Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_43.gif)
Monday - July 09, 2012
From: Sheboygan, WI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Seed and Plant Sources, Soils, Groundcovers
Title: Wisconsin Ground Cover for Acid Soil
Answered by: Larry Larson
QUESTION:
What type of native wisconsin ground cover plants do best on acidic bare areas under pine trees such as blue spruce?...and where is best source for these plants or seeds? Thanks so much for your helpANSWER:
Mr Smarty Plants has memories of chasing an errant golf ball under a beautiful blue spruce that had branches extending to the ground and finding the area inside devoid of life, just needles! Be sure that if you are trying to encourage a ground cover that the tree is raised a bit so that there is a reasonable amount of sunlight available!
It looks like you have a good number of choices of low plants. We have a collection of native Wisconsin plants, and this collection is searchable. I chose plants listed as 0-1 ft. tall and then read the plant record [under “Growing Conditions”] for acidic soil. 14 plants were returned by the search and most of them tolerated acidic or circumneutral soil.
These five species have a decent groundcover aspect and react well to acidic soil:
Asarum canadense (Canadian wild ginger)
Cornus canadensis (Bunchberry dogwood)
Mitchella repens (Partridgeberry)
Uvularia sessilifolia (Spreading bellwort)
Viola pedata (Birdfoot violet)
Whats the best source? That’s a bit hard to determine from Texas! I’d encourage you to investigate Wildflower Center Associates and, once again, you can search that list for those close to Sheboygan. I found Rolling Acres Natural Landscape and Kettle Moraine Natural Landscaping at the top of that list. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has a publication "Wisconsin Native Plant Sources" that seems ready made for this question. Other more local good information sources include the Botanical Club of Wisconsin and the Sheboygan County Univ. of Wisconsin Extension Office.
From the Image Gallery
More Soils Questions
Blackfoot daisy turning brown in Round Rock, TX
September 30, 2009 - A few days ago, our blackfoot daisy was doing wonderfully. Then we got heavy rains and suddenly the plant is sere and brown. Did the too wet weather do this, and will it come back next year?
view the full question and answer
Limp leaves on Texas purple sage in Magnolia TX
July 22, 2010 - Recently planted Texas purple sage, some of it looks healthy and has new blooms, but a few of the plants have limp leaves and are thin at the bottom. I read the article on cotton root rot, but am not ...
view the full question and answer
How does Habiturf spread from Walburg TX
May 19, 2014 - How does HabitTurf spread? - by seed only? - when/how often must you let it go to seed to insure a permanent stand?
view the full question and answer
Plants for red clay in Hattiesburg, MS
May 16, 2011 - Looking for plants and flowers to plant in red clay?
view the full question and answer
Leaf drop from maple tree in Minnesota
August 15, 2008 - I have about a 30 ft maple tree in my yard, last fall I trimmed it pretty good because the branches were getting low where you could not walk under it or get grass to grow. This is the 2nd time in abo...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |