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
Friday - August 02, 2013
From: Birmingham, AL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Groundcovers
Title: Evergreen groundcover for full sun in Alabama
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Mr. Smartyplants, can you suggest a native, evergreen, full-sun groundcover that might thrive in zone 8a? We hope to find a mass planting that would look good beside Heuchera villosa 'autumn bride,' in nearby shade. This is for a memorial site. Thank you so much!ANSWER:
There are not too many possibilities but here are a few. All are listed as evergreen or semi-evergreen, will grow in the sun and all grow in Alabama:
Antennaria plantaginifolia (Plantain-leaf pussytoes) Here is more information from Missouri Botanical Garden, Kansas Native Plants and Illinois Wildflowers.
Coreopsis lanceolata (Lanceleaf coreopsis) Here is more information from Ohio State University and Illinois Wildflowers.
Dryopteris cristata (Crested woodfern) Here is more information from North Carolina State University.
Packera aurea (Golden ragwort) Here is more information from Missouri Botanical Garden.
Salvia lyrata (Lyreleaf sage) Here is more information from Floridata.
Be sure to read the requirements for each plant under GROWING CONDITIONS on its species page and compare them to your site to check for compatibility.
From the Image Gallery
More Groundcovers Questions
Ecosysystem with pecan at center from Austin
February 21, 2014 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I would like to create a native tree guild around a mature pecan. It shares its space with native shrubs and ephemerals but I would like to add a nitrogen fixing plant. I am...
view the full question and answer
Growing non-vascular moss as a lawn from Seattle WA
July 27, 2013 - I have lots of moss in my back yard. How can I encourage it to grow over the whole yard?
view the full question and answer
Low growing erosion control plants for lakeside in Washington Township NJ
May 12, 2013 - I live on a small lake in Northern NJ and have installed beautiful Boulders along the water to help stop erosion. Now I want to add plants along the property but would like low growing, soil retentio...
view the full question and answer
Plants to put between stepping stones in Virginia
June 07, 2009 - We are a public school in Northern Virginia and are looking for native plants that could be planted between heavily used stepping stones and could withstand some foot traffic (mostly in a sunny spot, ...
view the full question and answer
Groundcover Under Maple Tree in Ottawa That Takes Foot Traffic
April 19, 2013 - Hi, I am looking for a groundcover to put under a large maple tree that will be alright for kids to run about on and will be happy in the Ottawa climate. Your other answers to similar questions have b...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |