Tough as Nail Ground Cover

aloha2009

11 years ago

I'm looking at putting ground cover in a VERY harsh environment. Of course I want it to look marvelous with little water ;)

During the summer it will be in full sun ALL day. Part of it is very rocky (can't fix) and part of it is wonderful soil. During the winter it will be shaded and covered with snow (doesn't melt). Lots of extremes. It will get high visibility during the summer and almost none during the winter.

Without a lot of trial and error, I was hoping that I might get A winning plant suggestion.

I'd prefer to stay away from junipers for various reasons, but they would survive well. I've considered sedums and St. John's Wort as possibilities, but I'm not sure if they could take the extremes. Perhaps someone else knows.

Our water is EXTREMELY expensive (we buy our water from Denver - ouch), so xeric plants are a definite plus. We're willing to cough up the extra bucks though if there is a spectacular ground cover that takes more water then some - willing to go xeric, just don't want it to look deserty.

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Comments (4)

thistlebloom
11 years ago
Have you considered Gro-Low sumac Aloha?( Rhus aromatica "Gro-Low" )It has a nice leaf, is fragrant when brushed up against on a warm day, has a reddish fall color, small yellow blooms in spring, grows up to 3 feet ( in the ideal environment, but I would expect about 2 feet myself ).
It's rated to zone 3 and isn't fussy about soil. Oh, and it doesn't require lots of water either. I think it's a nice ground cover. Certainly preferable to most junipers, mostly because it's not a juniper.
aloha2009
Original Author
11 years ago
Thistlebloom. Thanks for the suggestion.

I was confused though when I looked it up to see what it was. One site said it needed moist soil, another said it can be dry. Then it got me to wondering if this is a true sedum since the botanical name isn't what I'm reading for sedum.

It looks like a great plant, so I'd like to find out more.
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thistlebloom
11 years ago
It's not a sedum, it's actually a low growing shrub.
There are are other sumacs in this family, but if you specifically look for Gro-low sumac you should be able to find a lot of info on it. It's a go-to shrub for landscapers with tough conditions to fill.
Another benefit is it's deer resistance.
kittylee
11 years ago
I would suggest sedum.
Most are hardy to zone 3
Category: Alpines and Rock Gardens
Sun to Partial Shade, Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping, so they take very little water because they are more of a succulent. Easy to propagate,just throw a piece on the ground and water it once in a while. It will take root and spread.
I have Dragons Blood, Coral Carpet, Angelina (gorgeous color)and Gold Moss.
This last one is listed as invasive, but in my climate (SW Colorado) invasive can be a good thing, especially if you are trying to grow something that will replace grass or the lack thereof.