Native Plants
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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
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Monday - May 25, 2009
From: Union, MO
Region: Midwest
Topic: Groundcovers
Title: Groundcover for wet area in Missouri
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Hello, I live in Missouri and our neighborhood is built over a natural spring. Half of my yard remains wet/moist for weeks to months and we can't mow it. I'm looking for a ground cover and plants that will be able to survive, take over the grass that is there, and be attractive. The area is mostly shaded with some areas without trees. I'd something low maintenance. Thanks!ANSWER:
This sounds like a great place for ferns. Here are some possibilities:FERNS
Athyrium filix-femina (common ladyfern)
Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern)
Woodwardia areolata (netted chainfern)
You can add some other plants to the fern mix in the form of:
PERENNIAL HERBACEOUS PLANTS
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
Caltha palustris (yellow marsh marigold)
Impatiens capensis (jewelweed)
Iris brevicaulis (zigzag iris)
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower)
Lobelia siphilitica (great blue lobelia)
Monarda didyma (scarlet beebalm)
Vernonia fasciculata (prairie ironweed)
More Groundcovers Questions
Groundcover or grass for Panama City, Florida
April 19, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants
I live in Panama City Florida and am having great difficulty growing a lawn. I would prefer no lawn as grass, it seems a pointless use of resources but my husband requires gr...
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Groundcover for Shade in Spicewood
September 16, 2015 - We live in Spicewood area in Austin, TX. Our front yard is yellow almost all summer, I was thinking of replacing lawn with a ground cover which can live on once a week sprinkler and no mowing. Also th...
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Strip Groundcover for Austin, TX
February 19, 2015 - I live in a condo in Austin (near N Lamar and North Loop), and am on the HOA board. There is a small strip of land along the back of the units, used mostly for access for maintenance - it ranges from ...
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Flower friends for roses in Tyler Texas
June 24, 2011 - I have planted some double red Knockout roses and am looking for plants to go with them to add blue, white, pink and yellow hues. I am interested in planting something that will act as a ground cover ...
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Native Plants for Shaded North Slope in Ohio
January 03, 2013 - I have a shaded north hillside which needs erosion control plants. Mostly moss and very thin grass grows there now. Please help!
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