UT Gardens’ August Plant of the Month
Submitted by James Newburn, managing director, UT Gardens, Knoxville
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – As thoughtful gardeners, we think of form, color, and texture as well as environmental conditions when selecting plants. Whatever your style of gardening, these structural elements, either alone or in combination, can provide the basis for your desired garden design. A plant that has interesting qualities in all these categories is Dichondra argentea ‘Silver Falls’.
Naturally found as a creeping, trailing, groundcover, this native of West Texas is related to the green version of the plant, commonly referred to as ponysfoot, which thrives in shady or moist areas and is often found growing in turf. But ’Silver Falls’ is noted for its striking silver, almost metallic, foliage color.
Its trailing form is very versatile in its use in the garden, as it is ideal as a companion plant in mixed containers, where it provides the “spiller” effect we often desire in effective plant combinations. This cascading habit provides a dramatic touch to otherwise mundane containers. Conversely, it can be used as a groundcover where its habit forms a dense mat that is often thick enough to inhibit weed growth.
When applied to its color, “silver” is certainly appropriate. Unlike some plants described as silver, that turn out to be more gray or bluish white, this plant’s color can truly be described as silver. This allows it to be easily included in a variety of plant palettes as a complementary or contrasting plant color.
The flowers are inconsequential, so it is the foliage that is the desirable characteristic in the garden. The texture of ‘Silver Falls’ also provides garden interest, as the leaves are somewhat pubescent or “furry.” The small leaves, usually less than an inch in width, add to the effect of a soft, delicate, almost fragile appearance. That seeming fragility is hardly the case though. ‘Silver Falls’ can be quite vigorous in growth with the length of the cascades reaching an impressive six or seven feet long in hanging baskets. What a statement this would make hanging at the entrance to your home.
It can be quite carefree as well, requiring full sun to partial shade in almost any type of soil. It tolerates heat extremely well and is somewhat drought tolerant, though in a container or hanging basket more care may be needed in terms of watering.
Throughout Tennessee, ‘Silver Falls’ is sometimes described as a tender perennial or half-hardy annual. We typically treat it as an annual, though as its hardiness is unpredictable. We have had microclimate pockets, however, where it has survived for two or three years. Hanging baskets can even be brought inside in winter and treated as a houseplant.
Easy to propagate from seed or available in nurseries and garden centers, usually in 4-inch pots, this is an ideal plant to add pizzazz to your ground beds, mixed containers or hanging baskets. Examples of the versatility of this plant can be seen at the Knoxville and Jackson campuses of the State Botanical Gardens of Tennessee.
The UT Gardens includes plant collections located in Knoxville, Crossville and Jackson, Tennessee. Designated as the official botanical garden for the State of Tennessee, the UT Gardens are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. The Gardens’ mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, educational programs and research trials. The Gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. For more information, see the Gardens website: utgardens.tennessee.edu.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.