dry garden groundcovers - anyone?

last year

hi all!

So, although it's not at the top of the chore list, I am on the lookout for a groundcover that - once established - will live without any water. We do get the occasional rain in the winter, some years. This area is in part-sun.

Am I kidding myself? Has anyone in a hot-ish area tried any of these:

emerald carpet manzonita (or other native-ish groundcover ... ? )

creepying thyme or rosemary

groundcover lantana

clover

wild strawberry

This is for an area that isn't visible. I would just leave it, but right now, some of the weeds grow outlandishly tall, which makes me feel guilty looking at it. It's irritating. It won't be walked on much. I may put in stepping stones just in case.

There is no irrigation at all - I realize I will have to water whatever it is at first. (And, this may never happen. Maybe I'll just get better at not looking at this one patch!) Maybe I will put in a few things and let them fight it out. This area is near-ish the coast in OC but not right on it - like 5 miles away, maybe?

It is okay if the above plants dry out in "the summer" (which is really half the year). If something that was 6" browns out, I can live with that. It's these giant weeds that bug me. Plus, it would be nicer for the neighbors I suppose if I wasn't running a weed factory.

I don't want to go with pebbles or fake lawn. Bark mulch, maybe some day.

Kurapia sounds maybe too fussy, since I do not think the drainage is that good.

Creeping rye? Bearberry? I've been doing a good bit of online snooping. But there's no substitute for experience. I will bother the county gardeners some more too - but I was wondering if someone has solved this issue already?

All thoughts appreciated!! Maybe I'll just start sticking things out there. I've even seen some suggest spider plant as a groundcover. Who knows.

Thanks.

Featured Answer

gyr_falcon

last year

Be aware that some CA natives can be excellent fire fuel, especially if they are not regularly maintained to remove dead growth.

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Comments (8)

nancyjane_gardener
last year
I would check out some succulent low lying plants, or try stepables.com . They have a lot of stuff that is drought tolerant! Also look into California Native Nurseries. We have one nearby us in Santa Rosa called Flora Natives, I think. I'll have to look it up.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
My go-to for this situation would be creeping raspberry, Rubus calycinoides.

https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=3196

https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/rubus-rolfei

https://www.calfloranursery.com/plants/rubus-calycinoides-emerald-carpet
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Need2SeeGreen 10 (SoCal)
Original Author
last year
Great ideas - thanks so much!!

I hadn't thought of a creeping raspberry - I will look into this. I didn't even know there were other berries that were low-growing.

And nancyjane, that reminds me - somebody around here mentioned aloes as a groundcover, and as it happens, I have a bunch of those. And, I bet if I look, there'll be a teeny one. Very interesting!
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mojavemaria
last year
We are in a hotter climate but had a relative of prostrate coyote bush, Baccharis piluraris 'Twin Peaks’ that was very drought tolerant. It might depend on how much sun you get though as it wouldn't do well in a lot of shade.
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sealavender
last year
To follow up on Nancyjane's suggestion of native plant nurseries, you might want to check out Tree of Life Nursery on Ortega Highway. Tree of Life
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Need2SeeGreen 10 (SoCal) thanked sealavender
Need2SeeGreen 10 (SoCal)
Original Author
last year
Thanks for the link, sealavender - I did a search and found a "Native Plant Groundcovers" page (I am worried this will be blocked if link it ...) which had some things I hadn't heard of yet in the groundcover context - such as yerba buena (Clinopodium (Satureja sp.)) and California fuchsia (Epilobium californicum ).

Also buckwheat, gumweed, Catalina currant, and even a couple low-ish growing sages, including a chia plant!! I didn't know chia seed was from a sage plant.

Multiple plants listed will accept shade or part-shade. They seem to take "low" water - but, here there will be actually none (except rain). So, I will continue the research. Anyway maybe somewhere there is a part-shade coyote bush too.
sealavender
last year
last modified: last year
I have a low-growing CA fuchsia (Everett's Choice) and Bee's Bliss sage going. I don't water much at all; I am also unirrigated, maybe 1.5 miles to the ocean.
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