|
Falkia repens (Little Ears) - A lush fast growing and long lived evergreen groundcover that forms a solid carpet 2 to 6 inches tall and spreading outward on stems that root at their nodes with tightly held glossy green and slightly succulent inch wide leaves that are cupped and held upright so the rounded leaf tips appear a bit like small green ears. The half inch wide white flowers with light pink blushing are produced abundantly from spring through early summer.
Plant in full sun to part shade in a well-draining soil and give regular to occasional irrigation, though it tolerates drier conditions and then rebound with winter rains. Hardy and evergreen in USDA Zone 9-10 and reemerges from the roots in colder locations and then can be grown down to USDA Zone 7. This groundcover is great in solid stands, between steppingstones, flowing over rocks or walls and it covers fast, looks great year round and even suppresses weeds. It is attractive to bees and other insects.
Falkia repens is native to the winter-rainfall areas of the Eastern Cape of South Africa where it often found on damp or temporarily inundated soils. The name for the genus honors John Peter Falck (Joannis Petri Falk), an 18th century Swedish professor of botany. The specific epithet means 'creeping' in reference to this plants form. Its Afrikaner name is Oortjies which translates as "little ears".
Information displayed on this page about Falkia repens is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
|
