Blue Star Creeper. The plant can cause irritation and itching to the human skin. How to propagate the Blue Star Creeper? The blue star creeper’s scientific name is the Isotoma fluviatilis. This is a hardy plant that can stand weeks without being watered in the spring, fall, or winter. Additionally, gardeners should be aware that blue star creeper is non-native to the United States. The plant stands up well in extreme weather, although it can look a little ragged and worse for wear during cold winters and hot summers. If that doesn’t work, use a gentle insecticide to kill them. "Blue Star" juniper is a hardy plant suitable for growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. They can be harvested and used in any area you like. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. It doesn’t need to be trimmed unless it starts growing somewhere it shouldn’t. The plant withstands heavy foot traffic and tolerates full sun, partial shade or full shade. Blue Star juniper is a needled evergreen shrub with silvery-blue, densely-packed foliage. To stop root rot, you must stop watering the creeper for at least two weeks. Because of its robustness, this plant can survive in cold weather up to hardiness zone five, even though it would prefer to grow in warm weather. If the blue star creeper sits in stagnant water for any period, it can become waterlogged and lose its flowers. 9. Used as a vigorous spreading ground cover it is successful in difficult, shady sites, even dry ones. 8. New Garden Plants is your convenient online garden plants center. If conditions are just right, blue star creeper will produce tiny blue blooms throughout spring and summer. Blue Star Creeper or Isotoma is a fast growing groundcover for sun to part shade that can tolerate heavy foot traffic. The flower buds can be destroyed. Tiny green leaves form a dense, low mat between stepping stones, under shrubs, and around ponds and decks. The creeper does best in zone 9 or 10. NewGardenPlants.com's selection includes perennials, annuals, petunias, coneflowers, and other flowers and plants. Blue star creeper forms a lush mat of deep green, fine-leaved foliage, topped with starry pale blue blooms throughout the spring and summer. One of the best ways to get rid of blue star creeper is by overseeding the location where the plant was growing with your desired grass seed, keeping the area very moist for the first growing season. If rains are coming, then don’t water the blue star creeper. By: Mary H. Dyer, Credentialed Garden Writer. From its … It is useful planted over bulbs. 'Alba' has white blooms. Laurentia fluviatilis Laurentia (Blue Star Creeper) The species we offer (Laurentia fluviatilis) is a native Australian creeping groundcover that is perfect for growing as a low traffic lawn substitute, between stepping stones, or spilling over the edge of a wall. It is also more than happy to fill in gaps between stepping stones, under shrubbery or over your spring-blooming bulbs. Rainy Side Notes A choice plant for between pavers is the charming blue star creeper, sometimes sold as Laurentia fluviatilis or Lobelia fluviatilis, from Australia. Don’t walk on this grass plant barefoot! Equally tiny light blue flowers appear atop the foliage in spring. The plant withstands heavy foot traffic and tolerates full sun, partial shade or full shade. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. It’s height usually reach up to 3 inches, even it’s not maintained. Wonderful in containers and for fairy and miniature gardening. Does the blue star creeper have flowers, and how do I help them bloom? The female cones are berry-like, wi… At a height of only 3 inches (7.5 cm. If you’re thinking about making the change, consider blue star creeper as grass alternative. Blue. Forms a flat carpet of tiny green leaves, smothered by starry soft blue flowers all summer. Bloom Color Family. If you take a bird's-eye view of the shrub, you will notice that the clusters of needles atop the tiny stems resemble stars. But if you have a lot of millipedes in the area, you will have to rake up their dead bodies. Will need to be contained if spreading is not desired. Delivering a whirlwind of vibrant greenery with a smattering of blue blooms, the Blue Star Creeper lives up to its name, transforming the most unsightly yard spaces into elegant garden chateaus. It does seem like blue star creeper should be hardy to zone 5. They’re small but can handle being stepped on. Blue Star Creeper. Blue Star Creeper is a ground cover plant that thrives in full sun. Isotoma fluviatilis subsp. Fortunately, wayward plants are relatively easy to pull. It’s a ground cover with blue flowers. Since it is used as grass, you can plant several dozen plants to take up entire lawns or pathways. You’ll have to wait for about 2 to 4 weeks for this task if you made use of an herbicide. The soil must be well-draining and it needs to sit in an area with full sun. 1 The plant itself can stand temperature down to -10F, but the flowers won’t be there during the winter. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Great as … Drought Tolerant Lawn Grass: Is There A Drought Tolerant Grass For Lawns, Virginia Creeper Control: How To Get Rid Of Virginia Creeper, Growing Food For Christmas: How To Grow Christmas Dinner, Boxwood Wreath Ideas: Tips For Making Boxwood Wreaths, Best Holiday Herbs – Grow A Christmas Herb Garden, What To Do For Tomatoes Affected By Nematodes, Cold Weather Damage To Trees – Pruning Winter Damaged Trees And Shrubs, Propagating Oak Trees – Learn How To Grow An Oak Tree, Fresh-Cut Pine Tree Smell: Perfect Christmas Tree Memories, Norfolk Island Pine - The Perfect Christmas Tree, Winter Survival Guide: Creative Ways To Garden In Winter, Evergreen Favorite: Container Grown Olive Trees. Blue Star Creeper will grow to be only 1 inch tall at maturity extending to 2 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. Blue star creeper with the scientific name (Isotoma or Laurentia fluviatilis), is tough, rugged, extremely versatile, and easy to grow. Lush, green lawns are traditional, but many people are opting for lawn alternatives, which are often more sustainable, require less water, and are less time-consuming than regular turf. Native to Australia, this dainty creeper is excellent for growing between stepping stones, filling in niches in rock walls, or forming a prostrate ground cover. It was discovered by Robert Brown in 1810 and was classified as Isotoma by George Bentham in 1864. 2. The low-growing mat type of plant, Blue Star Creeper (Isotoma fluviatilis) is great for sunny gardens where dense ground cover is required. Blue Star Creeper will grow to be only 1 inch tall at maturity extending to 2 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. Shearing the plant down to about an inch (2.5 cm.) Blue star creeper is fuller and healthier if it gets a few hours of sunlight every day. At a height of only 3 inches (7.5 cm. It hugs the ground to form a tight carpet. Isotoma fluviatilis is a perennial herb that forms a low-growing mat. A member of the cypress family, this shrub is a conifer. Blue star creeper makes an ideal groundcover for sunny or partially sunny locations. Well-draining soil is a must for the blue star creeper. If you overwater it, that can cause overgrowth, which steals nutrition from the soil. It doesn’t like soil where it ph is on the extreme side, but it does do well in soil anywhere from 6.0 ph to 8.5ph. For the impatient gardener, Mazus reptans fills in quickly, but is well-behaved. As for Veronica, there are many different species and cultivars, I think, so it's hard to give a blanket statement. Blue star creeper; Zone:5,6,7,8,9; Sun exposure: Sun to part shade; Delivery: See schedule; Ship form: 1 quart; Soil type: Normal; Soil moisture: Average Height x width: 3" X 18" Flower color: Soft blue; Foliage color: Green; Bloom season: Spring & summer; Uses: Alpine & rock, Container gardening, Edging, Ground cover, Rock garden, Small spaces, Under planting; Cannot ship to: Blooms all summer. It can be used in the garden to fill the gaps between stepping stones and pavers, around poles, in pots, and even as a ground cover to grow around for shrubs, laceleaf, small trees, and roses. However, the plant can become invasive in some situations, especially if it is overwatered or over-fertilized. Climate and temperature. Sign up for our newsletter. One of two hours of morning light is ok, but it should be away from the sun’s rays by the time noon comes around. Read on to learn more. Blue star creeper sounds like a perfect plant and it definitely has much to offer. in autumn helps keep the plant tidy during the winter months. Australis has a corolla of 7 to 15 millimeters long with 5-15 millimeters long leaves. Blue star creeper ground cover (Isotoma fluviatilis) is a no-fuss plant that works well as a lawn substitute. Yes, this plant can live indoors, but in a wide pot. ), blue star creeper lawns require no mowing. Don’t use potting soil that is enriched or for root growth, just use basic soil. Replant one half of the remaining plant and plant the other half wherever you like. … Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Tiny light blue star-shaped flowers cover the plant in spring. You can cut the whole plant in half and propagate it. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Blue star creeper makes an attractive ground cover under trees and between stepping stones. To stop its growth, it must be blocked by a physical barrier that is partially buried deeper than its roots. The second way is to dig up the entire plant and cut it in half down to the root. Home » Plants » Blue Star Creeper Care & Growing guide. The first way is through the seeds that are released. It loves to be watered, but the soil needs to let the water drain away from the roots quickly. If it is exposed to intense amounts of direct light, its leaves will wither and droop. But the heat cannot be so intense that the ground also turns warm. It has a tendency to spread quickly, which can be a good thing. Soil that locks in water and moisture invites root rot, which will wither the leaves and flowers. Planting & Growing Blue Star Creeper will grow to be only 1 inch tall at maturity extending to 2 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. 6. The plant is deer-resistant and adapts well to coastal environments. Millipedes are beneficial to most gardens and plants, as they eat away dying matter. (Often incorrectly known as Laurentia) This little creeping perennial forms a flat carpet of tiny green leaves, smothered with starry, soft-blue flowers all summer long. Excellent between stones, roses, and around ponds and decks. This low-growing perennial rarely grows over 6 inches tall, yet it's so tough you can actually walk on it. Blue star creeper (Laurentia fluviatilis or Isotoma fluviatilis), true to its common name, is a creeping evergreen. Millipedes like to snack on the blue star creeper. The creeper does best in zone 9 or 10. The blue star creeper is famous for its blue flower that carpets the grounds. But the heat cannot be so intense that the ground also turns warm. To get rid of millipedes, first, remove all of the dead plant matter in the area, and place it somewhere else to send the millipedes to a new area. Isotoma fluviatilis subsp. But to the blue star creeper, they can be a menace. Perfect between and around stepping stones. It can’t even be in puddles too long. The needles are awl-shaped, unlike the long, slender needles with which many people are most familiar that grow on eastern white pine trees. If there is a build-up of water by its roots, then root rot appears. Plus, you must reseed any area that was killed by the root rot. (Blue Star Creeper) $ 4.99. An application of any general-purpose garden fertilizer before new growth emerges in spring will keep the plant well-nourished throughout the growing season. Its beautiful blue flowers are a welcome change to the standard grass we all know. Ideal for planting between paving stones, in the rock garden or as a lawn substitute. Planting & Growing. Many dead millipedes give off a terrible smell as they rot into the ground. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Can the blue star creeper live in a pot? Blue Star Creeper. But in the summer, you will need to water it once a week. ), blue star creeper lawns require no mowing. But the blue flowers only appear during the spring and summer, and they can die if the heat is too intense, around 90F and above. There are two ways to propagate the Blue Star Creeper. USDA Zone: 6-9. Zone 5 (-10 to -20 degrees F) Fragrant. The blue star creeper thrives best in full direct sunlight. Blue star creeper requires very little care. Individually, it doesn’t spread very far by itself, as it only grows as far as 18 inches. Root rot is a common disease to the creeper. It produces an inch-tall mat of tiny, oval leaves. Plant number: 1.297.050. Shade is needed in the hot, sunny South. Comment About Planting Blue Star Creeper is a mat-forming perennial groundcover perfect for planting between stepping stones, as a groundcover in landscape and garden beds, under roses and Japanese maples, or in pots. The less it is exposed to light, the fewer flowers it will have, but it can live off low light. Laurentia Fluviatilis - Common name:Blue Star Creeper - Blue star creeper is an adorable little plant that makes a dense, spreading low mat of round, green foliage and equally tiny light blue flowers in spring. No, it does not need to be mowed. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. It’s ideal for planting between paving stones, in the rock garden, or as an alternative for the lawn. A dense, low-growing perennial, the Blue Creeper will quickly become the understated star of your landscape. This flower grass is a more sustainable substitute for regular grass. If conditions are just right, blue star creeper will produce tiny blue blooms throughout spring and summer. It does best in well-drained but somewhat moist soils. Varieties of Blue Star Creeper. - Can grow in full sun to part shade. 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