A low, grassy evergreen that forms tidy clumps of dark green, strap-like leaves. In Phoenix it is a plant for shade, where it brings a soft, lush edge to courtyards and north-facing beds that many desert plants cannot handle.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the shrub, groundcover and succulent schedule in our Landscape Care guide. It wants more consistent water than most desert groundcovers, and soil amended with organic matter helps it hold moisture.
Pruning
Very little is needed. Shearing the clumps down in late February clears tired leaves and makes room for a fresh flush. Clumps can be divided every few years.
Leaf burn
Brown leaf tips are the most common complaint here. They come from salty soil and water, and from too much sun. Plenty of organic matter in the soil and a shaded spot are the best defense.
How our designers use it
Edging shaded beds
Planted in a row, it makes a clean, low border along walks and planters on the north and east sides of a house.
Courtyards and entries
In covered or tree-shaded spaces, it adds a fine, green texture beside larger tropical-leaved plants.
Under dense canopies
It is one of the few groundcovers that holds up beneath heavy shade.
Good to know
Around the pool
No thorns and very little litter, so it is easy to live with near water, as long as the spot is shaded. In full sun near reflective decking, it scorches.
Sun
Western and southern exposures are too hot for it in the Valley. Variegated forms scorch even more readily.
