Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?

I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

Thank you.
Mike

MDO wrote:
Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?

I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

Thank you.
Mike

Ajuga (bugleweed)

MDO wrote:
Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?

I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

Thank you.
Mike

Ajuga (bugleweed)

"MDO" wrote in message
m...
Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?

I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

Thank you.
Mike

Vinca minor is a good low-growing evergreen choice but can be invasive under
certain circumstances. Very easy to remove the excess, however.

pam - gardengal

(MDO) wrote:

Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?
I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

The following do well in sun or shade and will survive drought:

Euonymus fortunei (big leaf wintercreeper) will climb trees.
Hedera helix (English ivy) will climb trees. Need hardy variety.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper, woodbine) likes shade.

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Ablang wrote:

Ajuga (bugleweed)

good choice but will need watering in drought conditions.

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Ablang wrote:

Ajuga (bugleweed)

good choice but will need watering in drought conditions.

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I suppose one of the prostrate junipers is too obvious an answer? Many kinds
are 6 inches or less in height and may spread out 4 or 5 feet in diameter.
Also microbiota decussata, another member of the cupressus family, native to
Siberia, hence hardy in any climate, has similar growth habits.
"Stephen M. Henning" wrote in message
news
(MDO) wrote:

Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?
I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

The following do well in sun or shade and will survive drought:

Euonymus fortunei (big leaf wintercreeper) will climb trees.
Hedera helix (English ivy) will climb trees. Need hardy variety.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper, woodbine) likes shade.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 22:25:05 GMT, "Pam - gardengal"
wrote:


"MDO" wrote

Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?

I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

Vinca minor is a good low-growing evergreen choice but can be invasive under
certain circumstances.

I don't believe Vinca is evergreen in zone 5. One Denver garden center
http://www.echters.com/frost.htm site lists Vinca as an annual, and
Denver is USDA zone 5b. It's been a long, cold winter here in 7b-8,
and a few (too few) of the Vinca leaves in my yard are brown and dry.

Very easy to remove the excess, however.

Sez you! :-)

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 22:25:05 GMT, "Pam - gardengal"
wrote:


"MDO" wrote

Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?

I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

Vinca minor is a good low-growing evergreen choice but can be invasive under
certain circumstances.

I don't believe Vinca is evergreen in zone 5. One Denver garden center
http://www.echters.com/frost.htm site lists Vinca as an annual, and
Denver is USDA zone 5b. It's been a long, cold winter here in 7b-8,
and a few (too few) of the Vinca leaves in my yard are brown and dry.

Very easy to remove the excess, however.

Sez you! :-)

"Frogleg" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 22:25:05 GMT, "Pam - gardengal"
wrote:


"MDO" wrote

Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?

I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

Vinca minor is a good low-growing evergreen choice but can be invasive
under
certain circumstances.

I don't believe Vinca is evergreen in zone 5. One Denver garden center
http://www.echters.com/frost.htm site lists Vinca as an annual, and
Denver is USDA zone 5b. It's been a long, cold winter here in 7b-8,
and a few (too few) of the Vinca leaves in my yard are brown and dry.

Vinca should be hardy and evergreen to zone 3. But, as with many broadleaf
evergreens, a very harsh cold winter can result in some browning or
defoliation. We had a pretty nasty winter here alos, but my vinca is going
strong and flowering as we e-speak It is most definitely NOT an annual.

http://hortwww-2.ag.ohio-state.edu/h.../vi_minor.html

Very easy to remove the excess, however.

Sez you! :-)

It's a lot easier to remove than something that spreads from underground
runners. I pull the excess from mine regularly. Rapid establishment and
spreading is generally considered a GOOD quality in a groundcover :-))

pam - gardengal

"Frogleg" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 22:25:05 GMT, "Pam - gardengal"
wrote:


"MDO" wrote

Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?

I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

Vinca minor is a good low-growing evergreen choice but can be invasive
under
certain circumstances.

I don't believe Vinca is evergreen in zone 5. One Denver garden center
http://www.echters.com/frost.htm site lists Vinca as an annual, and
Denver is USDA zone 5b. It's been a long, cold winter here in 7b-8,
and a few (too few) of the Vinca leaves in my yard are brown and dry.

Vinca should be hardy and evergreen to zone 3. But, as with many broadleaf
evergreens, a very harsh cold winter can result in some browning or
defoliation. We had a pretty nasty winter here alos, but my vinca is going
strong and flowering as we e-speak It is most definitely NOT an annual.

http://hortwww-2.ag.ohio-state.edu/h.../vi_minor.html

Very easy to remove the excess, however.

Sez you! :-)

It's a lot easier to remove than something that spreads from underground
runners. I pull the excess from mine regularly. Rapid establishment and
spreading is generally considered a GOOD quality in a groundcover :-))

pam - gardengal

"Pam - gardengal" wrote:

Both Euonymus fortunei and Hedera helix can be extremely invasive and are
listed on a number of states noxious weed listings. I'd investigate their
legitimacy with your local weed authority before planting either in your
area.

It is a fine line between being a good ground cover and being invasive.
The University of Kentucky lists Euonymous fortunei and Hedera helix as
invasive but not pernicious. They would need to be controlled and kept
out of adjacent areas.

--
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http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

"Pam - gardengal" wrote:

Both Euonymus fortunei and Hedera helix can be extremely invasive and are
listed on a number of states noxious weed listings. I'd investigate their
legitimacy with your local weed authority before planting either in your
area.

It is a fine line between being a good ground cover and being invasive.
The University of Kentucky lists Euonymous fortunei and Hedera helix as
invasive but not pernicious. They would need to be controlled and kept
out of adjacent areas.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

Thanks everyone for your responses. I've looked at a few junipers,
but I think (at least the pictures) make them look like unkept
evergreen bushes. Do some of them look a bit more manicured? I once
had a Japanese garden book (which I can't find anymore) and it seemed
there were tons of different varieties of evergreen they used; some
looked like moss, others were full shrubs.

In response to an earlier question, there is no drought tolerance
required. It's a relatively small area that gets mostly shade in the
warm season. If it got real dry, we could water the area.

Mike


"gregpresley" wrote in message ...
I suppose one of the prostrate junipers is too obvious an answer? Many kinds
are 6 inches or less in height and may spread out 4 or 5 feet in diameter.
Also microbiota decussata, another member of the cupressus family, native to
Siberia, hence hardy in any climate, has similar growth habits.
"Stephen M. Henning" wrote in message
news
(MDO) wrote:

Does anyone have a recommendation for an evergreen groundcover in Zone
5 (Central Illinois)?
I have an area that gets partial shade. Would like something that
stays green all year, but is fairly low to the ground and spreads
quickly.

The following do well in sun or shade and will survive drought:

Euonymus fortunei (big leaf wintercreeper) will climb trees.
Hedera helix (English ivy) will climb trees. Need hardy variety.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper, woodbine) likes shade.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman