Ground Covers From Ajuga to Vinca

1. Ground CoversFrom Ajuga to Vinca Dennis Patton Johnson County Extension Horticulture Agent

2. What is a Ground Cover • Ground covers include a wide range of materials - both living and nonliving that blanket the soil.

3. Benefits of Ground Covers • Add beauty to the landscape • Prevent soil erosion • Improve porosity, air and water exchange • Aid in soil fertility • Suppress weed growth

4. Uses for Ground Covers • Steep banks or slopes • Shady areas under trees or next to buildings • Underplantings in borders and beds • Where tree roots grow close to surface • Walks and paths • Heat relief, cooling effect • Wet or dry locations

5. Selection/Design • Depends on the area - right plant, right place • Sun or shade • Moist or dry • Maintenance level, low to high • Color, texture, and form

6. Bed Preparation • Remove perennial weeds that will compete with the planting. • Hand removal • Chemical treatments • Check for proper drainage

7. Soil Preparation • Work 6 to 8 inches deep • Incorporate organic matter • Soil test for nutrient needs • Fertilize before planting • 1 lb 10-10-10 per 100 ft2 • 1/4 lb 27-3-3 per 100 ft2

8. Planting – number of plants

9. Planting and Establishment • Stagger plantings, fills in quicker • Erosion control netting on slopes • Mulch to decrease erosion • Water as needed

10. Maintenance • Water as needed • Weeding • Annual or perennial types • Spring clean up • Leaves • Rake or mow to remove debris • Fertilization • If needed, 1/4 to 1 lb per 100 ft2

11. Selecting Ground Covers • Right Plant, Right Place • Match with your needs • Some spread more rapidly • Some better for smaller spaces

12. Thug Potential • Invasive – spreads to native areas • Aggressive – spreads rapidly, hard to control

13. Alternatives to Plants • Mulch • Rock • Grass

14. Ajuga - Bugleweed • Ajuga retans • Dense cover, smaller areas • Space about 1 foot • Sun to light shade

15. Aegodium-Bishop's Goutweed • Aegodium • Aggressive spreader • 6-10 inches • White flowers • Morning sun to light shade • Tends to burn out in summer

16. European Wild Ginger • Asarum • Full shade • Even moisture • Shiny green leaves • Somewhat evergreen

17. Bergenia • Bergenia • Part sun • Slow spreader • Pink flowers • Semi-evergreen

18. Plumbago • Ceratostigma • 8 – 10 inches • Sun to light shade • Blue flowers • Don’t confuse with tropical

19. Lily of the Valley • Convallaria majalis • White flowers in May • Aggressive • Can be poisonous • Morning sun to shade

20. Cotoneaster • Cotoneaster • Deciduous shrub • 1 to 3 feet • Sun to part shade • Drought tolerant

21. Epimedium - Barrenwort • Epimedium • Slow, clumper • Even moisture • Nice flowering • Partial to full shade

22. Euonymus – Wintercreeper • Euonymus fortunei • Glossy, semi-evergreen • Strong spreader • Shade, some sun • Drought tolerant • Invasive

23. Strawberries • Fragaria • Edible • Ornamental flowers • Even moisture • Full sun, light shade

24. Sweet Woodruff • Galium (Asperula odorata)Light to full shade • Fragrant flowers • Dry to moist

25. English Ivy • Hedra helix • Glossy green, evergreen • Shade tolerant • Drought tolerant • Invasive?

26. Coral Bells • Heuchera • Clump forming • Morning sun to shade • Organic, even moist soils

27. Hosta • Hosta species • Higher maintenance • Clump forming, not spreading • Mass planting

28. Chameleon Plant • Houttuynia • Extremely Aggressive • Tolerates wet areas • Sun to shade

29. St. John's Wort • Hypericum • Sun to part shade • Yellow flowering • Woody shrub

30. Junipers • Junperus species • Drought tolerant • Easy care • Full sun to light shade

31. Lamium - Dead Nettle • Lamium • Partial to full shade • Flowering • Moist to slightly dry • Aggressive 'Hermann's Pride'

32. Liriope - Lilyturf • Liriope • Some spread • Some clump • Full sun to shade • Cut back each spring 'Silvery Sunproof

33. Honeysuckle • Lonicera japonica • Woody vine • Sweet flowers • Sun to light shade • Drought tolerant • Invasive

34. Lysimachia - Creeping Jenny - Moneywort • Lysmachia • Part sun to shade • Aggressive but controllable • Average moisture

35. Mazus • Mazus reptans • Light sun to shade • Aggressive • Steppable • Even moist

36. Pachysandra -Japanese Spurge • Pachysandra • Full shade • Even moisture • Prefers acidic soils • Good drainage • Semi-evergreen

37. Creeping Phlox • Phlox • Spring color • Well-drained • Full sun to light shade • Semi-evergreen

38. Rose • Rosa speices • Sun • Taller plant • Flowering Flower Carpet Roses Drift Roses

39. Sedum • Sedum • Full sun • Hot and dry • Many choices

40. Lamb’s Ear • Stachys • Full sun to light shade • Even moisture to dry • Flowers

41. Creeping Thyme • Thymus • Steppables • Flowers • Herb

42. Creeping Speedwell • Veronica • Light sun to shade • Aggressive • Even moisture • Nice flowers • Steppable

43. Vinca - Periwinkle • Vinca minor • Classic cover • Semi-evergreen • Blue flowers • Morning sun to full shade

44. Resources • Extension Service • University of Illinois Extension • Ground Covers to Know and Use • University of Missouri • Selected Ground Covers for Missouri • Virginia Cooperative Extension • Selecting Landscape Plants: Ground Covers • Ortho's All About Ground Covers

45. Johnson County K-State Research and Extension Dennis Patton Horticulture Agent 11811 Sunset Drive, Suite 1500 Olathe, Kansas 66061 (913) 715-7000 dpatton@ksu.edu www.johnson.ksu.edu