Gardening Plant Encyclopedia Annual Dichondra This low-growing, trailing plant works well as a groundcover or in a container. By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the digital garden editor at Better Homes & Gardens. Before moving to Des Moines, Iowa, for this position in 2019, she spent 14 years serving as an editor for The American Gardener magazine, published by the American Horticultural Society in Virginia. She holds a B.S. in horticulture from Iowa State University and an M.P.S. in plant pathology from Cornell. Viveka loves getting people excited about the botanical world and feels happiest with dirt under her nails. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on June 21, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Colorful Combinations Sometimes gardens or containers need a neutral accent plant to provide visual relief. Dichondra is that plant. The lovely silver or pale green foliage creates a dense mat of leaves that soften any area. Silver falls actually soften literally with their soft-to-the-touch fine leaf hairs. Dichondra Care Dichondra grows best in full sun. In partial shade, the silver varieties tend to stay greener and have a looser habit. Green types tend to have a dense growth habit, so you generally won't notice much of a difference in full or part sun. Both kinds need the soil to dry out between waterings to prevent root rot. They also benefit from regular fertilizing. These beautiful trailers are easy to start from seed. Seedlings should emerge within a week. As silver varieties send out runners, you might have to pinch them to encourage branching. Green types don't require pinching. Non-native species, especially the green varieties, can become aggressive and slightly invasive. Dichondra Lawn Due to its quick spreading habit, dichondra works as a no-mow lawn substitute in spots that don't get much foot traffic. It forms extremely dense mats of foliage that prevent weed growth and cover spots much quicker than grass. More Varieties of Dichondra 01 of 06 Dichondra Overview Description The green or silver variety of dichondra is an attractive accent in a garden. Its fast growth makes it valuable as a groundcover or spiller down a wall or container. Genus Name Dichondra Common Name Dichondra Plant Type Annual, Perennial Light Part Sun, Sun Height 6 to 6 inches Width 3 to 6 feet Foliage Color Blue/Green, Gray/Silver Special Features Good for Containers, Low Maintenance Zones 10, 11 Propagation Seed, Stem Cuttings Problem Solvers Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Groundcover 02 of 06 Dichondra Repens Dan Piassick Dichondra repens creates dense mats of color that work well as a backdrop for other plants. Zones 10-11 03 of 06 'Silver Falls' Dichondra Justin Hancock Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls' has beautiful silver foliage with a cascading habit that makes it a spectacular accent plant. Zones 10-11 Dichondra Companion Plants 04 of 06 Ornamental Pepper Scott Little Spice up your garden with ornamental peppers. Similar to edible peppers, ornamental peppers produce colorful, small round or pointed fruits. Although edible, they lack the flavor of peppers grown for the table. Depending on the variety, they set white, purple, red, orange, and yellow fruits—often multiple colors on the same plant. They like rich, well-drained soil that is evenly moist. 05 of 06 Salvia Whether you have sun or shade, drought or rain, there's a salvia you'll find indispensable. All attract hummingbirds and are great picks for hot, dry sites where you want a lot of color all season. Most salvias don't like cool weather, so plant them outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. Garden Plans For Dichondra 06 of 06 Classic Container Garden Plan Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke Classic shapes and lush floriferous plants combine beautifully in this shade-loving garden plan. Click here to download this plan! Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit