In this penultimate post about ground cover species to replace typical lawns we will talk about Potentilla neumanniana, Pratia pedunculata and the large number of creeping Thymus, all available in our nursery.
Potentilla neumanniana is a creeping and stoloniferous perennial herb of the Rosaceae family. Commonly known as Hunger Flower, it is distributed throughout much of Europe, where it lives naturalized in pastures and meadows.
It can measure between 5 and 15 centimeters high by 15/20 wide, thanks to its stoloniferous branches. It has palmately compound leaves with a long petiole.
Image of Potentilla neumanniana. Source: gardenerdirect.com
It is a species with medium water requirements and although it prefers to be planted in full sun, it tolerates partial shade. It is also tolerant to most soils, whether acidic, basic or neutral; as long as they have a good drainage system. It tolerates certain temporary drought.
It blooms in late winter and early spring, with intense yellow five-petaled flowering.
It belongs to hardiness zone number 3, with an annual minimum average temperature range of -45.5 / -40.1°C, so it can tolerate severe frosts. Thus it can be planted anywhere in our latitudes.
It is undoubtedly a very suitable species as a ground cover, suitable for forming dense carpets and can also be located in rock gardens, as it tolerates stony terrain well.
From Sala Graupera we recommend using a planting density of 4 to 6 plants per square meter. This way we will obtain almost complete coverage in just one year.
Another interesting plant to describe in this post is Pratia pedunculata. It belongs to the Campanulaceae family. This species is native to Australia and like Potentilla neumanniana it tolerates drought but prefers some occasional watering and also prefers sun although it tolerates partial shade. It adapts in perfect conditions to all types of terrain and grain sizes.
It is a perennial herbaceous plant with very branched prostrate branches, up to about 4 or 6 centimeters high by 30 or 40 centimeters wide. Its small rounded leaves are dark green.
Image of Pratia pedunculata. Source: lapage-vivaces.com
It belongs to hardiness zone number 8, with an annual minimum average temperature range of -12.2 / -6.7°C, so it tolerates the vast majority of frosts that could occur in our latitudes.
It blooms during the months of May and July with very abundant blue star-shaped flowering.
The only care we must give it is an annual mowing once flowering has passed. This way we will rejuvenate the plant and obtain a better appearance during summer and autumn.
The planting density would be similar to that of Potentilla, with about 4 or 6 plants per square meter using 1-liter pots.
Finally we will make a brief summary of the large number of Thymus we have, Thymus ciliatus, Thymus hirsutus, Thymus praecox ‘Coccioneus’, Thymus serpyllum and Thymus serpyllum ‘Elfin’.
The vast majority of them only have some small differences whether in leaf size, different shades of green or various flower colors.
For example Thymus ciliatus, of the Lamiaceae family, is native to the Mediterranean region, specifically North Africa. Its dimensions are about 10 centimeters high by about 60 wide, which clearly indicates its low habit. It is a mat of small evergreen leaves, gray-green in color, slightly aromatic. The leaves of this Thymus are garnished with numerous hairs (in fact ciliatus means “provided with eyelashes”). The creeping stems root on contact with the soil and the plant ends up forming, after a few years, a beautiful low ground cover.
Image of Thymus ciliatus. Source: lambley.com.au
It belongs to hardiness zone number 7, with an annual minimum average temperature range of -17.7 / -12.3°C, so it tolerates the vast majority of frosts that could occur in our latitudes. With the winter cold, it can acquire interesting reflections of a violet-gray color.
Flowering of a soft pink color, grouped in silky heads, which completely cover the plant during May and August.
Thymus ciliatus prefers light, deep and well-drained soils. In case of prolonged drought, as a resistance measure the foliage dries and ends up partially falling.
It is a substitute species for lawns for small lightly trafficked surfaces.
Another variety of Thymus is the T. serpyllum variety and T. serpyllum ‘Elfin’. These are even more compact and creeping varieties, in fact serpyllum comes from the Latin serpere, “to creep”. It forms a thick cushion, whose foliage releases a citrus smell. They are ideal species to place between slabs in gardens as in summer their roots take advantage of the moisture that persists longer under the stones.
Image of Thymus serpyllum ‘Elfin’. Source: gardenerdirecte.com
With all Thymus a preferred location in full sun should be chosen and a planting density of about 4 to 6 units per square meter using 1-liter pots should be followed.
From Sala Graupera we recommend the use of these species for the creation of your gardens, which will result in guaranteed success.