How Much Sun Does Dichondra Need?

Sun

• Dichondra is a warm-season plant that adapts well to areas of full sun to partial shade. Growth is best in the cooler, coastal regions and sites receiving full sun. Plants that are grown in the shade tend to grow taller, reaching a height of about 6 inches. This requires more frequent mowing to keep to a turf-like level. When grown in the sun, plant height is much shorter and growth is dense. Plants in the sun require little or no mowing.

Cultural Requirements

• The plant adapts well to a variety of soil types but prefer a fertile soil amended with organic material. Dichondra is not highly drought tolerant and requires regular irrigation. Drought stress is indicated by browning. Water early in the morning to allow foliage to dry, minimizing chances of foliage disorders. The plant does not tolerate salinity well and requires regular application of nitrogen-rich fertilizers for best growth. Dichondra is not suited for high traffic areas and recovers only partially even from a moderate level of wear.

Description

• The creeping, mat forming dichondra plants have a mature height of 3 to 6 inches, with taller growth occurring in areas of shade. Although intolerant of high traffic, dichondra still tolerates greater level of foot traffic than a number of other broadleaf ground covers. The kidney-shaped, dark green, evergreen foliage is 1/2 inch long and equally wide. The 1/8-inch-wide, greenish yellow flowers grow on slender, arching stems and bloom during spring.

Problems

• Dichondra is highly prone to infestation from a variety of broadleaf weeds that are hard to control due to its dense growth. The plant has problems with numerous pests, including the dichondra flea beetle, cutworms, armyworms, vegetable weevils and Lucerne moth larvae. Other common garden pests frequently seen on dichondra include slugs and snails.