Dymondia

silver carpet
Dymondia margaretae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Arctotideae
Genus: Dymondia
Compton
Binomial name
Dymondia margaretae
Compton

Dymondia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family. There is only one known species, Dymondia margaretae, endemic to the Cape Province region of South Africa.[1][2][3][4]

Cultivation

  • Light: full sun, part shade
  • Habit: 2 inches high, spreads to make a carpet like ground cover.
  • Water: very drought tolerant. Water may be needed at higher temperatures. The deep roots act as water wells providing water to the plant as needed. The dymondia carpet normally appears green/silver in color, but when roots are depleted and the plant needs water the leaves curl and their silver undersides are exposed to view. Water as needed in the silver colored areas to uncurl the leaves and return to green/silver color.
  • Cold hardiness: 20 °F
  • Heat Tolerance: no known
  • Origin: South Africa
  • Soil: Very sandy - Soil mix of 40% vegetative matter, 30% red lava sand and 30% river sand. Perlite can be added to the mix as needed and provides faster growing in flats and pots.

Makes a flat, very drought tolerant ground cover and good lawn replacement in dry zones. Takes heavy foot traffic and often called living cement. Works well as a filler between flagstone, pavers, or stepping stones and other confined areas. Soil retention: Excellent on slopes an hills due to the large diameter and deep root system.[5][6]

References

  1. ↑ Compton, Robert Harold. 1953. Journal of South African Botany 19: 110
  2. ↑ Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. M. Welman, E. Retief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. Van Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
  3. ↑ Tropicos, Dymondia Compton
  4. ↑ Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist
  5. ↑ Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture, Dymondia Home Design
  6. ↑ Succulents and More, Gerhard Bock, Silver carpet (Dymondia margaretae)


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