There are several evergreen ground cover plants and vines that are grown for landscaping use. In this blog I will consider only a few of the most used evergreen ground covers.
Myrtle (Vinca minor) has shiny green leaves and exhibits a bright blue flower in the spring. Myrtle is a ground cover that has been used extensively in the past and can often be found around old abandoned buildings in wooded areas. Myrtle grows best in light to moderately shaded areas and likes the organic soil of the woods. Myrtle is a shallow rooting plant that grows 6 - 10 inches tall and has a bright blue flower. Myrtle transplants easily, but will need ample water to help it grow.
Ajuga reptans, also known as Common Bugleweed, has a rosette type leaf at 3 – 4 inches tall and produces a 6 – 10 inch spike with a blue/violet flower on top. There are green leaf and bronze colored leaf (such as Bronze Beauty) cultivars. Catlin’s Giant is cultivar that is a large leaf ajuga and also produces a spike with a blue/violet flower and grows 2 - 3 times larger than the smaller ajugas. Ajuga likes light to moderately shaded conditions.
English Ivy is a green leaf ground cover vine with a typical ivy leaf. With small tentacle type roots, it can climb up rough surfaces such as stone walls, wooden walls and other structures. There are several cultivars of English Ivy including Baltic Ivy (very hardy English Ivy) and Thorndale Ivy (an improved small leaf ivy).
When planting myrtle, ajuga and English ivy, use plenty of organic soil and organic fertilizer (such as weed free cow manure or Milorganite) to enhance growth and health.
There are several varieties of Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortune) that are grown as groundcovers. They are evergreens vines or-vine like plants that are grown as ground covers. Purple Leaf Wintercreeper (Euonymus f. coloratus) grows 8 – 12 inches tall and exhibits green leaves from late spring to early fall. They generally start changing the color of their leaves to a purplish-red in the fall and the color remains throughout the winter months until they break their dormancy in the spring. The leaves then gradually change to a green color. Tri-color and Emerald gaiety euonymus have silver and green leaves and Emerald & Gold euonymus have yellow and green leaves. Along with Summer Sun Euonymus (similar to Blondy) they can sometimes be shaped to a low mound 1 – 2 feet tall. Summer Sun has striking dark green and bright yellow leaves and can grow to a mound 2 – 3 feet tall. Some euonymus, like Big Leaf Wintercreeper is more vine-like with small tentacle-type roots and with a little support can grow up walls and sides of buildings.
Myrtle (Vinca minor) has shiny green leaves and exhibits a bright blue flower in the spring. Myrtle is a ground cover that has been used extensively in the past and can often be found around old abandoned buildings in wooded areas. Myrtle grows best in light to moderately shaded areas and likes the organic soil of the woods. Myrtle is a shallow rooting plant that grows 6 - 10 inches tall and has a bright blue flower. Myrtle transplants easily, but will need ample water to help it grow.
Ajuga reptans, also known as Common Bugleweed, has a rosette type leaf at 3 – 4 inches tall and produces a 6 – 10 inch spike with a blue/violet flower on top. There are green leaf and bronze colored leaf (such as Bronze Beauty) cultivars. Catlin’s Giant is cultivar that is a large leaf ajuga and also produces a spike with a blue/violet flower and grows 2 - 3 times larger than the smaller ajugas. Ajuga likes light to moderately shaded conditions.
English Ivy is a green leaf ground cover vine with a typical ivy leaf. With small tentacle type roots, it can climb up rough surfaces such as stone walls, wooden walls and other structures. There are several cultivars of English Ivy including Baltic Ivy (very hardy English Ivy) and Thorndale Ivy (an improved small leaf ivy).
When planting myrtle, ajuga and English ivy, use plenty of organic soil and organic fertilizer (such as weed free cow manure or Milorganite) to enhance growth and health.
There are several varieties of Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortune) that are grown as groundcovers. They are evergreens vines or-vine like plants that are grown as ground covers. Purple Leaf Wintercreeper (Euonymus f. coloratus) grows 8 – 12 inches tall and exhibits green leaves from late spring to early fall. They generally start changing the color of their leaves to a purplish-red in the fall and the color remains throughout the winter months until they break their dormancy in the spring. The leaves then gradually change to a green color. Tri-color and Emerald gaiety euonymus have silver and green leaves and Emerald & Gold euonymus have yellow and green leaves. Along with Summer Sun Euonymus (similar to Blondy) they can sometimes be shaped to a low mound 1 – 2 feet tall. Summer Sun has striking dark green and bright yellow leaves and can grow to a mound 2 – 3 feet tall. Some euonymus, like Big Leaf Wintercreeper is more vine-like with small tentacle-type roots and with a little support can grow up walls and sides of buildings.
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