Another wonderful ground cover plant for a shaded position is Beesia calthifolia, with nice glossy foliage, flowers in spring this is an excellent plant for a shaded moist position.
Look for Beesia calthifolia with its lovely mottled foliage, with marbled foliage and white flowers in spring.
Related to Beesia deltophylla it is B. calthifolia that is most widely available for sale, and it is a great ground cover plant for shade. What makes it so good is that is evergreen, has great foliage, it flowers in spring and is attractive all year round.
We grow this plant beneath a deciduous Copper Beech tree, it is at home amongst other shade loving plants such as Trilliums, Cardiocrinum giganteum and Astilbe. Flowering well before Astilbe it makes a great companion plant in this situation.
Care
A wonderful plant for dappled to deep shade, underused in Australian gardens. Excellent in a damp shady position, and as these are low growing plants, they look great next to path where the foliage and flowers can be appreciated.
Over time Beesia will multiply to form a good clump. Little extra care other that a tidy up after flowering and some extra water during dry summers.
They also grow well in pots or containers where the foliage is a feature year round, a shaded position is best. The large heart shaped leaves are textures and glossy. The flowers are rise above in late spring to summer
Foliage tends towards a purple red in cooler months, excellent as a specimen or planted in a group to cover a wider area. Flowers rise well above the foliage
An all purpose slow release fertiliser in spring seems adequate.
Beesia are available for sale from the following nurseries
Large variety of Epimediums, Woodland plants and Herbaceous perennials
Mail order or nursery. We do not send to Tasmania or WA
www.cloverhillrareplants.com
PO Box 7040 Leura NSW 2780
Rare woodland plants, Trilliums Epimediums, Arisaemas, plus much more.www.lynnsrareplants.com.au
