Native Plants
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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
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Wednesday - June 02, 2010
From: Dallas, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Shade Tolerant
Title: Ground cover for Dallas in shade and partial shade
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
What ground cover plants will grow in full shade- partial shade in the clay soil of Dallas?ANSWER:
Here are several ground covers recommended by the Wasowskis in Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region that do well in the clay soils of the Dallas region:
Artemisia ludoviciana (white sagebrush) is evergreen (maybe evergray is a better descriptor) grows 1 to 3 feet but can be mowed.
Calyptocarpus vialis (straggler daisy) grows less than 1 foot high. It goes dormant in cold winters.
Geum canadense (white avens) grows from 4 inches to over 3 feet, but can be mowed. It is evergreen if watered in summer.
Phyla nodiflora (turkey tangle fogfruit) grows 3 to 4 inches high and is evergreen to dormant in winter.
Rivina humilis (rougeplant) grows 1 to 1.5 feet and is evergreen to dormant in winter.
Salvia lyrata (lyreleaf sage) grows 4 to 18 inches or more, but can be mowed and is evergreen if watered in summer.
Packera obovata (roundleaf ragwort) grows 3 inches to 2 feet but can be mowed and is evergreen.
Here are photos from our Image Gallery of these plants:
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