They are not evergreen in my neck of the woods. They do seed out if happy. I like them. I don't know about ground cover. They die back to the ground in heat of summer and come back⦠Then again I do not water so their behavior might be different in a more cared for garden. Your soil is richer so that will effect behavior too and some varieties are taller.

It's a nice plant but no dense or winter hardy enough to be recommended as groundcover. Its performance declines after the second year and its reseeding habits are not consistent. Also, it is kinda picky when it comes to overwatering.

Omar

wantonamara: Ours remains about 6 to 8 inches tall in our blackland prairie clay where it is irrigated when the adjacent St. Augustine is watered as needed. The blooms stop during the heat of Summer, but stays green year-round. Good to know it would likely go dormant without the extra water it is catching from the lawn. No volunteers so far in this environment.

Omar: Suspected lifespan/vigor was keeping it off the recommended ground cover lists. Otherwise it seems like a great candidate for my area. Except for some thinning around the woody base during the summer heat, our 3-year-old plant remains at least as dense as in the photo throughout the year. It stays green down to at least 15ð F and is supposed to be root hardy to 0ð F - which means it would be evergreen here through most winters and survive all. However, wouldn't want to have to patch or replant such a large space every three to five years.

Thanks for the help on this. Will take some cuttings and experiment in other locations, but will go with one (or both) of the alternatives for the front.