Groundcovers

Flattened round 1-1/2" wide clusters of tiny light lavender tubular disc flowers are held well above the 12" high rich green foliage beginning in mid to late spring and lasting well into summer. The flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators. Broadleaf Barbara's Buttons, Marshallia trinervia, is a rare low-growing rhizomatous native perennial that develops into a dense ground-covering mass of plants with an unaggressive nature. This easy to grow plant is more vigorous than its rarity might imply when given a moist to average moist, fertile soil rich in organic matter. Deciduous shade seems to be optimum providing full to mostly sunny conditions for the low rosettes of foliage in winter and light shade during the heat of the day in summer. With adequate moisture, it is reported to handle full sun to mostly sunny conditions even in summer, although, an eastern exposure with cool morning sunlight should be about perfect. Broadleaf Barbara's Buttons makes a wonderful low growing companion for Hydrangeas, larger Hostas, clump forming ferns, and other similar shade lovers. Item# 10767

The 2-3" wide, upward facing buttery yellow daisies are tipped and overlaid with peach colored tones fading into near reds at their outermost edges all surrounding a contrasting burgundy eye held above and among the deep green fine textured foliage. Butter Rum Permathread™ Threadleaf Coreopsis, the newest addition from plant breeder Darrel Probst with obvious Coreopsis verticillata in its parentage, is a slowly spreading clump-forming perennial with excellent hardiness and reliable longevity, a long season of flowering, and the dark green, finely textured foliage has improved disease resistance. The upward facing flowers attract bees and other pollinators. Provide this Tickseed with an average moist, fertile soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12819

Similar to New Gold in habit and flower power, Buttercream Lantana produces clusters of golden yellow flowers that change to a soft golden yellow and finally to white. An excellent Greg Grant introduction with somewhat more of a pastel effect than that of New Gold. Great for butterflies and pollinators! Buttercream Lantana is a low growing mounding Lantana suitable for use as a groundcover, at the front of the garden, or spilling from containers. Item# 9904.

Not just another yellow Lantana, Chapel Hill Yellow is a superior selection that has the habit of New Gold but with the cold hardiness of Miss Huff. It produces clusters of primrose yellow flowers from spring to frost on a low and spreading plant and like all Lantana the flowers attract loads of butterflies and other pollinators. It is sure to brighten up gardens throughout zone 7 and easily lends itself to use as a groundcover in the garden and landscape or spilling from large containers. Item# 10808.

Medium pink trumpets are produced from spring to fall atop the tall sturdy stems adorned with deep green narrow foliage. Chi-Chi Pink Ruellia or Mexican Petunia was selected and introduced by Scott Ogden the bulb guru of the South. This is neither a seedless nor a clump forming form and so it may spread by both means. It can be controlled somewhat by growing it as a container plant. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and even the occassional hummingbird. Easy and reliable once established. Provide Chi-Chi Pink Ruellia with a moist to average moist fertile soil in a full to mostly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. This plant will act like a die-back perennial returning from the crown in spring where winters experience freezing temperatures. Item# 12164

The dainty rounded foliage of this tight clinging evergreen vine creates a striking rich green tapestry on any wall and is common in gardens across the south. Very tough, vigorous, and easy to grow. Item # 364.

Up to 6" wide, fragrant, slightly rounded, white flower clusters arch away from their structure on semi-lax stems showing off numerous small white flowers that attract bees and butterflies. The dark green glossy foliage creates a strong contrast to the brilliant white flowers. This native Climbing Hydrangea is typically found growing where soils are consistently moist in shaded to filtered shade conditions. It is a hardy deciduous woody vine that uses a multitude of rootlets along its stems to grab onto structures for support and may be used as a groundcover as well. Only mature vertical growing stems produce the new growth that creates the early to midsummer flowering stems. A west central Louisiana selection. Item# 12066

The spikes of ball-shaped deep red-pink buds uncurl into deep rosy pink and cream flowers that may be produced throughout the year on mature plants and are sure to attract low-flying hummingbirds and some larger bees. Coastal Gem Grevillea is a very low growing nearly ground-hugging, evergreen, subtropical shrub that tops out at about 1' high and can reach 4-5' feet across at maturity. It makes an easy choice as an evergreen groundcover in tough situations where hardy or add it to rock and xeric gardens for a long-flowering specimen plant. Coastal Gem Grevillea is one of the few US hybrids and was developed at the University of California's Santa Cruz Arboretum and has proven to be cold hardy well into zone 8. It is tolerant of full sun to part sun conditions and needs little supplemental water once well-established in the garden and landscape. Grevilleas can be maintained as container plants where not hardy and the flowers make long-lasting cutflowers. Do not use phosphorous containing fertilizers, especially in soil-less potting mixes and soils low in Iron. Item# 12639

Correll's False Dragonhead is a rare but wonderful, seemingly more refined garden species that is as vigorous as it is beautiful. The dense spikes of purplish-pink, tubular, often speckled, flowers are held atop sturdy, 3' high stems in summer. Like most other Physostegias, Correll's False Dragonhead does spread by large rhizomes even in average soils. The leaves of this species are toothed, widest in the middle, sessile, and are almost always a rich dark green. Item# 10236.

1" purple flowers are born in the leaf axils over an extended period from late spring to fall. Creeping Snake Herb develops into a nice gray-green groundcover to about 8" high. A heat and sun loving perennial that has moderate drought resistance once well-established. Provide good drainage. Item# 10581.

Pure white 1" wide daisies with a nicely contrasting yellow center are produced beginning in late spring and through summer often continuing into fall atop a neat mound of deep green foliage. Daisy Mae Japanese Aster is a tidy under-used clump-forming perennial selected for its exceptionally long flowering season that is sure to add delightful color to the garden and landscape but it also makes easy and exceptionally long-flower container specimens. The flowers are sure to attract a multitude of pollinators. Provide a full to mostly sunny site with a well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Heat, sun, and humidity tolerant. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 12178

Dallas Red Lantana has long been popular for its profusion of flowers that open a dark orange and fade to a brilliant red. This is certainly on of the best larger growing red flowered Lantana cultivars. An excellent choice for attracting butterflies and other pollinators to your garden. Item# 9946.

The large rounded to conical clusters of 1" wide, sweetly fragrant, white, salverform flowers are blushed purple toward their centers and with a purple eye are held atop sturdy 36" high stems beginning mid to late spring and continuing into summer. Earlibeauty® Daughter of Pearl Phlox is a vigorous upright to mounding, slowly spreading, evergreen perennial Phlox that was developed for its excellent disease resistance and vigor, as well as for its earlier flowering season than typical Tall or Summer Phlox, Phlox paniculata, selections. Perfectly suited for formal to informal garden and landscape settings and it can even be worked into naturalistic settings. Phlox are native only to North America and their nectar rich, often fragrant, salverform flowers are butterfly magnets. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist, fertile soil, with average or better drainage. Deadheading is not required but it can help to improve your chances of extending the flowering season. Images courtesy of The Primrose Path, all rights reserved. Item# 12839

Large clusters of sweetly fragrant, rich pink, 1-1/4" wide salverform flowers are produced atop sturdy 12-16" high stems beginning in midspring and continuing into summer with some additional repeat flowering later in the year on well-grown plants. Earlibeauty® Rose Bouquet Phlox is a vigorous slowly spreading, evergreen perennial Phlox that was selected for its early and long flowering season, vigorous groundcovering habit, as well as for its deep green foliage that has excellent disease resistance even under shade and high humidity. The sweetly fragrant and nectar rich flowers of Phlox, whose species are nearly all native to North America, are excellent for attracting butterflies which is their main pollinator. Provide Earlibeauty® Rose Bouquet Phlox with an average moist, fertile, average to well-drained soil in a full sun to part sun site for optimum vigor and flowering. Deadheading is not required but may help to further extend the flowering season. Images courtesy of The Primrose Path, all rights reserved. Item# 12840

Rich purple, 1" wide daisies with a nicely contrasting sunny yellow eye are produced in mass in fall attracting bees and other smaller pollinators with a late season burst of color just in time for LSU Football! Geaux Tigers! Ezo Murasaki Japanese Woods Aster or Asian Aster, a selection of Aster ageratoides var. ageratoides, is a vigorous rhizomatous perennial adorned with deep green ovate foliage that makes an easy warm season groundcover topping out at about 24" high. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in average moist, fertile, average to well-drained soils. Item# 13049

Dense clusters of large pink tubular flowers with a white lower lip are born in late summer and early fall on this easy native perennial. Excellent for attracting bees. This is the latest flowering Physostegia that we grow. The Fall Obedient Plant will readily spread by rhizomes creating a mass of sturdy, 3-4' stems. An easy and reliable native perennial. Item# 10420.

Large clusters of white flowers with a light purple eye are produced beginning in late spring or early summer and continuing into midsummer with some rebloom in fall. Fashionably Early Crystal Phlox is a hybrid that is similar to Garden Phlox, Phlox paniculata, but begins flowering about 2 weeks earlier, has exceptional disease resistance and thick deep green foliage, and slowly spreads to develop into a mass of foliage and 30" high flower stems. Attracts butterflies. Image courtesy of Walter's Gardens, www.waltersgardens.com. Item# 11748

Large clusters of lightly fragrant, lavender-pink flowers with a darker purple eye, the flowers fade to light lavender as they age, are held atop tall sturdy stems beginning in mid to late spring or early summer, depending on your cold hardiness zone, and continuing into summer with some rebloom in fall. Fashionably Early Flamingo Phlox is a highly disease resistant, slowly spreading perennial with deep green, thick waxy foliage. We have truly been impressed by Fashionably Early Phlox series, not only their exceptional flower power and vigor but also by their exceptionally clean healthy foliage. Fashionably Early Flamingo Phlox begins flowering a few weeks earlier than Garden Phlox, Phlox paniculata, and provides an intermediate height plant that makes an easy and low maintenance groundcover for the garden and landscape. The flowers of Phlox are mainly butterfly pollinated although they may also draw hummingbirds and larger bees that rob the nectar. Images courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 12579

Large clusters of light fuchsia pink flowers with a darker pink eye are produced beginning in mid to late spring or early summer, depending on your cold hardiness zone, and continuing into midsummer with some rebloom in fall. Fashionably Early Princess Phlox is a hybrid that is similar to Garden Phlox, Phlox paniculata, in height but begins flowering about 2-3 weeks earlier (Fashionably Early Princess Phlox is the first of this series to begin flowering), has exceptional disease resistant thick deep green foliage, and slowly spreads to develop into a mass of foliage and 30" high flower stems. Attracts butterflies. Image courtesy of Walter's Gardens, Inc., all rights reserved. Item# 11912

Fragrant Pathways Gardenia is an exceptionally low growing and spreading form of the Dwarf Gardenia that produces fragrant, double white blossoms in late spring and early summer. The narrow, dark green, finer textured foliage of Fragrant Pathways adds to its interest as it creates a low evergreen groundcover. Considered to be slightly more cold hardy than G. radicans. Item# 10307.

Fragrant Pathways Gardenia is an exceptionally low growing and spreading form of the Dwarf Gardenia that produces fragrant, double white blossoms in late spring and early summer. The narrow, dark green, finer textured foliage of Fragrant Pathways adds to its interest as it creates a low evergreen groundcover. Considered to be slightly more cold hardy than G. radicans. Item# 11773

A low dwarf form of Hoya that trails vigorously, and whose clusters of cream-colored to pure white flowers fill the air with a very lovely perfume for most of the year on established plants grown under good conditions. The Fragrant Hoya, Hoya lacunosa, is wonderful for a small hanging basket, as a groundcover beneath larger plants, and spilling from mixed container gardens in warm shaded sites. Its turn-your-head, intense Jasmine-like fragrance is strongest, even rivalling and exceeding some of the true Jasmines (Jasminum spp.), Gardenias, Night Blooming Jasmine, Night Blooming Cereus, Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia spp. and hybrids) and Sweet Olives, after sunset when the dainty clusters of white nectar rich flowers may turn amber colored due to the dripping golden nectar. A perfect plant to add to a Moon Moth garden setting. item# 10050

The red to pinkish-red and white tubular flowers emerge from between the spikes of chartreuse bracts from spring to fall to year-round under warm tropical conditiosn. The Fruit Cocktail Shrimp Plant, one the newest selections of Justicia brandegeeana, has a naturally more compact, better branching habit than the typical Red Shrimp Plant but in all other regards it is nearly identical. It is quite tolerant of light conditions ranging from full sun to light shade but may have the densest habit in sunnier conditions. The flowers attract hummingbirds, larger butterflies, and other pollinators. Use Shrimp Plants to add color in containers, as a specimen plant or in mixed container gardens, as well as in the garden and landscape. Provide an average to well-drained, moderately fertile, average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 12724