How to grow ground ivy? Planting methods for shade-tolerant ground cover plants

Ground ivy, also known as Budda's ear herb and coin grass, is a perennial creeping herb in the Lamiaceae family. The leaves are opposite, with long petioles, and the leaf margins have rounded teeth; both surfaces of the leaf veins bear short soft hairs. The flowers grow in the leaf axils, 2 to 6 in whorls, labiate, light purple or pink, with a blooming period from March to April. Ground ivy grows scattered under forest trees, along roadsides and by streams, and prefers shady, humid environments. The current horticultural variety, variegated ground ivy, has the same growth habits as ground ivy, with white edges on the leaf margins.

Ground ivy relies on insect pollination, and the seeds can fall to the ground naturally after ripening, but because its creeping stems root at each node, asexual propagation is relatively easy. When establishing a lawn artificially, the creeping stems can be cut into sections for cuttings, generally 2 to 3 nodes per section, with no fewer than 2 nodes. Ensuring soil moisture in summer allows rooting in about 10 days and the formation of a good landscape effect in about 1 month.

In early spring, the small purple or pink flowers of ground ivy dot the green leaves, filling the gap during this period when most grass species have not yet turned green, adding a touch of color to early spring.

Common planting methods for shade-tolerant ground cover plants

Like other plants, shade-tolerant ground cover plants have multiple functions such as regulating environmental temperature and humidity, absorbing and breaking down harmful gases and dust, purifying the air, and balancing the oxygen and carbon dioxide content in the air; at the same time, they make up for the shortcomings of other plants, can grow well in areas with little sunlight and in shady, humid environments, and play a good role in soil and water conservation. Using shade-tolerant plants for shade greening is an important measure for increasing green area, beautifying and adding fragrance, and improving the ecological environment. Here are several common shade-tolerant ground cover plants:

1. Ardisia japonica (Japanese ardisia) is an evergreen small shrub in the genus Ardisia of the family Primulaceae (Myrsinaceae), also called Laowuda, Dijuzi, Pingdimu and so on among the people, and is a Chinese herbal medicine. The plant height is 10 to 30 cm. The leaves are nearly leathery, glossy green above and light green below. It blooms from June to September, with small white or pink flowers. The fruiting period is from August to December; when ripe the fruit is red and remains on the plant for a long time, making it quite attractive.

Ardisia japonica can be propagated by sowing, division, and cuttings. According to records, seeds of Ardisia japonica do not germinate in the same year; they can only germinate in May to June of the following year, and the natural germination rate is very poor, generally only 3% to 5%, requiring treatment with sulfuric acid. Division propagation is usually carried out in spring and autumn; cut and divide the rhizomes, ensuring that each section of rhizome has one branch, then plant them into prepared containers or leveled ground, keep them moist, and they can survive in about 20 days. If cutting propagation is used, branches can be cut from May to June, about 5 to 8 cm tall, remove some old leaves, insert them into a prepared cutting bed, keep the leaf surface moist and the medium humid, and they can root in about 1 month.

Because it mostly grows in shady and humid environments such as under forests, in valleys, and beside streams, it is extremely shade-tolerant and is an excellent foliage ground cover plant for shady and humid environments. It is mostly used under scattered forests and in shady, humid places among shrubs, and is a new favorite ground cover under urban overpasses and elevated bridges. It can also be used for potted ornamental display and in rock gardens, flower beds, and flower borders.

2. Hosta ventricosa is a perennial herb in the genus Hosta of the family Liliaceae, mainly distributed in wild mountain gullies and shady, humid places under forests in East China and Southwest China. It likes a warm and humid climate, prefers shade, and avoids long periods of direct sunlight. Its tillering ability and cold resistance are extremely strong, and it is not strict about soil requirements. It can grow well in ordinary soil. It turns green in early to mid-April, blooms from June to July; when flowering, the scapes emerge from among the leaves, the flowers are relatively small and light purple, and the fruiting period is August. It enters the withering period from late September to early October.

Hosta ventricosa is mainly propagated by division, with repotting and transplanting in spring and autumn. After transplanting, Hosta ventricosa survives very easily and shows results quickly.

Hosta ventricosa has a strong ability to adapt to the environment and is extensively managed, with great ornamental value and greening function. It can be widely used in shaded places such as under overpasses, under elevated bridges, in courtyards, residential communities, parks, and open spaces under greening forests.

3. Hosta is a perennial herbaceous plant with fleshy roots in the genus Hosta of the family Liliaceae. Its leaves are broad and distinctive, and the leaf surface is bright and emerald green. The scapes stand upright above the foliage, and both flowers and leaves are beautiful. It blooms from July to September, with flowers as white as jade and fragrant, making it a beautiful and elegant summer ornamental flower. At present, there are many horticultural varieties, and more variegated-leaf varieties have enriched the visual appeal.

Hosta can be propagated by sowing and division, and some new horticultural varieties are also propagated by tissue culture. Hosta produces very few seeds; harvest them after autumn when the seeds mature but before the seed pods split, then dry and store them. They can be sown in early spring of the following year from February to March, and seedlings grow slowly. Division propagation is the main method of Hosta propagation. It can be done in both spring and autumn; in early spring before sprouting from March to April, or in autumn after the leaves turn yellow, take out the roots and use sharp scissors to cut at places where the root nodes are relatively sparse, keeping 3 to 4 buds per piece, and at least 2 buds. Division propagation can preserve the excellent traits of the variety, and growth is fast, with flowering possible in the same year.

Hosta especially likes shady and humid environments. Under strong sunlight radiation, chlorophyll will be damaged, the leaves will turn yellow, and the leaf edges will dry and scorch. In gardens, it is most suitable for planting under scattered forests, or in shaded areas of buildings (north side) to set off the architecture, or arranged beside rocks; it can also be potted.

4. Ferns Most ferns have strong shade tolerance, as well as strong adaptability and resistance, and can survive in poor environments, especially in places where the soil is relatively barren, sheltered, and unsuitable for cultivating plants. In these places, using ferns for landscaping and greening is the best choice, and ferns grow quickly and have strong reproductive capacity, so green belt landscapes can soon appear. South of the Yangtze River, Dryopteris, Pteris, Matteuccia, Humata, Diplopterygium, and Pteris multifida are simple to plant, extensively managed, and can quickly form a landscape.

At present, landscape ferns used for commercial applications mainly rely on wild collection and sporophyte division propagation. Wild collection causes serious damage to wild fern resources and the ecological environment, and the propagation coefficient of division propagation is relatively low, with poor ornamental quality. However, ferns produce a large amount of spores, which is an effective way to rapidly breed seedlings.

Several terrestrial ferns such as Pteris multifida and Cyrtomium fortunei have strong alkaline tolerance, strong resistance, and extensive management, and can adapt to almost all soil types. Cyrtomium fortunei can be used as ground cover plants along green space roadsides, at forest edges, and under forests. Pteris multifida has a delicate, soft posture, and when properly combined with rock landscapes, it can achieve a unique landscape effect; Cyclosorus and Parathelypteris are especially suitable for planting in patches in green spaces, with a fresh and pleasant green color.

5. Indocalamus Broad-leaved indocalamus is a shrubby bamboo in the genus Indocalamus of the family Poaceae, with a plant height of 0.5 to 1 m. Indocalamus is native to East China, Central China and other places, with abundant wild resources and a relatively wide distribution, and it is also cultivated in Beijing and areas to the south. It has strong adaptability, is relatively cold-tolerant, likes moisture and tolerates drought, is not strict about soil requirements, and can grow normally even in mildly saline-alkaline soil; it likes light and tolerates partial shade.

Indocalamus can be propagated by sowing, division, or burying rhizomes. Among these methods, burying rhizomes is the most commonly used and also has a relatively high survival rate.

In gardens it is mostly planted under sparse forests, and can also be planted along riverbanks for bank protection. The culms can be used for brush shafts and bamboo chopsticks, and the leaves can be used for bamboo hats, boat awnings, and wrapping zongzi.

6. Mock strawberry is a perennial herbaceous plant with fleshy roots in the genus Duchesnea of the family Rosaceae, growing on hillsides, roadsides, in grass clumps, and in shady, humid places. Mock strawberry grows rapidly and has a strong ability to cover the ground. Its leaves, flowers, and fruits all have high ornamental value. The flowering period is from April to May; when blooming, small yellow flowers dot the plant, breaking the monotony of green and giving a sense of vitality. After the flowering period, it is covered with small strawberry-like red fruits, which are quite attractive. It has strong stress resistance, is managed extensively and simply, and needs no pruning, making it a rare new and superior ground cover plant.

The seed germination rate of mock strawberry is very low, usually not exceeding 10%, but its asexual propagation ability is very strong. Artificial lawn establishment can adopt whole-plant transplantation or separation of the entire creeping stem branches, or cut them into stem sections 20 to 35 cm long and bury them in soil 3 to 5 cm deep, keeping the soil moist; a lawn can be formed in about 3 months.

Mock strawberry has strong vitality, is evergreen, fast-growing, with bright flowers and beautiful fruits. The plant is short and grows creeping, and is relatively tolerant of trampling. It is suitable for planting on slopes, under forests, in courtyards and other places, forming a distinctive greening landscape and enhancing urban wildness, making it a rare and excellent ground cover plant. At present, it has been used in large quantities at Shanghu Park in Changshu, Jiangsu.

7. Farfugium japonicum belongs to the genus Farfugium in the family Asteraceae, and is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant. The leaves are bright green and glossy, and it blooms in late autumn with yellow flowers. It likes semi-shade and humid environments, fears direct sunlight, is cold-tolerant, and can overwinter outdoors in the Jiangnan region.

Division propagation is commonly used. In spring, when changing pots and soil, remove the plant from the pot, shake off the old soil, divide the clump into 3 to 4 parts, and pot them separately. It can also be cultivated in the open field, and management after planting can be relatively extensive. In winter the aboveground parts die, and in the following spring it will sprout and unfold leaves on its own. Farfugium japonicum can also be propagated by seed, sowing in a seedbed in early spring each year, and transplanting into pots after the seedlings emerge.

Farfugium japonicum seedlings must not be too wet, otherwise they are prone to disease.

It is suitable for large-area planting as ground cover under forests or under overpasses, in shady, humid places at forest edges, beside streams and ditches, and beside rocks. Several specific application methods are introduced: arranged on the north side of buildings, especially the north side of high-rise buildings; arranged in moso bamboo forests, sweetgum forests, or deciduous-evergreen mixed forests as ground cover for scenic forests; arranged on the north side of rock walls, or in the shaded corners of building walls; arranged under elevated roads and overpasses to form shade-tolerant flowering ground cover.

8. Ground ivy, also known as Budda's ear herb and coin grass, is a perennial creeping herb in the Lamiaceae family. The leaves are opposite, with long petioles, and the leaf margins have rounded teeth; both surfaces of the leaf veins bear short soft hairs. The flowers grow in the leaf axils, 2 to 6 in whorls, labiate, light purple or pink, with a blooming period from March to April. Ground ivy grows scattered under forest trees, along roadsides and by streams, and prefers shady, humid environments. The current horticultural variety, variegated ground ivy, has the same growth habits as ground ivy, with white edges on the leaf margins.

Ground ivy relies on insect pollination, and the seeds can fall to the ground naturally after ripening, but because its creeping stems root at each node, asexual propagation is relatively easy. When establishing a lawn artificially, the creeping stems can be cut into sections for cuttings, generally 2 to 3 nodes per section, with no fewer than 2 nodes. Ensuring soil moisture in summer allows rooting in about 10 days and the formation of a good landscape effect in about 1 month.

In early spring, the small purple or pink flowers of ground ivy dot the green leaves, filling the gap during this period when most grass species have not yet turned green, adding a touch of color to early spring.

The above plants all have wild resource distributions in the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai region, and this is also one of the main source methods for materials currently used in garden green spaces, but this method cannot be used for the long term; ultimately artificial cultivation and propagation are still required, and moreover excellent shade-tolerant ground cover varieties are still lacking. Therefore, researching rapid and effective propagation methods for shade-tolerant plants and continuing to develop native shade-tolerant ground cover are important tasks for the next stage. As urbanization intensifies and urban building density increases, large numbers of shady environments appear, and the required urban greening coverage rate is also becoming higher and higher. Whether it is rooftop greening on high-rise buildings or greening and leisure plazas in the city center, or under overpasses and elevated bridges, these places all need greening. Scattered forests are also one of the major directions of greening today, with significant ecological benefits. Greening under scattered forests, overpasses, and elevated bridges is an important part of urban greening, and the important material for greening in these areas is shade-tolerant ground cover plants.

Planting methods for shade-tolerant ground cover plants

As urbanization intensifies and urban building density increases, large numbers of shady environments appear, and the required urban greening coverage rate is also becoming higher and higher. Whether it is rooftop greening on high-rise buildings or greening and leisure plazas in the city center, or under overpasses and elevated bridges, these places all need greening. Scattered forests are also one of the major directions of greening today, with significant ecological benefits. Greening under scattered forests, overpasses, and elevated bridges is an important part of urban greening, and the important material for greening in these areas is shade-tolerant ground cover plants.

Like other plants, shade-tolerant ground cover plants have multiple functions such as regulating environmental temperature and humidity, absorbing and breaking down harmful gases and dust, purifying the air, and balancing the oxygen and carbon dioxide content in the air; at the same time, they make up for the shortcomings of other plants, can grow well in areas with little sunlight and in shady, humid environments, and play a good role in soil and water conservation. Using shade-tolerant plants for shade greening is an important measure for increasing green area, beautifying and adding fragrance, and improving the ecological environment. Here are several common shade-tolerant ground cover plants:

1. Ardisia japonica (Japanese ardisia) is an evergreen small shrub in the genus Ardisia of the family Primulaceae (Myrsinaceae), also called Laowuda, Dijuzi, Pingdimu and so on among the people, and is a Chinese herbal medicine. The plant height is 10 to 30 cm. The leaves are nearly leathery, glossy green above and light green below. It blooms from June to September, with small white or pink flowers. The fruiting period is from August to December; when ripe the fruit is red and remains on the plant for a long time, making it quite attractive.

Ardisia japonica can be propagated by sowing, division, and cuttings. According to records, seeds of Ardisia japonica do not germinate in the same year; they can only germinate in May to June of the following year, and the natural germination rate is very poor, generally only 3% to 5%, requiring treatment with sulfuric acid. Division propagation is usually carried out in spring and autumn; cut and divide the rhizomes, ensuring that each section of rhizome has one branch, then plant them into prepared containers or leveled ground, keep them moist, and they can survive in about 20 days. If cutting propagation is used, branches can be cut from May to June, about 5 to 8 cm tall, remove some old leaves, insert them into a prepared cutting bed, keep the leaf surface moist and the medium humid, and they can root in about 1 month.

Because it mostly grows in shady and humid environments such as under forests, in valleys, and beside streams, it is extremely shade-tolerant and is an excellent foliage ground cover plant for shady and humid environments. It is mostly used under scattered forests and in shady, humid places among shrubs, and is a new favorite ground cover under urban overpasses and elevated bridges. It can also be used for potted ornamental display and in rock gardens, flower beds, and flower borders.

2. Hosta ventricosa is a perennial herb in the genus Hosta of the family Liliaceae, mainly distributed in wild mountain gullies and shady, humid places under forests in East China and Southwest China. It likes a warm and humid climate, prefers shade, and avoids long periods of direct sunlight. Its tillering ability and cold resistance are extremely strong, and it is not strict about soil requirements. It can grow well in ordinary soil. It turns green in early to mid-April, blooms from June to July; when flowering, the scapes emerge from among the leaves, the flowers are relatively small and light purple, and the fruiting period is August. It enters the withering period from late September to early October.

Hosta ventricosa is mainly propagated by division, with repotting and transplanting in spring and autumn. After transplanting, Hosta ventricosa survives very easily and shows results quickly.

Hosta ventricosa has a strong ability to adapt to the environment and is extensively managed, with great ornamental value and greening function. It can be widely used in shaded places such as under overpasses, under elevated bridges, in courtyards, residential communities, parks, and open spaces under greening forests.

3. Hosta is a perennial herbaceous plant with fleshy roots in the genus Hosta of the family Liliaceae. Its leaves are broad and distinctive, and the leaf surface is bright and emerald green. The scapes stand upright above the foliage, and both flowers and leaves are beautiful. It blooms from July to September, with flowers as white as jade and fragrant, making it a beautiful and elegant summer ornamental flower. At present, there are many horticultural varieties, and more variegated-leaf varieties have enriched the visual appeal.

Hosta can be propagated by sowing and division, and some new horticultural varieties are also propagated by tissue culture. Hosta produces very few seeds; harvest them after autumn when the seeds mature but before the seed pods split, then dry and store them. They can be sown in early spring of the following year from February to March, and seedlings grow slowly. Division propagation is the main method of Hosta propagation. It can be done in both spring and autumn; in early spring before sprouting from March to April, or in autumn after the leaves turn yellow, take out the roots and use sharp scissors to cut at places where the root nodes are relatively sparse, keeping 3 to 4 buds per piece, and at least 2 buds. Division propagation can preserve the excellent traits of the variety, and growth is fast, with flowering possible in the same year.

Hosta especially likes shady and humid environments. Under strong sunlight radiation, chlorophyll will be damaged, the leaves will turn yellow, and the leaf edges will dry and scorch. In gardens, it is most suitable for planting under scattered forests, or in shaded areas of buildings (north side) to set off the architecture, or arranged beside rocks; it can also be potted.

4. Ferns Most ferns have strong shade tolerance, as well as strong adaptability and resistance, and can survive in poor environments, especially in places where the soil is relatively barren, sheltered, and unsuitable for cultivating plants. In these places, using ferns for landscaping and greening is the best choice, and ferns grow quickly and have strong reproductive capacity, so green belt landscapes can soon appear. South of the Yangtze River, Dryopteris, Pteris, Matteuccia, Humata, Diplopterygium, and Pteris multifida are simple to plant, extensively managed, and can quickly form a landscape.

At present, landscape ferns used for commercial applications mainly rely on wild collection and sporophyte division propagation. Wild collection causes serious damage to wild fern resources and the ecological environment, and the propagation coefficient of division propagation is relatively low, with poor ornamental quality. However, ferns produce a large amount of spores, which is an effective way to rapidly breed seedlings.

Several terrestrial ferns such as Pteris multifida and Cyrtomium fortunei have strong alkaline tolerance, strong resistance, and extensive management, and can adapt to almost all soil types. Cyrtomium fortunei can be used as ground cover plants along green space roadsides, at forest edges, and under forests. Pteris multifida has a delicate, soft posture, and when properly combined with rock landscapes, it can achieve a unique landscape effect; Cyclosorus and Parathelypteris are especially suitable for planting in patches in green spaces, with a fresh and pleasant green color.

5.Indocalamus Broad-leaved indocalamusis a shrubby bamboo in the genus Indocalamus of the family Poaceae, with a plant height of 0.5 to 1 m. Indocalamus is native to East China, Central China and other places, with abundant wild resources and a relatively wide distribution, and it is also cultivated in Beijing and areas to the south. It has strong adaptability, is relatively cold-tolerant, likes moisture and tolerates drought, is not strict about soil requirements, and can grow normally even in mildly saline-alkaline soil; it likes light and tolerates partial shade.

Indocalamus can be propagated by sowing, division, or burying rhizomes. Among these methods, burying rhizomes is the most commonly used and also has a relatively high survival rate.

In gardens it is mostly planted under sparse forests, and can also be planted along riverbanks for bank protection. The culms can be used for brush shafts and bamboo chopsticks, and the leaves can be used for bamboo hats, boat awnings, and wrapping zongzi.

6. Mock strawberry is a perennial herbaceous plant with fleshy roots in the genus Duchesnea of the family Rosaceae, growing on hillsides, roadsides, in grass clumps, and in shady, humid places. Mock strawberry grows rapidly and has a strong ability to cover the ground. Its leaves, flowers, and fruits all have high ornamental value. The flowering period is from April to May; when blooming, small yellow flowers dot the plant, breaking the monotony of green and giving a sense of vitality. After the flowering period, it is covered with small strawberry-like red fruits, which are quite attractive. It has strong stress resistance, is managed extensively and simply, and needs no pruning, making it a rare new and superior ground cover plant.

The seed germination rate of mock strawberry is very low, usually not exceeding 10%, but its asexual propagation ability is very strong. Artificial lawn establishment can adopt whole-plant transplantation or separation of the entire creeping stem branches, or cut them into stem sections 20 to 35 cm long and bury them in soil 3 to 5 cm deep, keeping the soil moist; a lawn can be formed in about 3 months.

Mock strawberry has strong vitality, is evergreen, fast-growing, with bright flowers and beautiful fruits. The plant is short and grows creeping, and is relatively tolerant of trampling. It is suitable for planting on slopes, under forests, in courtyards and other places, forming a distinctive greening landscape and enhancing urban wildness, making it a rare and excellent ground cover plant. At present, it has been used in large quantities at Shanghu Park in Changshu, Jiangsu.

7. Farfugium japonicum belongs to the genus Farfugium in the family Asteraceae, and is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant. The leaves are bright green and glossy, and it blooms in late autumn with yellow flowers. It likes semi-shade and humid environments, fears direct sunlight, is cold-tolerant, and can overwinter outdoors in the Jiangnan region.

Division propagation is commonly used. In spring, when changing pots and soil, remove the plant from the pot, shake off the old soil, divide the clump into 3 to 4 parts, and pot them separately. It can also be cultivated in the open field, and management after planting can be relatively extensive. In winter the aboveground parts die, and in the following spring it will sprout and unfold leaves on its own. Farfugium japonicum can also be propagated by seed, sowing in a seedbed in early spring each year, and transplanting into pots after the seedlings emerge.

Farfugium japonicum seedlings must not be too wet, otherwise they are prone to disease.

It is suitable for large-area planting as ground cover under forests or under overpasses, in shady, humid places at forest edges, beside streams and ditches, and beside rocks. Several specific application methods are introduced: arranged on the north side of buildings, especially the north side of high-rise buildings; arranged in moso bamboo forests, sweetgum forests, or deciduous-evergreen mixed forests as ground cover for scenic forests; arranged on the north side of rock walls, or in the shaded corners of building walls; arranged under elevated roads and overpasses to form shade-tolerant flowering ground cover.

8. Ground ivy, also known as Budda's ear herb and coin grass, is a perennial creeping herb in the Lamiaceae family. The leaves are opposite, with long petioles, and the leaf margins have rounded teeth; both surfaces of the leaf veins bear short soft hairs. The flowers grow in the leaf axils, 2 to 6 in whorls, labiate, light purple or pink, with a blooming period from March to April. Ground ivy grows scattered under forest trees, along roadsides and by streams, and prefers shady, humid environments. The current horticultural variety, variegated ground ivy, has the same growth habits as ground ivy, with white edges on the leaf margins.

Ground ivy relies on insect pollination, and the seeds can fall to the ground naturally after ripening, but because its creeping stems root at each node, asexual propagation is relatively easy. When establishing a lawn artificially, the creeping stems can be cut into sections for cuttings, generally 2 to 3 nodes per section, with no fewer than 2 nodes. Ensuring soil moisture in summer allows rooting in about 10 days and the formation of a good landscape effect in about 1 month.

In early spring, the small purple or pink flowers of ground ivy dot the green leaves, filling the gap during this period when most grass species have not yet turned green, adding a touch of color to early spring.

The above plants all have wild resource distributions in the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai region, and this is also one of the main source methods for materials currently used in garden green spaces, but this method cannot be used for the long term; ultimately artificial cultivation and propagation are still required, and moreover excellent shade-tolerant ground cover varieties are still lacking. Therefore, researching rapid and effective propagation methods for shade-tolerant plants and continuing to develop native shade-tolerant ground cover are important tasks for the next stage.