Long-lived, Low Water Groundcovers

[Richard Joaquin]

Any recommendations for a groundcover, with proven success, for the California East Bay Area (Temps range from 90+ to 20ish fahrenheit)? Looking for something long-lived, low-water, evergreen and staying around 12″ in height… problems with most groundcovers in this threshold prove to be short-lived, turn woody or have inconsistent coverage.

Thanks for any help!! 

-Rich

[Goustan BODIN]

– can plants be shorter than 12″ (like 4-8 ?)

– soil characteristics ?

– shade or not ?

– competition around (ie trees, shrubs…)

– aesthetics ? (trimmed, shrubby, ‘natural’ etc)

– foliage/flowers (large, small, color…)

– maintenance frequency ?

[toby]

Cotoneaster ‘Lowfast’ and/or Acacia ‘Lowboy’ on a RainBird 1400 series bubbler (or similar) for mass planting and low water use.

http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=451

http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=…

http://www.rainbird.com/landscape/products/sprayNozzles/1400PCbubbl…

[Richard Joaquin]

Goustan, thanks for trying to dive deeper. However, I feel like the list is pretty small for a groundcover with the given criteria. Any you can think of would be helpful, whether they are less than 12″ or shade/sun, etc. I appreciate your help.

[Tyson Carroll]

Salvia Bee’s Bliss

Baccharis ‘Pigeon Point’

Some of the Arctostaphylos species

Mahonia repens (part sun/shade)

Some of the low growing Zauschneria but aesthetically need to be cut down every year before spring

The cotoneaster mentioned in this thread is also a good choice. 

Some will depend on the characteristics of the site as asked in this thread as well. 

[Richard Joaquin]

Toby, thanks for your reply. Both of these are on my radar. 

[Goustan BODIN]

Not sure this one grows in your neck of the woods :

Trachelospermum asiaticum

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