Re: Rockery plants

My experience with Cerastium has been quite different; I couldn't get it to
thrive at all on my slope where it received plenty of water.  I concluded it
didn't like my cool, foggy climate, heavy black adobe, and shade in the
winter.

Saponaria ocymoides, on the other hand, has been a big success.  It is
planted on another slope, north-facing, below a big cherry-plum so it is in
shade in the summer.  It is never watered and has spread very slowly, always
blooms, and is a particular favorite of mine as it presents no problems of
any kind.  Maybe I should plant the Cerastium down there too?

Cathy, Sunset zone 23, U.S. zone 10

> From: "Linda Starr" <mtnstar@ocsnet.net>
> Reply-To: mtnstar@ocsnet.net
> Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2005 16:54:20 -0800
> To: "John MacGregor" <jonivy@earthlink.net>, <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> Subject: Re: Rockery plants
> 
> Dear John,
> 
> I am surprised about Cerastium - I utilized it when I lived in Foresthill,
> CA Zone 7 at 2600 foot elevation.  It was in the same place for 9 years at
> one location and it never spread beyond where it was wanted -  it did creep
> into a gravel driveway a bit but was easily pulled up - the soil was amended
> clay.  The section where it was planted was surrounded by quartz rocks and
> then gravel driveway beyond that so that helped contain it.  The colder
> winter and tall trees at that location, probably kept it in check.  I will
> be careful in recommending this plant for rock gardens in the future.  I may
> have to rethink some of my palette of previous plants since landscaping in
> one area of California is completely different than in another.  Thanks for
> the input and information.
> 
> Another plant that performed well in Foresthill was Saponaria ocymoides or
> soapwort - do you find this plant to have the same aggressive
> characteristics as the Cerastium in the warmer climates?
> 
> Linda Starr
> Springville Gardens
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John MacGregor" <jonivy@earthlink.net>
> To: <mtnstar@ocsnet.net>; <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> Sent: Monday, January 10, 2005 11:45 AM
> Subject: Re: Rockery plants
> 
> 
>> on 1/10/05 8:51 AM, Linda Starr at mtnstar@ocsnet.net wrote:
>> 
>>> A good gray foliage ground cover is Cerastium tomentosa or Snow in
> Summer,
>>> gets covered in small white flowers in the early summer, hence the name.
>>> Likes the heat and exists on very little water.
>> 
>> Pamela, Linda
>> 
>> Cerastium tomentosum (snow-in-summer), despite its beauty,  is a plant to
>> avoid when planting a rock garden, unless you intend for your rock garden
> to
>> consist exclusively of Cerastium tomentosum (which, intend it or not, will
>> inevitably be the case if you plant it).  It is extremely invasive,
>> spreading by underground stolons, that spread between and below the rocks
>> and these are impossible to remove without disassembling the entire rock
>> garden.  Even the tiniest fragment of root will resprout to restart the
>> invasion.  Once established, they will crowd out and smother any small
>> neighboring plants and climb up into shrubs, shading the lower branches
> and
>> leaving them bare of their own leaves.
>> 
>> Cerastium makes a good groundcover that must be sheared back at least once
> a
>> year, but be careful where you plant it, especially if you value any of
> its
>> small neighbors!
>> 
>> John MacGregor
>> South Pasadena, CA 91030
>> USDA zone 9   Sunset zones 21/23
>> 
>
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index