If you want a nice ground cover that will take the dry shade under the trees, I recommend epimedium (fairy wings). I've had some under my oak tree for years. It fills in nicely and doesn't run all over the yard. The only care mine gets is cutting back the old foliage with a string trimmer in early Spring just before the blooms and new leaves come up.

Thanks.

Just be sure, whatever you choose, that you do all you can to protect the root/soil system under those oaks. The most important part of an oak's root system is extremely shallow; when we compact or cut those shallow, fibrous roots it can be very damaging.

So, NO TILLING! I would recommend that you plant very young plants and just a few of them. Be prepared to water quite a bit initially.....those established trees will be very stingy with their rainfall!

My wife and I found this growing on a wooded hillside in N. Alabama. Can anyone identify it?

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