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Botanical name: Isotoma fluviatilis
A beautiful, matted groundcover with masses of sky blue flowers in late spring; good for moist boggy sites; this variety maintains a low, even form throughout the season and is an excellent planting around ponds or bog gardens.
Other names: Matted Pratia, Swamp Isotome
| Hardiness zone | 4b |
|---|---|
| Flower color | sky blue |
| Foliage type | deciduous * |
| Plant form | spreading |
| Mature height | 1 inch (2 inches with the flowers) |
| Spread | 12 inches |
| Light requirements | full sun to partial shade |
| Moisture requirements | average to wet |
| Plant origin | import |
* deciduous = loses leaves in winter
Blue Star Creeper has masses of beautiful sky blue star-shaped flowers along the stems from late spring to mid summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its pointy leaves remain green in color throughout the season. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Blue Star Creeper is an herbaceous perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
Spreading
Blue Star Creeper is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Mass Planting, Border Edging, General Garden Use, Groundcover, Container Planting
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. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years.
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by division.
Blue Star Creeper is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
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