Native Plants

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Tuesday - November 17, 2009

From: Gonzales, LA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Groundcovers
Title: Evergreen groundcover in Louisiana
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I need a suggestion for an evergreen groundcover plant that can tolerate moist soil. I want something that is low maintenance to go around a pergola in my backyard that gets mostly full sun.

ANSWER:

The following evergreen, or semi-evergreen, groundcovers native to Louisiana do well in full sun (6 or more hours of sun per day) or part shade (2 to 6 hours of sun per day):

Calyptocarpus vialis (straggler daisy)

Phyla nodiflora (turkey tangle fogfruit)

Portulaca pilosa (kiss me quick)

Salvia lyrata (lyreleaf sage)

Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)

Carex texensis (Texas sedge)

These next evergreen groundcovers will thrive in part shade (2 to 6 hours of sun per day).

Chrysogonum virginianum (green and gold)

Geum canadense (white avens)

Hexastylis arifolia (littlebrownjug)

Heuchera americana (American alumroot)

Mitchella repens (partridgeberry)