Vinca major variegata rivals Lamiastrum once it gets going. Since it's rated hardy only to USDA zone 7, it's generally sold as an annual for hanging baskets and pots. It does die back to the ground in hard winters, but it starts growth early and makes up for lost time quickly. Big Blue Periwinkle is bigger in all its parts than Vinca minor; the leaves are larger and the trailing stems are longer and more vigorous. A lovely thing flowing down an otherwise ugly bank in part shade or shade, it will completely cover any small shrubs or perennials growing near it, if given half a chance. I've just finished going around and giving mine a severe haircut, from which it will recover in a few days with exuberance. I have also seen a photograph of it used in a planter box on a balcony, where it trailed down almost to the ground, creating a sparkling curtain.
You may wonder why I haven't included ivy (Hedera helix) in this list. I've got a lot of ivy; I'm a fan of ivy, particularly the small and variegated leaf forms. When happy and established, it will cover ground. It will also grow under trees in dry shade, but I have found that it tends to be somewhat straggly in dry, un-amended soil directly below mature trees. It doesn't smother weeds as well as Pachysandra or Lamiastrum, or even Vinca under these conditions (which it will do when better suited). Plus, the first thing it will want to do is climb your trees. Ivy would much rather grow up a tree than over the ground. I don't have a problem with this if the tree is large and old enough - and not a valuable specimen. I have ivy growing under trees and up them, but you may not want ivy in your trees as well as the joy of having to trim it constantly to stop it from climbing. So, I'm not recommending it for the particularly difficult environment under mature trees.
Next time I'll tell you about some plants for a mixed planting under trees. See ya later.
More Information
- For those of you in the desert southwest, the Southwest Edition of Plantadvisor.com has a list of plants suitable for groundcover. There aren't many for deep shade, but scroll down the list; at the bottom are plants for partial shade that might work for you.
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