Short ground covers average four inches or less and remain green most of the year. They can be used in the borders of beds or paths or mixed with other, taller, species in shaded areas. They all spread acceptably by runners or underground stems except sedum.

Squaw Weed, Senecio obovatus
Produces one of the first displays of yellow in spring. Withered flower stalks quickly disappear leaving a short, delightful carpet of bright green foliage. It loves organic soil and dappled to full shade. 2 inch pots: $2.25 ea.

Robin's Plantain, Erigeron pulchellus
The whorls of rounded foliage are similar to Golden Ragwort only hairy. Good for drier, well drained, less organic soils than ragwort. It prefers bright or dappled shade areas. 4 inch pots: $3.00 ea.

Pussytoes, Antennaria sp.
Pussytoes have many oval shaped leaves that hug the ground. Dense hairs give the leaves a white to gray-green appearance. They do well in full sun to medium shade and well drained, average to dry soil. 3 inch pots: $2.25 ea.

Barren Strawberry, Waldsteinia fragarioides
Plants consist of tight clumps of wedged-shaped, strawberry-like, evergreen leaves. Flowers are glossy, yellow, and resemble strawberry flowers. Sorry, no edible red fruits. Prefers highly organic soil with some sand. 3 inch pots: $2.25 ea.

Sedum or Three-leaved Stonecrop, Sedum ternatum
The whorls of evergreen foliage can be pinched off and laid on the soil surface to produce more plants. Prefers any degree of shade and tolerates a wide range of soil conditions. $0.80 ea.

Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense
Wild Ginger has a horizontal, creeping stem with many 3-5 inch round leaves standing on 3-6 inch leaf stalks. Preferring organic-rich soil and some shade they work well around and in a shade garden. Very attractive. Foliage dies back during winter. 4.5 inch pots: $4.50 ea.

 

 

 

 

 

last updated: 08/27/07