National Garden Month Part 4- Grass Alternatives

This article will come from a soapbox statement: Grass and a normal lawn do not benefit anything and cost money. To explain further, lawns do not benefit pollinators and cost money for water and gas to operate your lawn mower.

The plants listed here are great suggestions to use instead of a traditional lawn. They benefit numerous pollinators, and many are drought-resistant. Best of all do not require mowing. Read on to be inspired for areas of the front or back yard to improve its appearance and help the environment

Creeping Speedwell

• Botanical Name: Veronica repens
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Average, well-draining
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (6.0-8.0)

This creeping speedwell cultivar is a ground-hugging, mat-forming plant which grows only to 1″ tall. Stems are clothed in tiny gold leaves (1/2″) which more closely resemble Soleirolia (baby’s tears) than most veronicas. Grown primarily for foliage effect. Not particularly floriferous, but occasionally produces small clusters of tiny purple flowers above the foliage, primarily in spring.

Green and Gold

• Botanical Name: Chrysogonum virginianum
• Sun Exposure: Full to partial shade
• Soil Type: Moist, well-draining, rich
• Soil pH: Acidic (6.0-6.8)

Chrysogonum virginianum, commonly called goldenstar, is a rhizomatous, low-growing perennial which typically forms a foliage mat to 3-4” tall, spreading to 18″ wide or more. Star-shaped, daisy-like, bright yellow flowers (to 1.5” diameter) on stems originating in the leaf axils, bloom spring to fall in cool summer climates. In hot summer climates, the bloom is profuse in spring, but usually becomes sparse or stops in the heat of the summer, with a light rebloom occurring in fall. Flowering stems rise above the foliage mat to a height of 8-10″ tall. Each flower has five, rounded, slightly-notched, yellow petals and a center tuft of yellow disk flowers. Ovate, toothed, bright green leaves to 3” long.

Creeping Thyme

• Botanical Name: Thymus serphyllum
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Dry to average, well-draining
• Soil pH: Neutral (6.5-7.5)

Thymus serpyllum, commonly called wild thyme, creeping thyme is a hairy, prostrate, creeping, woody-based perennial which is primarily grown as an ornamental ground cover. Numerous, thin, somewhat woody, prostrate stems clad with tiny, opposite, oval-rounded, pubescent, almost sessile, glossy blue-green leaves (to 1/4” long) form a flat foliage mat to 2-3” tall, which will spread over time by rooting stems to 12-18” wide. Although leaves are aromatic (fragrance of mint), the strength of scent varies according to season and habitat, and leaves are usually not considered to be of culinary quality. Dense inflorescences (primarily terminal but sometimes axillary) of tiny, tubular, bell-shaped, two-lipped, deep pink to purple flowers appear in summer (June-September) on erect flowering stems rising 2-4” tall. Flowers are attractive to bees.

Blue Star Creeper

• Botanical Name: Isotoma fluviatilis
• Sun Exposure: Partial, dappled
• Soil Type: Moist, well-draining
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic (5.5-6.5)

Laurentia fluviatilis, commonly called blue star creeper, is a small, prostrate, creeping, semi-evergreen, herbaceous perennial native to southern and southeastern Australia where it grows in moist, sandy soils on the edges of streams or seepages. Mature plants will reach only a few inches tall but spread to fill a 1-2′ area. The small leaves will reach up to 0.25″ long and are ovate, obovate, to narrowly oblong in shape with several small teeth. The small, 0.25″ wide, five-petaled flowers bloom from late spring to early summer and are white to pale blue in color.

Pennsylvania Sedge

• Botanical Name: Carex pensylvanica
• Sun Exposure: Full to partial shade
• Soil Type: Dry to medium, well-draining
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic (5.5-6.5)

Carex pensylvanica, commonly called Pennsylvania sedge, is a shade-loving perennial sedge. It typically grows in loose colonies with a creeping habit. Roots are reddish brown. It is often found in areas with oak trees, hence the additional common name of oak sedge. This is a low sedge with soft, delicate, arching, semi-evergreen leaves (each to 1/8″ wide). It typically grows in a clump to 8″ tall. It is semi-evergreen in moderately cold winter climates. Narrow, grass-like, medium green leaves (to 8-12″ long) are typically shorter than the flowering stems. Plants are monoecious (spikelets of male flowers above female flowers). Flowers bloom in late spring (May) in inflorescences atop rough, sharply triangular culms (stems) which rise up singly from the rhizomes. Staminate scales are green, often tinged with reddish-purple, with white margins. Pistillate scales are dark brown to purplish black with green midribs and white margins. Female flowers are followed by tiny fruits (achenes) enclosed in sac-like bracts (perigynia).

Dutch Clover

• Botanical Name: Trifolium repens
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Average
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0)

Trifolium repens, commonly called white clover, is a dwarf, prostrate, mat-forming perennial which typically grows to 4″ tall and spreads to 12″ or more by stems which freely root along the ground at the nodes. Features trifoliate (3-parted), rich green leaves, and globular, white flowers which bloom in late spring. Leaves and flowers appear on separate stalks from the creeping stems. Although native to Europe, this plant has naturalized throughout North America in lawns, fields, and roadsides. Flowers are attractive to bees. White clover is a nitrogen-fixing plant that is used in crop rotation. Also, a good forage plant for livestock.

Sweet Woodruff

• Botanical Name: Galium odoratum
• Sun Exposure: Full to partial shade
• Soil Type: Moist, well-draining
• Soil pH: Acidic (5.0-6.8)

Galium odoratum, commonly called sweet woodruff, is a mat-forming perennial that is most often grown as a ground cover in shady areas. Plants typically grow 8-12″ tall and feature fragrant, lance-shaped, dark green leaves in whorls of 6-8 along square stems. Small, fragrant, 4-petaled, white flowers appear in loose cymes in spring. Plants emit a strong odor of freshly mown hay when foliage is crushed or cut. Aromatic intensity of the foliage increases when dried, thus dried leaves are popularly used in sachets or potpourris. Plants have also been used commercially in perfumes. Leaves are sometimes used to flavor teas and cold fruit drinks. Leaves are also used to make May wine, a punch made from white wine flavored with woodruff, orange, and pineapple. Woodruff comes from Old English, meaning wood that unravels, in probable reference to the creeping rootstock of the plant.

Creeping Phlox

• Botanical Name: Phlox subulata
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-draining, rich
• Soil pH: Acidic (5.0-6.8)

Phlox subulata, commonly called moss phlox, moss pink, mountain phlox or creeping phlox, is a vigorous, spreading, mat-forming, sun-loving phlox that grows to only 6” tall but spreads to 24” wide. It is noted for it creeping habit, its linear to awl-shaped leaves (which retain some green in winter) and its profuse carpet of mid-spring flowers with notched flower petals. It is native to somewhat dry, rocky or sandy places, open woodland areas and slopes. Loose clusters (cymes) of fragrant, tubular flowers (to 3/4” wide) bloom in April-May. Flowers are red-purple to violet-purple, pink or infrequently white. Each flower has five, flat, petal-like, rounded lobes that are distinctively notched. Linear to awl-shaped, green leaves (to 1” long). Vegetation mats purportedly resemble moss, hence the common name of moss phlox. Many cultivars of this plant are available in commerce featuring flower colors of blue/purple, pink, red and white. Attractive to butterflies and other insect pollinators.

Creeping Mazus

• Botanical Name: Mazus reptans
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moist to wet, well-draining
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to alkaline (6.0-8.5)

Mazus reptans is a low-growing ground cover which typically grows only to 2″ tall. It spreads by creeping stems which root at the nodes as they go. Features narrow, bright green leaves (to 1″ long) that form a dense, attractive carpet of foliage which remains green throughout the growing season and well into the fall. Foliage is evergreen in warm winter climates. Tiny, purplish-blue, tubular, 2-lipped flowers with yellow and white markings appear in small clusters in late spring to early summer.

Selfheal

• Botanical Name: Prunella vulgaris ssp. lanceolata
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moist, well-draining
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (5.5-8.0)

Prunella grandiflora, commonly known as large-flowered self-heal, is a sprawling, low-growing, mat-forming, semi-evergreen perennial of the mint family that typically grows to 6-12” tall, but spreads by stolons and rhizomes to 18-36” wide. Ovate to lanceolate, deep green leaves (4” long) with sparsely toothed margins grow in basal tufts. Tubular, 2-lipped, purple flowers (to 1” long) bloom in summer in terminal flower spikes (to 2-3” long) located atop square, opposite-leaved flowering stems rising to 12” tall.

Dwarf Mondo Grass

• Botanical Name: Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Nana’
• Sun Exposure: Partial to full shade
• Soil Type: Moist, well-draining
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic (5.5-6.5

Ophiopogon japonicus, commonly called mondo grass, is an evergreen, tuberous-rooted, rhizomatous, perennial of the lily family. It typically forms an arching clump to 8-12” tall and as wide of narrow, linear, grass-like, dark green leaves (each leaf to 8-15” long and 3/16” wide). Foliage is similar to that of Liriope (also in the lily family), but leaves are narrower and more refined. Small, 6-tepaled, bell-shaped, white to lilac-tinted flowers (1/4” wide) bloom in summer in short racemes (2-3” long) atop leafless stalks. Flowers are followed by spherical, pea-sized, blue-black berries (1/4” across). Flowers and fruits are usually partially hidden by the foliage. This plant is ornamentally grown for its tufts of grass-like leaves.

Frogfruit

• Botanical Name: Phyla nodiflora
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Moderately moist
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (6.0-8.0)

Ophiopogon japonicus, commonly called mondo grass, is an evergreen, tuberous-rooted, rhizomatous, perennial of the lily family. It typically forms an arching clump to 8-12” tall and as wide of narrow, linear, grass-like, dark green leaves (each leaf to 8-15” long and 3/16” wide). Foliage is similar to that of Liriope (also in the lily family), but leaves are narrower and more refined. Small, 6-tepaled, bell-shaped, white to lilac-tinted flowers (1/4” wide) bloom in summer in short racemes (2-3” long) atop leafless stalks. Flowers are followed by spherical, pea-sized, blue-black berries (1/4” across). Flowers and fruits are usually partially hidden by the foliage. This plant is ornamentally grown for its tufts of grass-like leaves.

Sedum

• Botanical Name: Sedum spurium ‘John Creech’
• Sun Exposure: Full, light shade
• Soil Type: Well-draining
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (5.5-7.8)

Sedum spurium, commonly called Caucasian stonecrop or two row stonecrop, is a low-growing, sprawling, mat-forming sedum or stonecrop that is commonly grown as a ground cover. It is native to the Caucusus. This is an evergreen plant that typically rises only 3-6” tall but spreads to 18-24” wide by creeping, branching stems that easily root at the nodes. Thick, succulent, opposite, obovate, flattened leaves (to 1” long) with wedge-shaped bases are toothed near the ends. Leaves are medium green with reddish-tinged margins. Lower stem leaves are deciduous, but newer leaves near the stem tips are evergreen, typically turning deep burgundy in fall for overwintering. Leaves are arranged in two rows along the stems, hence the sometimes used common name of two row stonecrop. Tiny, 5-petaled, star-shaped, pinkish-red flowers (to 3/4” diameter) in dense, 4-branched inflorescences (to 4-6″ tall) bloom from late spring to mid-summer (June-July in St. Louis) atop upright reddish flower stems. Flowers are attractive to butterflies.

Carpet Bugleweed

• Botanical Name: Ajuga reptans
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial sun
• Soil Type: Occasionally wet, well-drained, loamy, clay, sandy
• Soil pH: Acidic (6.5)

Ajuga reptans, commonly called bugleweed, is a dense, rapidly spreading, mat-forming ground cover that features shiny, dark green leaves. Whorls of tiny, blue-violet flowers appear in mid to late spring on spikes rising above the foliage to 10″. Cultivars of this species feature leaves with more interesting and varied foliage color. When in full flower, large clumps of bugleweed can produce a striking display. Dense foliage will choke out weeds. Not particularly tolerant of foot traffic.

Corsican Mint

• Botanical Name: Mentha requienii
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial sun
• Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic to neutral (5.6-7.0)

Mentha requienii, commonly called Corsican mint or creeping mint, is a miniature mat-forming plant that typically grows to only 1/2″ to 1″ tall but spreads by thread-like stems that creep along the ground, rooting as they go to 12″ wide or more to form a dense, flat diminutive ground cover. It is particularly effective as an aromatic filler growing around stepping stones, where light foot traffic will release a pleasing mint/sage aroma. Leaves are evergreen in mild winter climates but not in St. Louis. This mint is native to the Islands of Corsica, Sardinia, and Montecristo. Tiny, round, green leaves (to 1/8″ across) have a strong aroma when bruised. Leaves are the source of the flavoring in creme-de-menthe. Tiny, minute lilac flowers bloom from the leaf axils in summer (late June -August). Flowers are so small that they are often not seen.

Resources:

• https://ucanr.edu/site/uc-marin-master-gardeners/replace-lawn Replace Lawn | UC Marin Master Gardeners
• 17 Grass Alternatives For A Low-Maintenance Lawn