Native Plants

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Monday - February 04, 2008
From: Ocala, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Groundcovers
Title: Native ground cover to replace grass in Florida.
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Where can I find a list of ground covers to replace my grass. I live in the south of Ocala Florida.ANSWER:
The Native Plant Society of Florida has lists of native plants to use for landscaping in Florida. You can search by county and I believe you are in Marion County.Here are a few recommendations from their list for groundcovers that do well in Marion County, Florida:
Dyschoriste oblongifolia (oblongleaf snakeherb)
Licania michauxii (gopher apple)
Mimosa strigillosa (powderpuff)
Mitchella repens (partridgeberry)
Phyla nodiflora (turkey tangle frogfruit)
Sisyrinchium angustifolium (narrowleaf blue-eyed grass)
You can also see a list of Florida Recommended native plants on our web site. Here are several recommendations from this list that would serve well as groundcovers:
Ceratiola ericoides (sand heath)
Chamaecrista nictitans ssp. nictitans (sensitive partridge pea)
Gaylussacia dumosa (dwarf huckleberry)
Also, you might consider one of the sedges, such as:
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)
Carex cherokeensis (Cherokee sedge)
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