Native Plants
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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Wednesday - April 15, 2015
From: Stanfield, NC
Region: Select Region
Topic: Herbs/Forbs
Title: Evergreen Groundcovers for a Sunny Clay Soil in NC
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
We have a landscaping business in Stanfield, NC. We are looking for suggestions for evergreen groundcovers for a sunny clay area. They need to fill in quickly and stay low for 1,600 square feet. Thank you for any suggestions you have. Can you also give the name(s) of suppliers where I can obtain them?ANSWER:
Let’s start with a list of native plants for your area. Take a look at the Native Plant Database on the www.wildflower.org website and put in the following search criteria: State = North Carolina, habit = herb (for herbaceous), duration = perennial, light requirement = full sun, soil moisture = moist, leaf retention = evergreen, height = 0-1 feet. This search will revealed one native plant to consider.
Asplenium trichomanes (Maidenhair spleenwort) Dainty, narrow, 2-10 in. evergreen fronds are all alike and spring in rosettes of from 10 to more than 100. The stems are dark brown and the pinnae are opposite and notched on their upper edges. Moist humus among limestone rocks.
Requires little special care, although it may benefit by protection from winter and early spring winds.
Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh NC have listed this fern in the past but it is currently unavailable.
Far Reaches Farm in Washington State list this fern in their catalog.
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