Finally, in this last article about ground cover species that substitute lawns, we will talk about two options, one for partial shade locations such as Trifolium fragiferum and another option for full sun locations such as Verbena tenuisecta with more spectacular flowering.
Trifolium fragiferum is a creeping and perennial herbaceous plant of the Fabaceae family. It has stoloniferous growth, with stems that root at nodes, located at a distance between them of about 25 centimeters. Its height can reach a maximum of 15 or 20 centimeters.
It has alternate leaves formed by three dark green leaflets. The inflorescences, pink in color, are globular-shaped capitula, blooming between April and September.
It belongs to hardiness zone number 7, with an annual minimum average temperature range of -17.7 / -12.3°C, so it can tolerate the frosts we could find in much of our peninsula. Regarding its water requirements, it can adapt to both dry and humid areas and can also be planted both in full sun and in an area with moderate shade.
Image of Trifolium fragiferum. Source: flponent.atspace.org
It is a legume very well adapted to poorly drained soils, supporting high levels of waterlogging, growing well in a wide range of soils, from sandy to clayey.
It is undoubtedly a very suitable species as a ground cover, suitable for quickly covering the ground forming dense carpets whether in landscape restorations or in areas of the garden with fairly continuous trampling 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.
The other species, with superior ornamental value, is Verbena tenuisecta, this herbaceous mat of the Verbenaceae family is native to South America. Its prostrate branches form dense mats that cover the ground quickly. Semi-persistent leaves, as in colder areas it can behave as a deciduous species. It forms very abundant inflorescences in spring and summer, between the months of May and September, with violet-blue flowers.
Like Trifolium, it is a species that tolerates both humid and dry environments, but in this case it is a species that is only suitable for areas with total solar radiation.
Its usual dimensions are 5 to 10 centimeters high by 40 to 60 wide, so we will obtain complete ground coverage with few species per square meter. From Sala Graupera we recommend using about 4 or 6 plants per square meter.
Image of Verbena tenuisecta. Source: commons.wikimedia.org
It belongs to hardiness zone number 8, with an annual minimum average temperature range of -12.2 / -6.7°C. Thus in warmer areas that do not go below 0°C it will behave as a persistent species, but going below freezing point it is a species that will behave as deciduous. If we find ourselves in this second case, we recommend doing a severe pruning per year, just before it starts to sprout again. In both cases we also recommend doing a mowing after the first flowering, this way it will quickly bloom again.
Verbena tenuisecta is indifferent to soil type, but has a preference for soils with good drainage, as otherwise it may have rot problems. It does not like terrain very poor in nutrients and organic matter. It is suitable for stony areas, so a perfect location would be in rock gardens, where it would hang elegantly.
With these two species we say goodbye to the topic that has accompanied us for the last few weeks. We have dedicated several posts to it as from Sala Graupera we think about the importance of having information and alternatives to such a current topic as ground cover species as substitutes for lawn areas.