Re: a lawn substitute suggestion

Sean wrote:
>A really tough plant for a lawn in hot, dry areas is Phyla nodiflora (Lippia
>repens).  For a picture and the start of some information, see this test
>page on the Medit-Plants web-site:


Phyla nodiflora -
I moved into a place with with lippia scattered about, and thought 'how
pretty' so encouraged it.  I was told it was 'blue-star creeper' which
Sunset attaches to a similar appearing plant.  I just recently found out
its right name Phyla nodiflora.  On a very dry spot, with no summer water,
it forms a pretty flat mat with green leaves and pretty little flowers.
Bees and butterflies LOVE it.
That is, it forms a pretty mat for a year or two, then the stems get
thicker and the  pretty leaves and flowers farther and farther out on more
and more stem, and it is a mess.  With summer water, it goes nuts.  Mine
accidently got watered once and was 10 inches tall and ropey.
 Then I
discovered that it had staked out each of the drippers on my drip system
with a half inch in diameter root.  It was getting everything else's water!
Then it goes dormant in the winter, leaving behind a pile of ropey stems.
So I am pulling it out.  I know I will never get rid of it completely -
only beat it back to where it is a pretty patch here and there.  As you
say, this is a really tough plant for dry areas.  It needs a hard life.
It is also on the CNPS list of exotic plants to be evaluated for
invasiveness in vernal pools and wetlands.

Another plant suggested for lawn substitution is Dymondia marguarite.  I do
not know of a common name.  It has narrow inch long leaves edged in white,
and small  daisylike flowers occasionally.  I have heard that it is
wonderful to walk barefooted on.  I have seen it used once - as 'pools' of
green long the edges of a patio in a grassless, dry garden. It looked
terrific.  Does anyone have any experience with this plant?



Jane
Santa Barbara CA
Zone 24



_______________________________________________________________________

Jane Reese
E-mail:  jreese@silcom.com
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