Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Groundcovers to avoid
Many years ago I planted Snow-on-the-Mountain aka Bishop’s weed. It handles shade and it spreads. Perfect. Until it wasn’t.
It took over everything in its path including hosta and Jack-in-the-pulpit and astilbe. The list goes on. Snow-on-the-mountain (Aegopodium podagraria ‘Variegata’) IS sold at nurseries but be sure to read how invasive it is and be prepared.
A groundcover by its very nature risks becoming invasive. There are some controllable groundcovers like “most” sedum or creeping thyme but today’s Bite is about groundcovers to avoid.
Another one I planted that I am STILL pulling up is Evening primrose. Oh sure, sounds lovely, but this invasive gets loose real quick.
I purchased the pretty pink version (Oenothera speciosa) known commonly as showy evening primrose. It spreads by seed. It is NOT the same thing as the spring flowering primrose aka primula.
And then we come to bugleweed aka ajuga reptans, sold in many garden centers. Of the ones I’ve mentioned, this one is, in my opinion, more tolerable. Bugleweed has pretty purple flowers and grows from ground-hugging rosettes. It looks harmless and charming, but it will spread by runners and quickly form a dense mat.
There are places, like hillsides, where mat-forming plants are welcome. They prevent erosion and don’t need mowing or maintenance. But you should not plant bugleweed anywhere near your lawn or garden beds. Bugleweed also offers up some pretty foliage in greens and maroons.
This is ALSO called Burgundy Glow…. the difference is likely sun conditions.
