Keep Weeds At Bay By Planting This Fast-Growing Ground Cover With Unique Foliage

Are weeds threatening to take over your garden? Are you at your wits' end because the more you pull them out, the faster they seem to return? Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just a beginner, you probably know that ground covers that form nice dense mats are the answer, but when it gets to the stage where the weeds are mocking your efforts to get rid of them, you need a solution that's going to solve your woes swiftly and effortlessly. To help you out, we've found an attractive ground cover with unique foliage that grows rapidly and will choke out those pesky weeds. This fast-growing plant is known as silver ponysfoot, and you're going to love what it can do for your garden.

Silver ponysfoot (Dichondra argentea, or "Silver Falls") is a stunning cultivar with dense, trailing stems that quickly spread over the ground and put down roots wherever they touch the soil. Each plant can spread to an impressive width of up to 4 feet. What's even more outstanding is that it has interesting, lily pad-shaped leaves that are a soft silvery metallic color. This means it will contrast beautifully with all the green plants in your yard. If that's not enough, this little beauty is also very drought-tolerant and can even handle some light shade. These are all reasons why this plant is often used as a low-maintenance way to create an eye-catching front lawn without grass.

The Dichondra species is a native to southwest Texas and Mexico, so silver ponysfoot grows well in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 12. It prefers well-drained, sandy loam that can dry out in between rain showers. However, note that it's important not to overwater this plant, as this can cause root rot or attract fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. Still, this cultivar is not known to be susceptible to any major disease problems.

Pruning is best done in spring to keep the plant more compact or to prevent it from spreading into adjacent yard areas.(Although it grows fast, it is non-invasive.) Apart from providing a weed-choking ground cover for your garden beds, silver ponysfoot can also be used as a filler for paving stones and is regarded as one of a few select practical plants for between your pavers to add even more beauty to your landscaping. It also looks superb cascading gracefully down a wall, which can give the impression of a silvery waterfall. Plus, it can make quite a spectacular display when planted in a hanging basket, either on its own or mixed with taller growing species. Finally, you might be interested in the many benefits of Dichondra (such as preventing soil erosion) as a gorgeous no-mow lawn.