Water Wise Plants

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Yerba Mansa

Groundcover

2 wide x 0.33 - 1 ft(0.1 - 0.3 m) tall

Moderate: water weekly until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

White, Cream, Red

Yerba Mansa or lizard tail, is a perennial flowering plant within the family Saururaceae. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Anemopsis. It is native to southwestern North America. In early spring numerous tiny white flowers are borne on a cone which is surrounded by 4-9 large white spoon-shaped bracts that look like petals. As it matures, the visible part of the plant develops red stains, eventually turning bright red in the fall. Yerba mansa means "calming herb" in Spanish (yerba = "herb"; mansa = "calm or tranquil").   Yerba Mansa requires moist soil, so best to plant in streambeds, seeps or other damp areas. It goes dormant and basically disappears from late summer to early winter, and re-sprouts from the roots in late winter. It produces beautiful white flowers in the early spring that remain on the plant until it starts to go dormant in late summer. It will often spread out like a carpet throughout the damper soil, and choke out any other plants in the area, and in particular while it's blooming, it's quite beautiful.

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Manzanita ‘Emerald Carpet’

Groundcover

5 ft. wide and 8-14 in. tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Pink flowers

‘Emerald Carpet’ is a slow growing California native manzanita from the coast of Mendocino County. It is a very attractive plant with dark glossy leaves, reddish stems and small flowers in the early spring.

There are many different cultivars of manzanita, ranging from ground covers to small trees. Manzanitas are a good wildlife plant and typically are a hearty plant. They do well in very dry situations. Most manzanitas need superb drainage, or they will struggle and die. Plant on a mound or slope and water weekly for the first summer and less after that. By the third summer, stop watering. Avoid fertilizing the plant.

These plants rarely need pruning. Remove the odd branch that dies back in the late summer and the plant will fill in. Some gardeners will remove the lower branches on some of the larger manzanitas to highlight the interesting branching structure and reddish bark. Some Santa Clara Master Gardeners have had success using the cultivar ‘Carmel Sur’ as a ground cover in low-water landscapes.

PADG notes: ‘Emerald Carpet’ has not thrived at PADG. It may need more water than most manzanitas.

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Artemisia versicolor ‘Seafoam’

Groundcover

6 - 12 in. high can spread 15 - 18 in.

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Yellow and orange

The leaves of Artemisia ‘Seafoam’ are silver and frilly, which add a nice texture to the garden. It is a short-lived perennial that needs to be replanted after several years. The plant wants to bloom, but unfortunately will die back afterwards. To prevent the die back, cut off the yellow flowers.

PADG notes: ‘Seafoam’ has been used as a small edging plant in the Demonstration Garden. We have repeated silver foliage plants around the edge of the garden beds as a way of tying different beds together. But we find cutting off the flowers to keep the plant looking good to be labor intensive. 

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Wild Ginger

Groundcover

7-10 inches high and spreading

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Shade

Maroon, generally hidden by leaves

This California native boasts large, shiny, heart-shaped leaves that give the plant a lush, almost tropical look. The leaves can be up to seven inches wide, which can hide the interesting maroon flowers that bloom in late winter or early spring.

Asarum caudatum grows naturally in the coastal redwood forests and prefers a cool, moist environment. In Santa Clara County gardens with coastal influences, wild ginger can do well on a low water diet if given a shady spot and rich soil full of organic material. In drier landscapes, it may disappear in the summer months and reappear after the winter rains. 

This plant is extremely low maintenance. All it seems to need is the occasional removal of old leaves.

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Creeping Spurge

Groundcover

6 - 12 in. tall and 12 in. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Yellow

With its eye catching texture and showy flowers in the spring, Euphorbia myrsinites makes an attractive ground cover for dry areas. These plants will reseed vigorously if not deadheaded, so be sure to cut off the flowering stalks before seeds develop. Leave new growth intact since that will be next spring's flowers.

Take care when cutting Euphorbias because the milky sap can be very irritating to the skin.

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Gazania

Groundcover

6 in. tall and 12 in. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Yellow, orange, white, and pink

Gazanias are colorful, easy to grow, low water plants. Gazanias do better with only occasional water because they can become leggy if given regular water. Cultivars with silver foliage blend particularly well with other Mediterranean plants. Tired blooms can be deadheaded although it is not necessary. If a clump of plants becomes too crowded or too large, divide the plant during the cool season.

PADG notes: Gazanias have been planted along the edges of the Demonstration Garden to help tie together different beds. 

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Cranesbill ‘Biokovo’

Groundcover

6 - 8 in. tall and spreading

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun, shade

Pale pink

This pretty ground cover is good for dry shady areas. The pale pink flowers have a long season and complement a variety of plants, from roses to California native shrubs to coast live oaks. It's easy to propagate and transplant to new areas. Just cut off a small piece, plant it directly in the soil and keep it wet until the plant roots. Shear in the fall to get fresh growth in the spring.

Be aware that geranium ‘Biokovo’ can become aggressive and spread quickly if planted in soil that is fertilized and watered regularly. 

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Sunrose

Groundcover

6 in. to 12 in. high and 18 in. to 3 ft. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Orange-red

A low-growing, trailing ground cover from Turkey, Helianthemum is covered with small flowers in the spring. There are many cultivars with different flower colors — red, apricot, yellow, pink, and white. ‘Henfield Brilliant’ is a striking form with its silvery leaves and orange flowers.

Helianthemum likes full sun and well-draining soil with low to moderate water. Shear off the dead flowers to encourage repeat blooms.

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St. Johnswort

Groundcover

2 in. tall and 1 1/2 in. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Bright yellow

Hypericum reptans, or ground cover St. Johns’s Wort, is ideal for dry sunny and partially shady areas. This ground cover looks and behaves differently from other species of St. John’s Wort. It has very small leaves and flowers, grows close to the ground and spreads slowly, with yellow flowers appearing in the summer.

Spent flowers can be sheared off when the plant is done blooming. It is easy to start new plants by planting cuttings directly into the soil when the weather has cooled.

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California Dune Aster

Groundcover

3+ ft. wide and 4 in. tall

Very Low: water deeply several times a summer

Full to half sun

Pink to lilac

Lessingia felaginifolia is a drought tolerant California native groundcover and a favorite with butterflies. Lessingia ‘Silver Carpet’ is a selection known for its dense, silvery foliage. The short, ground-hugging foliage is only 4 inches high, spreading 3 or more feet. Water deeply a few times over the summer.

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Catmint

Groundcover

1 ft. tall and 1 1/2 - 2 ft. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Lavender-blue

Catmint is a reliable and easy edging plant for low water perennial borders. It has lovely soft gray leaves and lavender-blue flowers in the spring. 

After the first set of blooms finishes, catmint should be cut back several inches to keep it from getting leggy and encourage another set of blooms. This is a fun job because the leaves have a wonderful smell. Be aware that some cats also love the smell of the plant and will roll their bodies in the plant and flatten it.

PADG Notes: Catmint was one of the earliest plants in the Demonstration Garden providing much needed color the first summer. It is used extensively to visually tie the beds together.

 

 

 

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Celery Scented Pelargonium

Groundcover

12 - 18 in. high and 15 -24 in. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Half sun to shade

Magenta pink

Pelargonium ionidiflorum blooms throughout the year with bright pink flowers. Attractive when grown in front of border plants, it stays low and compact and seems to do well in partial shade. Unlike other Pelargoniums, this plant does not get leggy. Maintenance is minimal, and occasional deadheading is all that is needed.

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Moroccan Daisy

Groundcover

2 ft. wide and 8 ins. tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

White daisies

Rhodanthemum hosmariense has silver foliage and white daisy flowers. This plant is a good choice as an edging plant. This plant flowers profusely in the winter when not much is in bloom.

Don't over-water this plant or it will rot. It can survive on very little water. Maintenance consists of occasional deadheading of spent flowers.

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Creeping Raspberry

Groundcover

6 ft. wide and 6 in. to 12 in. tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Half sun to shade

Small white flowers

Rubus pentalobus is a tough, low maintenance ground cover that does well in dry shade--a rare combination. Its dense, spiny branches discourage weeds. The tiny fruit of Rubus pentalobus is edible, although you'll probably only get enough to sprinkle on a bowl of cereal.

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Threenerve Goldenrod

Groundcover

0.7 - 3 ft (0.21 - 0.9 m) tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full sun

Yellow

Solidago velutina is a native perennial herb in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family that is widespread in western North America and is found in almost every county in California. Recent taxonomic changes have expanded the scope of S. velutina to include S. californica and S. sparsiflora which were previously considered as distinct species by many. It is best used where a wild look is desired, as in the garden this plant may appear especially unruly in winter when it is deciduous. The showy yellow-gold flowers in late summer attract a large number of insects, as well as some birds.

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California Goldenrod

Groundcover

1.5 - 5 ft (0.46 - 1.5 m) tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Yellow

California Goldenrod is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California. It tends to grow in open grassy places, at elevations from 0-7500 feet. It produces masses of yellow flowers when many other plants are dormant. Birds and pollinating insects love this plant. Grows well in central oak woodlands. It likes to be wet in winter/spring and dry in summer but can take extra water.  It is a spreader from a creeping rootstock and may become invasive, so plant it where it will have plenty of room. Otherwise it is very garden tolerant and easy.

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Lamb's Ears

Groundcover

3 ft. wide and 6 in. to 12 in. tall

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Not every plant in the garden has that "wow factor" going for it, and that's a good thing. Sometimes plants are needed to fill in bare spots and give the eye a rest. Lamb's ears are a classic filler plant for a water-wise garden.

"Helen von Stein' is a wonderful cultivar because it has extra-large leaves and doesn't bloom a lot. With its large leaves, it provides contrast to smaller leaved plants in the garden. 

After a couple years, these plants tend to spread and die out in the middle. Use a sharp shovel and divide the clumps in fall or early winter. Lamb's ears may also have some die back over the winter; we recommend leaving the dead leaves in place until all danger of frost has passed.  

PADG Notes: We have used Stachys and other silver-leaved plants to visually tie together the edges of our beds. Some gardeners love the dramatic flower spikes on lamb's ears, but we have mixed feelings. Sometimes we cut them off and sometimes we leave them in place.

 

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Partridge Feather

Groundcover

6 - 8 in. high, spreading slowly to make a mat about 1 1/2 ft. wide

Moderate: water weekly until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Yellow

Tanacetum densum amani is a ground cover that is native to Turkey. Its leaves are silver and have a feathery texture.

PADG Notes: This plant is used as an edger in one of our beds. One drawback to the plant is the small yellow flowers that appear in late spring. Some people like them, but we cut them off.

This plant has survived, but not thrived at in the Palo Alto Demonstration Garden. One reason might be that it likes more water than it receives. It is watered deeply every three weeks. We suspect this plant would look lusher in the summer with deep weekly watering.

This plant is not easy to find in nurseries and gardens, but if you like the texture, Tanacetum densum amani is worth seeking out.

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Thyme

Groundcover

3 in. high and 3 ft. wide

Low: water every three weeks until the root ball is wet

Full to half sun

Many herbs, including thyme, are great additions to water wise gardens. They can be used in cooking; they smell great and their foliage and flowers are attractive.

Thyme makes a nice ground cover for small spaces. It has grey-green leaves and small white flowers.

PADG Notes: To keep thyme neat, the faded flowers are sheared back in early spring. Many thymes are not long lived, but Thymus vulgaris has proven to be long-lived in our water wise garden.