Plant Profiles

Stepables® Line of Groundcovers

Species Native Range: Varies
Hardiness: USDA Zones vary but all hardy in our zone 7/8 climate
Mature Size: usually under 6 inches tall and spreading
Exposure: Varies
Soil: Rich, well-drained
Ease of Culture: Easy to Moderate

This week, I am featuring an entire line of plants from the grower Stepables. These ground covers are noted for their low height, spreading habit and some with the ability to handle foot traffic. Below are two of my favorite plants from the Stepables® collection.


Green n Gold	Georgia Blue Speedwell

Green n Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)

This semi-evergreen ground cover is native to Georgia. It has a mature height of 3-4 inches and slowly spreads to form a clump upwards of 36 inches wide. It does best in rich organic soil that is moist, but well-drained in partial to medium shade. Flowering is heaviest in the spring with sporadic flowers in the summer and fall.

Georgia Blue Speedwell (Veronica peduncularis or Veronica umbrosa 'Georgia Blue')

This semi-evergreen ground cover is native to the Republic of Georgia in the former Soviet Union. It has a mature height of 4-5 inches and slowly spreads to form a clump upwards of 24 inches wide. It does best in rich organic soil that is moist, but well-drained in full sun to partial shade. The true blue flowers appear in the very early spring. Flowering is best in sun. During the colder parts of the winter, the leaves take on a purple hue. Georgia Blue Speedwell does well in containers where it can drape over the sides. This plant is a 2005 Georgia Gold Medal winnter.

For more information on these and other plants from the collection, visit the web site of Stepables.