Mini Forests by Sky sells this plant for $3.00. I have never tried it from seed and don't see it listed in any of my seed catalogs. I hope you post pictures of your trellis and walk when they are done.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mini Forests

I buy flats of it at Home Despot. Just saw some there yesterday.

Tom Borusky

Blue Star Creeper is a basic groundcover available at just about any nursery/gardener center--yes, even the big discount home-stores (Support your local independent nurseries!). I am a buyer for seed and have never seen seed available, but a little of the plant goes a long way. You can divide a 4" pot of this groundcover into 8 or 10 "plugs" (use a sharp knife) and plant the plugs 12" apart. Your Blue Star will be well-established by spring. I'm in Puget Sound area of Seattle and it winters fine here. I should warn you that a co-worker of mine refers to Blue Star Creep as "Blue Star TURF"--it really does form a thick mat and can be considered "invasive" if planted amongst delicate perennials--it might snuff them out! I have it planted amongst sturdy daylilies and it has worked out fine--I love this plant when planted in the right place! Good luck.

I'm on the Olympic Penn. I have creeper in our japanese garden on raised beds and I have to fight to keep it from taking over everywhere once it got going. It will grow right up your rhodie trunks! Take care d

I have NEVER seen this anywhere locally (and believe me, I HAUNT our local merchants!) and got mine from someone on Ebay. There's a Wal-mart, Lowe's, K-mart and a Home Depot within a few miles of me, not to mention half-a-dozen small and large greenhouses. None of them had it. I planted the tiniest little bits and thought they'd never make it. They're doing great and have spread a lot!

There are a couple of cultivars with darker blue flowers:

'County Park'
'Kelsey Blue'

These may be exactly the same plant under different names. I think they are better than the type because the flowers are closer to a good sapphire blue instead of the usual washy sky blue of Laurentia fluvialis.

Look for them.

I was under the impression that it is not hardy north of zone 6. If someone has found out differently, I would like to know.

The County Park is not a Laurentia fluviatilis. It is a Pratia pedunculata. It is not as hardy- zn 7 but it can be used in the same fashion. I like to inter mix the 2 plants and get the 2 colors working together.
Lorna

It would help to know where you are. L.fluv. is or should be available at nurseries that buy from the wholesaler Sunny Border, located CT. I grow it but have to protect it pretty well in the winter (bubblewrap) and check to see it doesn't dry out in Aug. It's a charmer though. Good luck.

I'm new to horticulture so this may be an entirely different plant, but I found Laurentia (Shooting Star) seeds from Thompson & Morgan (seed origin UK) for sale at the big garden show in Chicago. Their address is Dept. RT, Jackson, New Jersey 08527.

Laurentia Shooting Stars from T & M is Laurentia axillaris (aka Solenopsis axillaris and Isotoma axillaris), a larger plant, not a trailing one. T & M (and other seed merchants) sell it in blue, pink and white. I have that, and I'm still looking for seeds of Laurentia fluviatilis.

Did anyone ever find any seeds? Mine was doing great but in the last month just pooped out!

Try a website called steppables.com
I purchased some of their plants (including Blue Star Creeper)this summer at a local garden center but hear that do have a website you can use to order. The garden center said it would be hardy in zone 5 but I've heard differently. I guess I'll see next spring!

I tried this wonderful plant 2 times. Did not survive here in Z 5b. also, I think it did dry out. I've never seen it around here for sale either, small nurseries or box stores. Let us know if it makes it.

Blue star creeper is Native to Australia and it is borderline hardy in zone 6...It hates summer heat and dry conditions... but it does like shade and moisture... They succumb to cold around -5 to -10F and they are not evergreen in colder zone... they are pretty and if you mulch them you may get them to survive a mild zone 5 winter. Some other Pratia species from New Zealand and Australia are also hardy in zone 6 with mulch... the County park type comes from Tasmania and is best in Zone 8-10 and can be overwintered into zone 7b with a proper location.... Cotula minor is another neat little plant from NZ and is hardy here to -13F but croaked at -18F.. also needs the same conditions cooler and moist to survive

My sample of Blue Star Creeper is very vigorous and I plan to put it in a mini-lawn about 7' in diameter. Do you think it will need to be mowed or trimed or is it just fine - now around 4" tall?

Blue Star creeper in very invasive and will grow up through plants and everything else in its path.
It should work fine around your walking stones. If it starts growing over the top of them. Take a sharp knife to cut them away.
I have been growing from seed in a greenhouse for years and have never seen seed.

Re: GreenThumz's & Eucalyptusman's messages: Today (Sept 28) went to Boerner Botanical Gardens in Milwaukee, WI & saw mass of small blue flowers on low mound of fresh green foilage in bloom. Label said "Laurentia 'Blue Star'."

This is zone 5. They seem to grow here. But it's possible that they are being treated like an annual.

I'll try to find them & grow them here. Hope the cold will temper their invasiveness.

The local garden centers sell it every year. I've discovered that, given good soil and adequate water, it spreads very quickly. The blue star creeper in this photo spread 2' in less than one season(I planted it in June, and took the photo in mid-August... although I didn't develop the film until September!).

Click on "View Full Size" to see the plant close up.

Here is a link that might be useful: L. fluvilatilis

I planted Laurentia fluviatilis (aka Pratia peduculata, and formerly Isotoma fluviatilis) in the fall of '03. One flat cut into 64 pieces and put into all my perennial gardens. It is now June '04 and I am using RoundUp on the patches that are in the open, and trying to dig out what is strangling my mini-roses and other smaller plants. It has sent shoots up 8 - 10 inches already and each plug is now 18 inches to two feet in diameter. Sunset should warn us about this one. I started to worry when I saw that a few peices of leaf and stem which fell on damp ground rooted and grew in a few weeks.

I first found this plant as part of the 'Stepables' line at a local nursery. I then watched a segment interviewing the owner of 'Stepables' and was very intrigued by my new purchases. Check out their website: www.stepables.com - not only is this a great ground cover for high traffic areas, but this can be constantly walked on (everyday). Many of these plants actually thrive BETTER with foot traffic.
Responding to post above, this plant will eventually become a thick carpet and will take over spaces where smaller/more delicate plants are located. It is best to use around hardy plants and separate with some sort of divider/border where you do not want it to "creep".

check it out ...

'

868. ISATOMA AXILLARIS �' MIX
     Three quarter inch lavender pink and white tubular, star shaped flowers cover the 10 inch light green foliage plant which is distinguished by deeply serrated leaves. Plant several together for the best effect. 25 seeds $0.95
869. ISATOMA - Blue Star $0.95
870. ISATOMA - White Star $0.95
871. ISATOMA- Rose Star $0.95

'

is that the same or mispelled?

Here is a link that might be useful: superseeds