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Re: [SG] Houtonia removal

>Date:    Thu, 10 Sep 1998 22:37:36 -0500
>From:    John & Pat Adney <johnadney@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
>Subject: Re: Houtonia removal
>
>Beware of the houttonia! If even a little piece of root remains, it will
>sprout. It's pretty, but invasive. I planted some a few years ago and after
>two years was quite sorry. Fortunately, we had to move so the new owner of
>our house has had to deal with it.
>
>If you want houttonia, treat it like I do mint (also very invasive): plant
>it, then sink a large coffee can, plastic pail or tub around it (sink deep
>enough so the top of the container is at soil level. Be sure to cut the
>bottom out). In most cases, the roots won't spread. The result is a
>behavior-modified plant that becomes a good neighbor.
>
>I've never tried this, but you might plant houttonia in a large container.
>Trim it if it starts to sneak toward the ground.
>
>John G. Adney
>Marion, Iowa (zones 4-5)
>johnadney@email.msn.com
>

 We live in a warm zone, so I grow it in 12 inch clay pots. Have had it for
2 years. Love it! The pots sit on a brick on sand walkway. We got plenty of
white flowers this summer, looks great. The flowers aren't exactly
beautiful, but they go well with the leaves of the plant. Will it likely
seed into the walkway?

 I'm considering letting it loose in my garden, IF - it doesn't stramgle
everything else around it.
 I know it's a fast spreader, but can it peacefully coexist with other
plants growing through and around it?
 Ours only grows to 4-6 inches tall. Is this normal? It hasn't run over the
pot rim yet. Will it, given enough time?

 I need to remove the var. bishops weed from some harbour dwarf nandina,
they are not tall enough to compete with it. Anyone for mixing the var.
Bishops weed with the houtonia? ;-)

 Now all that's left is removing the small (much smaller than it was) patch
of mint on the other side of the garden...

Matt Trahan  <matttrahan@ecsu.campus.mci.net> or <garden@juno.com>
USDA zone 8, AHS heat zone 7, Sunset zone 31, northeastern N.C.
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