Native Plants

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Thursday - May 17, 2007

From: The colony, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Groundcovers
Title: Ground covers for Denton, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Hi, I live in "The Colony", Texas. I want to have a garden that is evergreen and colorful and low maintenance. Also looking for ground covers as do not have time to remove weeds growing in the flower beds. Would like to use native plants and also information on where to find them at local stores. Thanks

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants can offer several evergreen (or semi-evergreen) groundcovers suitable for Denton County, Texas. You might consider using a combination of them.

Artemisia ludoviciana (white sagebrush). This plant grows in sun with little water can be mowed occasionally to keep it from becoming too tall.

Geum canadense (white avens). This plant can be mowed, requires little water and grows well in shade or part shade.

Oenothera speciosa (pinkladies). Drought resistant, but may become dormant in summer and resprout in the fall.

Salvia lyrata (lyreleaf sage). Requires little water and does well in both sun and shade. May require watering in summer to remain evergreen.

Phyla nodiflora (Texas frogfruit). May go dormant in winter

Packera obovata (roundleaf ragwort). Grows well in shade or part shade, evergreen with yellow blossoms in spring.

Glandularia canadensis (rose mock vervain) and Glandularia bipinnatifida var. bipinnatifida (Dakota mock vervain). Neither require much water and have a long bloom period.

Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge) and Carex planostachys (cedar sedge). Both are low-growing evergreen and grass-like.

For taller shrub-/tree-like plants you could use:

Yucca arkansana (Arkansas yucca) and Yucca pallida (twistleaf yucca). Both are evergreen and use little water.

Ilex vomitoria (yaupon). Evergreen with red berries.

Morella cerifera (wax myrtle). Evergreen with pale blue berries.

Artemisia ludoviciana

Glandularia canadensis

Carex blanda

Yucca arkansana