   Selecting a Low Water Use Ground Cover - June 28, 2000 Jeff Schalau, County Director, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County Many Arizona homeowners choose to landscape their yards very sparsely with gravel mulch as the dominant feature. These landscapes do conserve water, but tend to look harsh and uninviting. This harshness can be softened with the addition of some low-maintenance greenery. Today, there are many low water-use ground covers available to use in these situations. Ground covers are usually creeping, sprawling, or clumping plants whose primary function is to cover the soil in human-made landscapes. They can also include low-growing shrubs and perennials if they have the ability to cover an area. Plants available for this vary in size, shape, color, and texture. Many also produce showy flowers for seasonal color. What follows are some selected ground cover plants suitable for with full or partial sun in the Verde Valley area. Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata) is a native annual wildflower with silver-gray foliage and bright yellow flowers in the spring. It will reseed itself each year. It will not form a dense ground cover. Calylophus or Sun Drops (Calylophus hartwegii) is a dense, low-growing perennial with pale yellow flowers. It prefers well-drained soils and may die back to the ground during cold winters or on cooler sites. Individual plants should be spaced 3 to 4 feet apart. Ground Morning Glory (Convolvulus mauritanicus) is a low-mounding perennial with gray-green foliage and lavender-blue, trumpet-shaped flowers. It prefers well-drained soils and requires seasonal pruning to keep it from becoming too straggly. Individual plants should be spaced 3 feet apart. Bush Morning Glory (Convolvulus cneorum) is a low is a low-mounding perennial with gray-green foliage and white, trumpet-shaped flowers with yellow centers. It has similar growth requirements to Ground Morning Glory. However, it can become a small shrub to 3 feet high. Individual plants should be spaced 4 feet apart. Gold Dalea (Dalea capitata) is a low mounding shrub with fine, dark green, lemon-scented foliage and yellow flowers. This plant can tolerate hot, southwest exposures and is fast growing to 2 feet high. Individual plants should be spaced 4 feet apart. Angelita Daisy (Hymenoxys acaulis) is a small perennial with pine-like foliage and long-blooming yellow flowers. Individual plants should be spaced 2 to 3 feet apart. Mexican Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa) is a fast-growing, spreading perennial with rose-pink flowers. It can become invasive if not controlled and is very good for dry sites. Individual plants should be spaced 2 feet apart. White Evening Primrose (Oenothera caespitosa) is a perennial with dark green leaves in rosettes and large white flowers. Blooms spring through fall. May be short-lived but spreads by seed. Individual plants should be spaced 1.5 feet apart. Saltillo Evening Primrose (Oenothera stubbei) is a perennial with bright green leaves in rosettes and large yellow flowers. Blooms spring through fall. Needs afternoon shade to do best. Spreads by above ground runners. Individual plants should be spaced 3 feet apart. Dwarf Rosemary (Rosmarinus prostratus) is a fast-growing perennial with small leaves and small blue flowers in winter and spring. It has arching, creeping stems that may need light pruning to control. Individual plants should be spaced 2 to 3 feet apart. Santolina (Santolina chamaecyparrirus) is a dense growing, fine-textured, perennial with gray-green foliage and yellow button-like flowers in summer. Individual plants should be spaced 2 to 3 feet apart. Green Santolina (Santolina virens) is a dense growing, fine-textured, perennial with bright green foliage and yellow button-like flowers in summer. Individual plants should be spaced 2 feet apart. Stonecrop (Sedum sp.) comes in many varieties and is a creeping perennial with succulent and small blossoms (mostly yellow). Hard to weed due to brittle stems and leaves. Individual plants should be spaced 1 to 2 feet apart. Gooding's Verbena (Verbena goodingii) has soft green foliage with masses of lavender flowers in spring. Can require some extra water in summer and tends to be short-lived. Individual plants should be spaced 2 feet apart. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has publications and information on landscaping and irrigation. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 or E-mail us at mgardener@kachina.net and be sure to include your address and phone number. The Yavapai County Cooperative Extension web site is http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/. |