A Zone 5 Purple Flower Ground Cover That Blooms in the Summer and Grows in the Shade

Cold and Shade Tolerance

• The parent form of self-heal produces purple flowers, but the flowers can also be shades of blue. "Loveliness" is a purple-flowering cultivar with a bit less tolerance to cold than the parent species. Loveliness survives a USDA zone 4 winter, while normal forms of self-heal grow into zone 3. Self-heal is an adaptable species, growing in both sun and shade, according to the Michigan State University Extension. Loveliness will mature in partial shade.

Description

• Loveliness grows to between 6 and 12 inches high, forming a vegetative mat over the ground. It features a rhizomatous root system, which generates new growth as the roots expand into other areas. The leaves of Loveliness are dark green, oval, or shaped like miniature lances, and as long as 3 inches. The flowers, which bloom from June into August, are pale purple and develop on tiny spikes at the top of the plant. The stems in cross section are square.

Growing Conditions

• An acidic and organically enriched soil is where Loveliness and other types of self-heal grow best. This plant has no tolerance for dry conditions, meaning you must keep the ground moist in summer, especially during droughts. After the flowers bloom, remove them from the tops of the plant. You can mow Loveliness after it blooms with no ill effects, allowing you to keep the area looking neat.

Uses

• The diminutive height of Loveliness makes it appropriate as ground cover in small or large areas. It works well underneath shrubs and trees, since the shade does not adversely affect the plant. You can employ Loveliness, as well as other self-heal plants, in rock gardens or locate them in the front of perennial borders.