Ask EcoBeneficial!

Helpful answers to readers' questions. Go ahead - just ask EcoBeneficial

Kim Eierman

Kim Eierman

Founder of EcoBeneficial!

Available for virtual and in-person landscape consulting, talks and classes.

Buy a copy of
The Pollinator Victory Garden!

Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.
Ruellia humilis

Can You Suggest “Living Mulch” for a Garden in Illinois?

Question:
I have a couple beds of Ninebarks and Viburnums and they’ve been there about two or three years. So I’m thinking it’s time to create a living mulch around them. Can you recommend a few plants for ground cover that have ecological benefits, and will fill in around these shrubs? 
I live in south central Illinois.

Answer:
You are a step ahead of many gardeners by contemplating living mulch ground covers instead of an endless expanse of shredded bark or wood chips.  Wood-based mulches are tremendously overused and seem to have become more prominent in plant beds than the plants they are surrounding!  Wood mulches are best used as place holders that help retain moisture and suppress weeds while other plants fill in.  Eventually wood-based mulches will break down and contribute some organic matter into the soil.  Better yet – boost the ecology of your garden by using live mulch as ground covers, attracting bees, butterflies and natural enemies!

Contrary to traditional thinking, ground covers don’t have to be really short, nor do they have to have a strictly spreading habit.  A robust reseeding plant can be just as effective as a spreading plant as live mulch.

Based on the plants you already have planted, I suspect that the conditions are pretty sunny.  Depending on your soil type, soil pH and moisture level, here are some Illinois native ground covers to consider:

Antennaria neglecta
Antennaria plantaginifolia
Blephilia ciliata
Coreopsis lanceolata
Fragaria virginiana
Oenothera macrocarpa
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Ruellia humilis
Teucrium canadense

Happy planting! From Kim Eierman at EcoBeneficial!

Photo: Ruellis humilis (Wild Petunia)
Photo credit: Flickr_Leonora Enking

 

More from Ask EcoBeneficial!

What Are Some Deer-Resistant Flowering Native Perennials for a Wet Meadow?

Question: What are some native, deer-resistant flowering perennials for wet meadows in the Northeast? Answer: As you likely know, no plant is deer bomb-proof.  In the absence of adequate forage, deer will browse just about anything. Young fawns may nibble on plants that make them sick, as they have not…

Read More

Should I buy Winterberry cultivars or straight species plants? Will deer browse Winterberry?

Question: I understand that berries of some winterberry cultivars may be too big for birds and may have less nutrition. Should I buy winterberry cultivars? I am in Maryland and have not seen the straight species anywhere. Will deer browse winterberry? Answer: I prefer to use straight species plants whenever…

Read More

Sources of Information on the Wildlife Value of Native Plants?

Question: Some areas near me have added native plants to their gardens and I want to demonstrate to the residents how much of an impact they have had on the environment in doing so.  Do you know of a resource that could explains which specific animals/birds/insects are supported by specific…

Read More