Contradictory information on ground cover plants...

[Anonymous]

pachysandra is a good choice. It spreads, but not so quickly that it can’t be contained. And you can see the poison ivy if it is mixed in with pachysandra.

English ivy spreads like crazy, and it is hard to identify poison ivy in the middle of it.

[Anonymous]

People recommend these invasive plants because they’re aggressive, so they require less care. But they will also invade and ruin natural areas (seeds travel, so it’s not just about what’s around you). And realistically they’ll still be overrun by weeds.

If it’s an area you don’t want to maintain, just use a string trimmer to keep it in check during the growing season. There’s no point to planting anything if you’re not going to take care of it, just keep things contained and move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Foamflower is a native and it's seriously gorgeous. Flowers forever and the sugar and spice variety I got has variegated foliage. I have only had it one season so I can't attest to hoe quickly and well it fills in though.

It’s fine but it won’t survive on its own in an urban environment. It’s no match for invasive weeds. I have it and I like it, but you have to weed around it.

Native plants are great but they don’t prevent or cure invasive weeds and often require a lot more work than “invasive” plants. That’s why they sell those plants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Foamflower is a native and it's seriously gorgeous. Flowers forever and the sugar and spice variety I got has variegated foliage. I have only had it one season so I can't attest to hoe quickly and well it fills in though.

It’s fine but it won’t survive on its own in an urban environment. It’s no match for invasive weeds. I have it and I like it, but you have to weed around it.

Native plants are great but they don’t prevent or cure invasive weeds and often require a lot more work than “invasive” plants. That’s why they sell those plants.

If the OP can give it a helping hand, Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) is a native that is fairly aggressive. Once established, it might be able to outcompete invasives. If she needs to be completely hands-off, then Virginia creeper is an aggressive native that can beat back invasives, and be good for the wildlife.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Foamflower is a native and it's seriously gorgeous. Flowers forever and the sugar and spice variety I got has variegated foliage. I have only had it one season so I can't attest to hoe quickly and well it fills in though.

It’s fine but it won’t survive on its own in an urban environment. It’s no match for invasive weeds. I have it and I like it, but you have to weed around it.

Native plants are great but they don’t prevent or cure invasive weeds and often require a lot more work than “invasive” plants. That’s why they sell those plants.

If the OP can give it a helping hand, Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) is a native that is fairly aggressive. Once established, it might be able to outcompete invasives. If she needs to be completely hands-off, then Virginia creeper is an aggressive native that can beat back invasives, and be good for the wildlife.

I mean, not really. I have a lot of Virginia creeper, on purpose. It’s great but for one thing it will be constantly growing and climbing into other spaces and for another mine is still mixed with invasive weeds, particularly porcelain berry. It holds its own but it doesn’t “beat back” anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Foamflower is a native and it's seriously gorgeous. Flowers forever and the sugar and spice variety I got has variegated foliage. I have only had it one season so I can't attest to hoe quickly and well it fills in though.

It’s fine but it won’t survive on its own in an urban environment. It’s no match for invasive weeds. I have it and I like it, but you have to weed around it.

Native plants are great but they don’t prevent or cure invasive weeds and often require a lot more work than “invasive” plants. That’s why they sell those plants.

If the OP can give it a helping hand, Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort) is a native that is fairly aggressive. Once established, it might be able to outcompete invasives. If she needs to be completely hands-off, then Virginia creeper is an aggressive native that can beat back invasives, and be good for the wildlife.

I mean, not really. I have a lot of Virginia creeper, on purpose. It’s great but for one thing it will be constantly growing and climbing into other spaces and for another mine is still mixed with invasive weeds, particularly porcelain berry. It holds its own but it doesn’t “beat back” anything.

+1 Virginia creeper is no match for poison ivy. Native trumpet vine might be but I'd rather use Roundup on poison ivy. Like a PP, it's the only time I use it - except on Bradford Pear stumps.

[Anonymous]

Sources for the foam flower and packera aurea?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sources for the foam flower and packera aurea?

Join your local plant swap group. Most people with Packera have LOADS of Packera. You should be able to get them for free.

These guys have plugs at a reasonable price. Their minimum is also a reasonable 25 plants:

https://www.thepollennation.com/native-perennials/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do not plant any of those things. You need a native ground cover.

Poison Ivy is just about THE MOST NATIVE groundcover you can find in our area.

You should be insisting OP simply let it be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about English Ivy fending off the poison ivy, but there's nothing wrong with an area of English Ivy. It's gorgeous. Just a PITA if it's choking trees and climbing up your brick walls.

English ivy is worse than poison ivy. It can do serious damage to fences, siding, wood, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do not plant any of those things. You need a native ground cover.

Poison Ivy is just about THE MOST NATIVE groundcover you can find in our area.

You should be insisting OP simply let it be.

Cute, but let's not be ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Foamflower is a native and it's seriously gorgeous. Flowers forever and the sugar and spice variety I got has variegated foliage. I have only had it one season so I can't attest to hoe quickly and well it fills in though.

It’s fine but it won’t survive on its own in an urban environment. It’s no match for invasive weeds. I have it and I like it, but you have to weed around it.

Native plants are great but they don’t prevent or cure invasive weeds and often require a lot more work than “invasive” plants. That’s why they sell those plants.

What native plants are "work"? That has not been my experience at all.

[Anonymous]

English Ivy is the worst.

[Anonymous]

Don't plant non-native invasives regardless, but be aware poison ivy is a vine and will just spread up and over or sprout wherever a bird poops out a seed. Native plants will not crowd it out or keep it from spreading. You will always have to be vigilant about it in your garden.

[Anonymous]

Geranium macrorrhizum ingwersen's variety. I have a path in my front yard. It is gorgeous right now. Nothing can compete with them once established. It is not native but easy to pull up if you want a change.

https://www.theimpatientgardener.com/geranium-macrorrhizum/?v=7516fd43adaa

https://www.theimpatientgardener.com/geranium-macrorrhizum/?v=7516fd43adaa