How did I never Google image it?!!
So, it is with horror that I must confess...ladies and gentlemen of the public:
This accidental gardener does not have native ginger ground cover.
Ok, that's not true, I actually do.
See there was this big blob of leaves that just shot up and I left it hoping it would turn into something pretty. All last summer and it did not. It expanded its creepy, worm-like roots and heart-shaped leaves, but that's it. No flowers or such.
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| "The blob" circa July 2017 |
So I figured it was a weed and I dug it out and tossed it over to my forsaken weed cemetery.
Yeah, so turns out that was native ginger.
Let me back up...
3 years ago, a fabulous gardener friend of mine was moving away and offered me a bunch of plants from her shade garden. She emailed me a list of kinds and I Googled them and told her what I wanted. (Why I didn't take all of them, I'm not entirely sure...I think because some were more aggressive that others and I was still twitching from the vinca groundcover experience.)
I'm not sure if I said no to native ginger or if I did get a little from her, but it's taken this long to get established...and now I just dug it out. mmmhm.
I would feel bad, but apparently it is a bit aggressive and has taken over too much natural landscape, so we'll see if I want to go rescue some of the worm roots and put it in a little pot or something.
Sooooooo...what is this gorgeous ground cover that I love?!!
I just went back at her email and looked up the plants she listed again...
Yup! That's it!
Ladies and gentlemen of the public:
I have and love and continue to grow and spread and share Mazus Reptans.
Seriously?!
Why couldn't it be native ginger? That's WAY easier to say and remember!
So don't judge me if I call this the "mazzy reptile stuff" or something like that.
Anyway. There you have it. Sorry for the confusion, you may now return to your regularly scheduled programs.
In related news, it has taken off splendidly around the HVAC unit and nearby bushes. I've wanted to keep that area "clean", but obviously open dirt = weed city, so this nifty groundcover is doing a marvelous job filling in and keeping them at bay!
It's still in its winter reddish color over in the shade garden (will post on that soon). Not sure why it's green over by the house...maybe less exposure to the elements...?
Anyway, I still love it and it's doing great, I'm just super bummed it's not what I thought it was.
See why even in my successes at growing I'm still an accidental gardener?! 😁
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