Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Saturday - July 11, 2009
From: Mechanicsburg, PA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Groundcovers
Title: Non-vascular moss between flagstones in Mechanicsburg PA
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
We would like to plant moss between our flagstone. However, the moss will have full sun all day. Can you recommend a moss for Central Pennsylvania near Harrisburg?ANSWER:
There are about 12,000 species of non-vascular plants referred to as "moss;" since we deal only with vascular plants, we can't help you with that. We do know that mosses need a damp, shady environment, which doesn't sound like your description. We Googled on "Moss for paths" and found this gardenhive.com website "How do you maintain a moss path?" One suggestion we might make is a good quality shredded hardwood mulch, if you feel the need for something sunworthy between your flagstones. We searched our Native Plant Database for low growing plants native to Pennsylvania that could tolerate full sun, and found 5 that might work for you.
Hydrocotyle umbellata (manyflower marshpennywort) - 8" tall, blooms white April to October, sun, part shade or shade, moist soil
Phyla nodiflora (turkey tangle fogfruit) - about 6" tall, semi-evergreen, blooms white May to October, sun or part shade
Phlox stolonifera (creeping phlox) - to 1 ft. tall, blooms white, blue, purple April and May, sun, part shade or shade
Viola sororia (common blue violet) - 6 to 10" tall, reseeding annual, blooms white, pink, blue, purple March to May, sun or part shade
Dichondra carolinensis (Carolina ponysfoot) - about 4" tall, sun or part shade
More Groundcovers Questions
Ground cover for a clay/shale bank in PA
April 06, 2010 - We have a 200ft x 30ft bank in front of our house (PA)
the soil is made up with clay and shale.
what ground cover will grow fast
view the full question and answer
Native groundcovers to replace non-native St. Augustine
May 24, 2007 - I live in west Travis County just south of Lake Austin. My backyard is very shady and does not drain well. I want to spend some time and effort landscaping it. I have thought about Amerishade St. A...
view the full question and answer
Native Plants for Shaded North Slope in Ohio
January 03, 2013 - I have a shaded north hillside which needs erosion control plants. Mostly moss and very thin grass grows there now. Please help!
view the full question and answer
Groundcover for area with impact from rain from roof
June 25, 2010 - The small garden on the side of my townhouse gets some hard rainfall during every storm. We've found ways of redirecting and using much of the rainfall (gutter and downspout to rain barrel, permeable...
view the full question and answer
Silver ponyfoot becoming invasive in College Station TX
May 08, 2013 - How can I control or get rid of an established Dichondra groundcover? I bought a few plants of D. argentea from your sale a few years ago, and in that time they've done really well in the area I plan...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
