Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Friday - April 13, 2012

From: Lighthouse Point, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Groundcovers, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Groundcover for Lighthouse Point FL
Answered by: Brigid & Larry Larson

QUESTION:

Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: I am looking for mowable ground cover for part of my back yard. Due to a Mahogany tree, a hammock, surrounding foliage and a fence, there is alot of shade in the area, along with alot of leaves. Do you know about a particular grass (other than St. Augustine which did not work), and/or mowable groundcover which can survive the heat, shade and rainy season in the summer (I live in southeast Florida)? I am unable to tell you exactly what kind of soil I have, other than it has sand in it but it is also dark.

ANSWER:

A native plant groundcover is probably your best choice to be able to survive the heat, shade and rainy season in the Florida summer.  There are a number of grasses that are attractive.  These can be surveyed by checking out the recommended species for Southern Florida and sorting for "grasses" as the aspect.  I find most of those a bit too tall and sparse for a groundcover, so Mr Smarty Plants favorite recommendations are  Calyptocarpus vialis (Straggler daisy) or Sesuvium portulacastrum (Shoreline seapurslane).  I found several similar questions in the Mr Smarty Plants archives. I’ve arranged them in order of distance from Lighthouse Point.  The first two or three are definitely in similar soils and climates.

Fort Lauderdale

Groundcover for Maimi

Shaded Groundcover, Cape Coral

Ocala

Panama City

Also, it would be a great idea to also check the The Native Plant Society of Florida recommended website for Florida native plants and the website for Plant Real Florida.

 

From the Image Gallery


Horseherb
Calyptocarpus vialis

Horseherb
Calyptocarpus vialis

Shoreline seapurslane
Sesuvium portulacastrum

Railroad vine
Ipomoea pes-caprae

Texas frogfruit
Phyla nodiflora

Narrowleaf blue-eyed grass
Sisyrinchium angustifolium

More Grasses or Grass-like Questions

Native grasses for medians in Colorado Springs
June 11, 2010 - Our city has stopped watering our historic landscaped medians due to severe budget shortfalls. The medians were historically tree boulevards but have had curb and gutter and blue grass added over th...
view the full question and answer

Top soil dressing for bermudagrass
February 25, 2009 - Need to apply top soil dressing to bermudagrass. Can you suggest any type? This area is heavy clay soil and need to even out the lawn as well as feed the grass.
view the full question and answer

Identification of native grasses little bluestem and switchgrass
August 09, 2007 - If you drive east of Austin on Hwy 71, there is a bluish looking grass that has become very noticeable since the heavy rains in July. The blades grow straight up and each plant is in clump form. Do ...
view the full question and answer

Weedy buffalo grass from Dripping Springs, TX
March 07, 2013 - I have a buffalo grass lawn. It is thin and filled with weeds. I would like to find a solution to improve my lawn. I prefer a native grass but I need to be able to control the weeds and I am not ph...
view the full question and answer

Weed and feed for buffalograss
October 30, 2007 - What is a good winterizer or weed & feed for buffalo grass? I live in Southwest Austin.
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.