Scleranthus biflorus

[RKatzin]

Aka Australian astroturf. I have been growing this for several years now both as a ground cover and accent plant in small pots.
It looks like moss, but it has roots and stays green all year. It's the best alternative to moss I've seen yet. I'm sorry I can't get pics to load this morning, but was wondering if anyone else is using it. It's really cool stuff and I haven't seen any negative effects of it growing with my trees.

 

[penumbra]

This is a zone 9 - 11 plant. How are you growing it in zone 7?

 

[RKatzin]

This is a zone 9 - 11 plant. How are you growing it in zone 7?

Outdoors 24-7 full sun. My main patch is growing in a box with my Poncerus trifoliata and a smaller patch started in my Hinoki. I just transplanted some into small accent pots. Seems to like it here. It's hard to make the call on the ag zone thing around here. I'm at 3-4 thousand feet elevation, mountainous with a standing conifer forest. Lots of microclimates.

 

[penumbra]

I don't get it. All info points to a tropical plant from South Australia hardy to zone 9 at best. Have you had this plant through the winter?

 

[RKatzin]

Yes I've had it for several years now. Lol I know you think of Oregon and brrrr! But not so much. I had to look it up and according to the chart we are a 9b-10 with an occasional dip to a 9. The pond will freeze over, but never solid enough to skate on.

 

[RKatzin]

Okay, I see you're in VA, I grew up in S E Pa. so I know the climate back that way. Might need a little help through the winter. Much like Oregon east of the Cascade Mts. Frozen all winter. Here it rains, or snows if you're high enough or both if you're right at the snow level which is where I am. Half the time it can't make up its mind and wavers back and forth between the two. Not bad at all, really I've lived in much less hospitable zones. Lol

 

[penumbra]

OK, thanks. Lucky for you.

 

[Shibui]

I don't get it. All info points to a tropical plant from South Australia hardy to zone 9 at best

Not sure where that info comes from. I know scleranthus as an alpine plant but I see it also grows down to lower elevations along our east coast. No mention of it being native to South Australia that I can find.
I have found it a bit harder to maintain over our hot, dry summers but it is very easy to propagate by cuttings or divide already rooted sections.
Also produces tiny white flowers.
Great to see another of our Aussie natives getting some exposure over there.

 

[penumbra]

There are a few species but none are shown as being native in the USA. Biflorus is listed as zone 9 - 11 and is native to Southern Austraila and New Zealand.

 

[RKatzin]

I bought a 4" pot of it from a nursery several years ago and have grown a couple of large pieces since in some of my grow boxes. It's flowering right now and if I rub it, it sprays seed everywhere. I've just begun to gather some of the sprouts and planting them in small accent pots.Tried again to post some pics, but can't get a decent signal up here, I'm in between two ridges. I'll try later from the top of the mountain.

 

[RKatzin]

Here's a pic of it in my Flying Dragon. That box is 2'×2'. You can see how it curls over the edge. I will cut that back to the inside of the box and replant the cut off. As an alternative to moss it's the best thing I've found.

 

[penumbra]

beautiful