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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - May 06, 2008
From: Stafford, VA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Non-Natives, Groundcovers, Cacti and Succulents
Title: Information about ice plant (Carpobrotus edulis)
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I recently planted some Carpobrotus edulis, Ice plant, and wanted to know if I can mulch or put stones around the entire garden and plants. They are a ground cover plant.ANSWER:
Our focus and expertise at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is with plants native to North America. Unfortunately, Carpobrotus edulis (ice plant or hottentot fig) is a non-native introduced species and is on the California Invasive Plant Council's Weeds of California list. This South African native spreads rapidly and is an ecological threat in the California's climate. Virginia's climate will not be as welcoming to the ice plant as California's is, but you should take precautions to see that it doesn't spread from your garden areas. Putting mulch around it and stones with it probably won't hurt it, but we would encourage you to consider replacing it with a native groundcover such as Glandularia canadensis (rose mock vervain)
More Groundcovers Questions
Groundcover for a wet hillside in the San Juan Islands
July 30, 2014 - I live on Orcas Island in WA state. We have a place on the water and want to plant something that is no taller than 2-3 feet, lower if possible, on a hillside. The hillside gets lots of sun, yet als...
view the full question and answer
Groundcover Planting in Shiro TX
July 09, 2015 - I have been collecting seeds from White Avens and Texas Sedge to use as ground covers. What is the optimal time to plant these seeds? We have been experiencing heavy rains in our area lately, so I am ...
view the full question and answer
Native plants and grasses for river bank from Rosanky TX
February 19, 2014 - Our property owners association would like to know what native plants/grasses to plant on the Blanco River bank in our river park to help prevent erosion. Some banks are steep and some areas are a gra...
view the full question and answer
Replacing non-native iceplant in El Cajon CA
June 11, 2010 - Help! We are clearing fungus dead iceplant on a massive steep bank. Should I avoid replacing it with more iceplant? Would myaporum prostrate be a better option? Fast growing, erosion resistant, zero m...
view the full question and answer
Groundcovers to replace meadow grasses
September 08, 2008 - Are there any groundcovers that are tolerant to local conditions between Bastrop and Elgin and hardy enough to takeover meadow grasses? I have a couple of acres that was a meadow before I moved here e...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |