Herbaceous Perennials Make Good Ground Covers
Herbaceous Perennials Make Good Ground Covers
An herbaceous perennial ground cover is a plant that does not develop persistent woody tissue as a shrub or tree does, but rather has soft or succulent seasonal growth. Herbaceous perennial ground covers such as daylily grow new stems, leaves and flowers each year that die down to the ground in the fall, thus escaping winter stress (see Tables). These are replaced by new growth the next spring from underground buds. They may be more expensive originally than annual plants -- those that grow from seed, flower and die the same year -- but in the long run perennials are more economical.
Herbaceous perennial ground covers can be a substantial part of most landscapes and, if properly cared for, last almost indefinitely. They provide summer flowers; vary in size, texture, form and flower color, and have a wide range of adaptability to various soils, degrees of shade and climates. Once these perennials are established, they multiply rapidly to fill in the ground area (see Tables for spacing requirements). A few varieties of herbaceous perennials planted in a mass probably produce more color for the investment than many other permanent plantings.
