "spotted dead nettle". 10 Best Ground Cover Plants | The Family Handyman Spread: Slow to medium growth rate; spreads via stolons to a height of 10 inches. However, creeping ground coverings tend to spread the fastest. This native ground cover is as useful as it is pretty, acting as the larval host of the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly and as a weed suppressing ground cover. It is, therefore, a sterile plant that will not come true from seeds. manure tea is a good alternative. 100 Perennials for a Zone 3 Garden Send me the list! Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. Liverleaf's spring floral display makes this small perennial special. Yellow archangel has colorful leaves and flowers. :) Thanks much guys. Lamium is undemanding and easy to grow in partial to fully shaded locations. Lamium groundcovers are the right choice for High Mountain, shady gardens. But with hardy plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides), youll enjoy a carpet of cerulean blue blooms every year from late summer to frost. Care requirements for creeping phlox are few. Try to plant it in large groupings on a hillside or along the house's foundation to prevent erosion. Note: This plant is considered invasive across much of the northeast, some areas of the northern Midwest, and parts of the Pacific Northwest. Pollinating bees and butterflies delight in its bright golden yellow, daisy-like flowers that appear from late spring into early summer. This fact sheet primarily discusses non-native ground covers and rock garden plants for mountain areas above 7,500 feet as well as highlighting some native plants not covered in fact sheet 7.242, Native Herbaceous Perennials for Colorado Landscapes. Her goal is to inspire and educate people about how to garden every day. When several are planted together, they form a dense hedge that thrives in almost any type of soil and full sun. It grows to a maximum height of about 12 inches with an 18-inch spread, and it flowers with white blossoms in spring. 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. Ground Cover Plants: Everything You Need to Know - This Old House Are rabbits attracted to spotted dead nettle? Eventually, they will form a mat. Here in North American home gardens, it serves as a six- to 10-inch tall, slowly spreading ground cover for part shade to full shade. Elsewhere (and depending on growing conditions), they are more likely to besemi-evergreen, herbaceous plants. When you buy Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow', you may be thinking of it as an uprightperennial plant with attractive flowers. She founded Gaia's Farm and Gardens,aworking sustainable permaculture farm, and writes for Gaia Grows, a local newspaper column. Note that the green type of European native can be highly invasive, especially in wet areas of the Northeast westward to Indiana, and in the parts of the Northwest. When shopping for this plant, be sure to ask for Aurinia saxatilis or yellow alyssum, not sweet alyssum, which is an entirely different species. . Pollinators such as butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees love this plant in the spring when they are blooming. While it is not a spreader, it is large enough to take up space as the spring and summer months advance. It prefers well-drained soil but will do fine in the dry shade if you provide it with regular watering. This ground cover forms a low-growing carpet that spreads quickly as its stems root when they touch the ground. . I've never tried that one. Creeping phlox is a short plant often seen covering the side of a hill or retaining wall with colorful spring flowers. 36 Lamium ideas | plants, shade plants, shade garden For companion plants, select other shade-lovers. Hostas are some of the happiest and hardiest perennial ground coverings you can grow. Looking for groundcover for huge sandy/shady area - Houzz Ground Cover Dogwood. The best ground covers for slopes | TribLIVE.com An evergreen perennial native to North America, heuchera is known for its vibrant foliage, which ranges in color from silver to green to brown. It can climb walls and grow across landscapes as unstoppable ground cover. The 'Six Hills Giant' cultivar is a good choice for covering large areas. This plant forms a ground-hugging mat topped with wispy white flowers that flutter atop 15-inch-tall stems in late spring to early summer. Bishop's Goutweed While it works great for ground cover in a shaded area, you will never, ever get rid of it. Keep in mind that smaller containers will require watering more often. Daylilies:ground covers around daylilies? - Dave's Garden Pachysandra is one of the most widely used ground covers in the country thanks to its extreme durability while it grows under challenging conditions such as too much shade and drought. And, of course, you can snip off the leaves for cooking. Spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum) grows as a spreading mat of herbaceous stems and leaves. Ajuga ground cover doing very well in low light. Within two to three years of planting, it forms a lush carpet of velvety, green, heart-shaped leaves that hug the ground. Lamium, or dead nettle, is a perennial ground cover, often with variegation. Several plants in this list happily grow in full or partial shade. It doesnt like wet feet, so make sure the soil is well-drained. RELATED: Bad Neighbors: 11 Plant Pairs Never to Grow Side by Side. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. It matures to a height of about 3 feet, and it, too, can be used as a taller ground cover. Water the seedlings and apply a mulch layer on top of the soil. 4. It has basic requirements and is well worth cultivating in your garden. General description Fast-growing perennial ground cover that may be either trailing or upright depending on conditions. Just like other plants with the word "creeping" in the name, liriope can be considered aggressive and invasive in parts of the United States, from Virginia through to Mississippi. This clumping perennial is less than a foot tall, with slender, long, arching leaves. Want to lure hummingbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife to your garden? Lamium is in the mint family (Lamiaceae), which provides a hint as to its toughness. Within two to three years of planting, it forms a lush carpet of velvety, green, heart-shaped leaves that hug the ground. Firecracker Sedum ( Sedum) Though this is considered a flowering ground cover, it's tiny white flowers are quite insignificant. The opposite leaves are silvery green with large silver blotches on the upper surface, lightening up a dark shady area. I simply pick the seedlings if they pop up where I don't want them. 1. All Rights Reserved. Spotted Dead Nettle is an excellent ground cover plant because of its flowers and its spreading growth habit. RELATED: How to Grow Zinnias in Your Home Garden. Creeping Phlox. It is native to New Zealand and invasive in some areas, though its spread has not been out of control. All rights reserved. It detests hot, humid weather, but thrives where temperatures drop at night. Ice plant is a fast and easy-growing ground covering, but pick the right species for your climate. Best Ground Cover Plants to Prevent Weeds - Landscape Fix It spreads via rhizomes, a trait that can be a double-edged sword. Install the plants in an acidic, well-drained, loamy soil. The lower the zone, the hardier the plant. Lamium is rarely troubled by disease and is generally pest-free. Its a native to wooded areas and stream banks of the Appalachian Mountains, and easy to control. Keep weeds at bay with spreading plants in your garden. English ivy is considered an evergreen perennial covering, period. The only issue to watch for is rotting leaves. It prefers moist ground, drought-tolerant once established, and needs full shade. It is perfect for a small space, like a little garden along a north-facing wall. Ice plant is a perennial succulent ground cover with fleshy leaves and colorful flowers. 15 Best Ground Cover Plants For Shade | Hausette How to Grow and Care for Spotted Dead Nettles - The Spruce Copyright 2023 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. In agriculture, ground cover is the name given to plants that are low growing and are used to cover a large area, giving a carpeted effect. 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. Charismatic Planet 2022. And lasting from late spring to midsummer, and can be reddish-purple, pink, or white depending on the variety. Lamb's ear creates a soft and silvery dense ground covering mat in a sunny area of your property. The name "Dead Nettle" refers to the fact that Lamium does not have the stinging hair characteristic of other nettles. Susan has received visitors from around the world in her home garden which has been featured in numerous gardening publications. RELATED: 25 Plants That Survive With or Without You. Choose plants that are hardy to USDA zones 2 to 4. Lamium: How To Grow and Care For Dead Nettle Planted along sloped pieces of land, it can neaten up the area while providing ground covering. And beware that it is considered invasive in some areas of the Northeast and Northwest. Locate where the runners have rooted themselves into the ground. Those fleshy, bluish-green leaves help retain what little water it receives. Check your plants regularly and if slugs or snails are present, handpick and dispose of them as they appear. Nepeta x faassenia, commonly called nepeta, nepeta catmint, or Faassen's catmint, is one of several perennial catmint plants. If those conditions describe your landscape, then you may want to check out this wonderful little relative of the dogwood trees. In early spring, flowers that look like fairy wings appear on this perennial. The plant's multicolored leaves and tiny pastel flowers look attractive by themselves along a walkway or mingled. Perfect for plantings under perennials or shrubs and as a groundcover or edging plant. Available at Etsy; $10.99 per 1-quart plant. While it may be one of the toughest (er, tolerant) plants out there, Lily of the Valley looks as sweet as can be with darling white bells dangling from strappy green leaves. Read our, Amethyst in Snow (Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow'), 31 Best-Deer Resistant Flowers and Plants to Grow, 10 Best Deer-Resistant Shrubs for Landscaping, 18 Perennial Flowers That Bloom in Spring, Summer and Fall, 35 Types of Orange Flowers: Identification & Photos, 15 Best Plants for Drought-Tolerant Gardens, Angelina Sedum (Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'), Rock Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis), Chinese lantern is also considered invasive. In warm regions and/or insheltered areas of your yard, they may be evergreen. Though bugleweed's deer-resistant flower spikes can't be missed (they can grow 6 to 9 inches tall) this fast-growing perennial is a ground cover that has an aggressive creeping habit. Dead Nettles Lamium - Gardenista Even in Zone 5, where one lives, they persist well into the winter. I think I'll try some . Spotted dead nettles are valued as perennial ground covers for the shade that will spread and fill in a patch of ground that might otherwise remain bare (except for weeds). Its a well-behaved spreader, and is not invasive. The leaves, bulblets and bulbs of the nodding onion plant are edible with a strong onion flavor, but its more common to grow Allium cernuum for its easily identifiable flowers. Pachysandra are aggressive and fast-spreading coverings that grow underground with runners. Like sedges, many different types of asters that will grow in partial shade to full shade. Spotted deadnettle. It reaches 6-inches in height and spreads to 24-inches wide. Read our. Consult with your local extension office before growing spotted deadnettle because it is invasive in some areas. 30. `Katie' ruellia has a taller cousin commonly called Mexican petunia. Grows in zone 2 to 6 in part shade and part Sun. Although it favors dry climates, this ground cover can survive in the warmer end of some humid regions. NC State University Cooperative Extension. Named for the color and the shape of their flowers, brass buttons stand out perhaps most of all for their serrated, fern-like leaves. 25 Low-Maintenance Ground Cover Plants for Sun and Shade, 10 Best Plants for Erosion Control in Your Yard, How to Grow and Care for Canadian Hemlock Trees, How to Grow and Care for Emerald Gaiety Wintercreeper, 35 Common Weeds in Lawns and Gardens: Identification & Control, How to Grow and Care for Dusty Miller (Silver Dust), Forget-Me-Not: Plant Care, Growing Tips, and Symbolism, 30 Best Plants With Purple Flowers to Grow Outdoors, Purple Dragon: Purplish flowers and silver foliage, White Nancy: White flowers, silvery leaves, Beedham's White: White flowers, leaves chartreuse and white, Cannon's Gold: Pink flowers, chartreuse foliage, Orchid Frost: Pink-purple flowers; leaves silver in the center andgreen at the edge; known for its disease-resistance, Anne Greenway: Mauve flowers; green,chartreuse, and silver leaves, Aureum: Pink flowers; leaves golden on the edge, white in the center, Ghost: Light-purple flowers; leaves almost wholly silver; taller (up to 14 inches) than the typical. Doesn't need much water. Name: Ceratostigma plumbaginoides. There may be restrictions on planting it in these areas. The only maintenance you'll need to do is remove tattered leaves damaged from a bad winter. The only real maintenance required is trimming it back after it has finished flowering, or whenever it becomes too scraggly for your tastes. Basket of Gold also goes by the name yellow alyssum, another reference to its adorable clusters of bright yellow flowers. If you want this to be a fast-growing ground cover plant, make sure it receives 4-6 hours of sun each day. Hmmm. Get daily tips & tricks to help make your best home, Spotted Dead Nettles vs. Stinging Nettles. While grass is typically the best way to fill out empty space, sometimes low-growing plants are a better and prettier option. Creeping Raspberry is a part of the Rosaceae family. A particularly vigorous variety, Walkers Low, was The Perennial Plant Associations plant of the year in 2007. Lamium is a fast-growing perennial ground cover that deer and rabbits avoid. Lamium maculatum (white nettle, pink pewter, and spotted nettle) Lamium galeobdolon . Thus you need to be careful in choosing the right spot to grow this plant. .css-1byi7p4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#125C68;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#fff;-webkit-transition:background 0.3s ease-in-out,color 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:background 0.3s ease-in-out,color 0.3s ease-in-out;display:inline-block;background-color:#000000;border-radius:0.125rem;font-family:NeutraDisplay,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.79054rem;line-height:1;font-weight:bold;height:unset;letter-spacing:0.05rem;padding:0.6rem 1rem;text-transform:uppercase;width:auto;}.css-1byi7p4:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:#595959;background-color:#53c2be;}.css-1byi7p4:focus-visible{outline-color:body-cta-btn-link-focus;}SHOP LILY OF THE VALLEY. which is great for using as a ground cover in large fields and gardens. The best quickly-spreading ground cover for shade is Periwinkle 'Bowles' Variety.' While some have small flowers, the main focal point is the colorful foliage, which ranges from chartreuse to bronze. Read more about purple dead nettle and henbit. How to Grow and Care for Lamium - World of Flowering Plants As lovely a ground cover as it seems, it's also considered invasive and is toxic to pets. It has excellent resistance to damage by deer and rabbits. Lamium is undemanding and easy to grow in partial to fully shaded locations. Native to Europe and western Asia, Lamium is frequently found naturalized along woodland trails and paths and colonized along the banks of streams. It is evergreen, but some of the leaves may turn brown during winter. This ground cover requires very little care at allif planted in full shade. Ferns come in an array of shapes, sizes, and colors. On top of all that, with proper care the plant can last 5 to 6 years, during which time you can harvest your own fresh thyme. Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and Horticulturist who shares her knowledge of sustainable living, organic gardening, farming, and landscape design. You may not have thought of using an onion as a ground cover, but doing so has some important advantages. Growing to a height of about 6 inches with a spread of 9 inches, it has waxy green leaves that should be removed as they turn brown. Lamium maculatum 'White Nancy' - Plant Finder - Missouri Botanical Garden It does best in sun. This is a large plant with a horizontal growth habit (thus its species name). This tuberous perennial has long, thin, chive-like foliage you can enjoy in the kitchen; the greenery is topped by tiny purple flowers in the summer, and its also available in a variegated type. Few ground covers ever look as beautiful as creeping phlox in spring, when it produces an explosion of fragrant, star-shaped, pastel-colored flowers. Replant them in a suitable location, and water. PDF A Comparative Study of Ground Cover Lamium - Chicago Botanic Garden If you have bare acreage behind your home that does not lead to another property, Chinese lantern can be a great ground cover and filler. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.