Native Plants
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.
rate this answer
Friday - May 15, 2009
From: Plano, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Groundcovers
Title: Groundcover for under oak in Plano, Texas
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I live in Plano Texas USA. I have a huge live oak tree in my front yard and a large Cape Myrtle as well under these trees no grass will grow so we have dirt or mud when it rains. Fact is the front yard is pretty sparse of grass which is fine with me except we need to put some kind of ground cover that needs little attention, does well during drought, looks beautiful and deals well with the acidic conditions of the soil due to the oak leaves. Oh and I hate to mow so no mowing required would be blissful. What do you suggest????ANSWER:
With the Wasowskis' Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region as a guide, Mr. Smarty Plants chose a variety of groundcover plants that should work well in your area under your oak tree in the shade (less than 2 hours of sun per day) and/or part shade (2 to 6 hours of sun per day). Some of them will do well in full sun as well. No mowing required!Asplenium platyneuron (ebony spleenwort)
Calyptocarpus vialis (straggler daisy)
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)
Packera obovata (roundleaf ragwort)
Phyla nodiflora (turkey tangle fogfruit)
Pteridium aquilinum (western brackenfern)
More Groundcovers Questions
Low maintenance plants for crack in concrete
July 01, 2008 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I would like to grow some very low maintenance weeds, mosses and flowers out of a crack in a slab of concrete. Can you recommend any species that would do well in this sort...
view the full question and answer
Want a ground cover instead of St. Augustine to fill in gaps in stone pathway.
November 19, 2012 - I'm considering using Silver Ponyfoot (instead of St. Augustine) to fill in the 6" gaps between my 24"x24" cut limestone blocks footpath and patio. Do they run long that may cover the blocks, whi...
view the full question and answer
Low plants to cover bank too steep to mow
June 26, 2008 - I have a bank along the road that is too steep to mow. This bank faces east and only gets 2 - 4 hours per day of sunlight. I'd like to try ground cover to prevent erosion, however visibility is a p...
view the full question and answer
Ground cover for shady area in north Texas
July 29, 2013 - I'm looking for a ground cover for a mostly shady area where St. Augustine won't grow. I don't want the ground cover to overtake my established St. Augustine in the rest of the yard. The area is un...
view the full question and answer
Groundcover for steep slope under large oak in East Texas
May 17, 2009 - I live in Longview and have a slope on the west side of my house that is eroding. There is a large 18-20 y-o oak tree that shades half the slope. The slope itself is too steep to safely/easily mow. ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |