Hum that looks like what is around my dads place.

Most people think it's a weed. Why? Just b/c you can't buy it at Home Depot? I'm planning to put some in my 'hell strip' along w/ frogfruit. Would rather have them instead of the bermuda grass.

I've got that stuff growing in my front "native" bed around my mesquite tree. I thought it was kind of nice, so I've let it go.

Then the other day at our MG demo gardens, someone was going to dig it up, and I said no, let's let it be a ground cover.

I had no idea what it was, but I like it. Thanks for the info!

I've got some that's way in the back of the yard where I don't water. It turned brown this summer but I bet it's green again now. I've had it several years and it is slowly spreading. I'm in Collin County and isn't evergreen in my yard.

Horse herb is an excellent shade plant. I know they have it growing all over in the shade at the Heard Museum native plant garden. I've recommended this plant to lots of people. Glad to hear it is doing well, especially with dog traffic. And, believe me . . . I have two big footed dogs that can trample through a garden without any hesitation. The lab especially loves trampling through the mud in my veggie garden and then expects to come right into the house! Ha!

How can I get ahold of some of the Horse Herb, and the Frog Fruit? I have been wanting both and just thought I was missing the "season" for buying them.

Julie

I don't know where you live Scottymam, but you might look around some vacant lots and alley ways for it. You might even spot it growing in some yards and offer to dig it out for the homeowner :-)

I'm glad to find out that's what my Mom has growing nicely in the back yard where she didn't water. It's one tough plant! And yes I can tell you -- it can be mowed. It's a low growing plant and mowing doesn't faze it.

This is the only place I've ever seen sell horse herb or straggler daisy seed.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stonebriar Nursery

So there you go! What a valuable link. Thanks txspice!

Thanks Txspice! Appreciate the info.

Ellie

Both these plants are sold at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center plant sales. You just missed the fall sale but the spring sale is in April.

One thing about natives is: "You don't have to buy them. They are out there for free."

My horse herb came up from out of no where. And it's all over down at our MG demo gardens. Also frog fruit comes up everywhere on its own.

Just keep an eye out for it. If you come to Rockport, I can get you a bunch of the horse herb.

Now that I have an eye for it I see it everywhere including growing out of a crack in the pavement by the mailbox! Since the last mowing several weeks ago I see the easement in back is now carpeted with its dark green foliage.

I spend hours going through my St. Augustine lawn trying to keep horseherb to a minimum. It seems impossible to eliminate when my neighbor never mows and all of their weeds go to seed.

Bring it to my house! I hate sod. It uses up tons of water,needs tons of maintenance and isn't very eco-frienly at all. My horseherb was here in small patches on the side of the house when I got here. I've slowly destroyed the grass(talk about tough to get rid of!) The more grass I eliminate the prettier it gets. I also water it once a month in the summer to keep it green. I love the color of the foliage,the way it always looks good and the cheerful yellow flowers. It took my sideyard from looking like some boring green/grey/brown square(excitement there!) into a place for butterflies,bees and some color and texture. PJ

PJ, I have a bunch for you, some I got at the swap and I found a few areas that have it here

We have a lot of this in our yard. In some bare spaces I've even dug it up from elsewhere and plunked it in and it hasn't missed a step. Hubs asked if we could do the whole yard in it.

Wine cups, horse herb and day flower! You do love me! LOL!
It's a lovely color combo on the ground. See, I'm nice! I don't want your passies(like some tricksters!) I just want my native weed flowers darn it! LOL! PJ

I heard about horse herb a few months ago. I needed something in a shady area where my back porch leads into my back yard.
I bought some at the Heard's Spring native plant sale. It's doing well and I plan to transplant it to another area. I'm with PJ, plant native and cut out the grass. Less water and more beauty.
The Heard, (Mckinney Texas), has a Fall native plant sale also. Could get it there and many other hard-to-find natives.

Pete

I can't imagine anyone paying for plants of Horse Herb. It's a weed, it's invasive and it's just about everywhere. If there is a San Antonio swap this fall, I could bring lots of it for anyone who can get to that swap.

Isn't it wonderful that there is so much diversity in gardening? I would not give up my beautiful lawn for anything !! I love walking on grass - I love mowing it and caring for it. I also love native plants, but I have room for all of it, and that is what makes my gardening life so enjoyable.

I agree with you all that like grass. I love my lawn and wouldn't get rid of it for anything. And I love natives, tropicals, herbs, roses, ornamental grasses, perennials, annuals, orchids, and on and on! I personally don't want a yard that is totally "native" for many reasons. One of which is I have 5 dogs, and the little guys would get lost in a native landscape. Also it has a tendency to draw in snakes, which I truly HATE! I've already had two snakes in my garage this year, and I don't like it. That's why I have beds with my plants being contained in them. I do allow horse herb to grow in my native beds, but not elsewhere. And you are right about it being very invasive. So I'm one of those gardeners that doesn't "landscape" my yard, but rather I just plant my yard with lots of different specimens.

Linda tx8, Roselee and I were talking, yesterday, about the possiblity of having another SA McArthur Park swap. If people show interest we should do it again.

horseherb actually made it through the drought and under feet of my 3 dogs. Now that I know what it is, and thanks to the we spring, it is lush and everywhere.

I have a front yard garden with beds and pathways. The St. Augustine makes a nice walkway but talk about INVASIVE!

I'm fortunate, accross the street they have beautiful thick green lawn I can look at. I have a row of roses and arbor they can look at and the pathways are an adventure for their 2 1/2 year old.

What a joy!

Ya do what ya gotta do!!!

I was browsing the local xeriscape manual today. They list clover fern and silver pony foot as groundcovers for sunny areas.

Clover fern reminds me a lot of horse herb. I've got both growing in my yard.

St. Augustine can be hard to grow, it doesn't take well to heavy foot traffic.

Horse herb, clover fern, frogfruit, dicondra etc. are very low maintenance.

I think next year I will have a dichondra lawn, it is going crazy everywhere, lol
The frogfruit was everywhere but now it is all outside of the fences

Jolana,

I actually like dichondra. I've got a couple of areas in my yard that I just let it grow. It's easier than fighting it, and it looks pretty. Now dollar weed is another story!

Linda, it is being left alone. I don't have to do anything to it, lol
I'm just waiting to see what happens when it meets the nutgrass. LOL

In Arizona people actually have dicondra planted instead of grass.

In California, also !!!!