Kidney weed is a native groundcover that makes a soft, flat carpet of small round leaves. It grows in the shade where lawn fails, between pavers, and in place of grass on ground that is looked at more than walked on. This guide covers how to establish it, where it does well and where it struggles, and how it differs from Silver Falls.
An Australian native, despite the name
Kidney weed (Dichondra repens) grows naturally in every Australian state, from coastal heath to the floor of open forest. The name comes from the kidney shaped leaves and from its habit of turning up in lawns. It is a creeping plant about 5 to 10 cm high, spreading by stems that root as they go, and it stays lower in sun than in shade.
| Location | How it performs |
|---|---|
| Sydney and coastal NSW | Very good in sun or shade with reasonable moisture |
| Melbourne and Adelaide | Very good; may brown in a hard frost and return in spring |
| Brisbane and south east Queensland | Grows readily; watch the drainage in wet summers |
| Perth | Needs irrigation in sandy soil through summer |
| Canberra and cold inland | Frost sets it back, and established plantings recover |
| Tasmania | Does well in sheltered, damp positions |
Kidney weed versus Silver Falls
These two are often confused because they share a genus and are sold side by side. They want opposite conditions.
- Kidney weed (Dichondra repens). Native, bright green, forms a flat mat, takes light foot traffic, wants steady moisture, and grows in sun or shade.
- Silver Falls (Dichondra argentea). From Mexico and the southern United States, with silver leaves on long trailing stems. It needs full sun and dry conditions and will not take being walked on. Our Silver Falls dichondra care guide covers it.
For a soft green lawn alternative, choose kidney weed. For silver foliage spilling over a pot or wall, choose Silver Falls.
As a lawn substitute
Kidney weed is one of the few plants that works as a lawn alternative for low traffic areas. It forms a dense mat, needs no mowing, and grows in the shaded places where lawn is always thin. It handles the occasional footstep and the traffic around stepping stones.
It will not survive children playing on it or a dog running across it every day. Keep real lawn for that, and use kidney weed for strips, verges, shaded corners and areas that are looked at more than used. Our guide to no mow grass compares it with the other options.
Where to use it
- Under trees. Our comparison of the best ground cover plants for shade shows how it rates against the alternatives in a dark corner.
- Between pavers. It is one of the best performers in our guide to ground cover options for in between steppers.
- As a living mulch. A dense mat leaves no light for weed seed, a strategy covered in our guide on how to avoid weeds in your garden.
- Around ponds and in courtyards. It softens the edges of paving and rock.
Establishing it
- Clear the grass completely. Couch and kikuyu coming up through a new planting are very hard to remove afterwards.
- Improve the soil. Dig in compost so the soil holds moisture.
- Plant close. Space plants 20 to 30 cm apart for cover within a season or two.
- Mulch lightly between plants until they join up.
- Water regularly for three months. After that it largely looks after itself on the east coast, and it needs irrigation in Perth and Adelaide.
Care
- It needs no mowing. A high cut once or twice a year tidies it if you want a flatter finish.
- Feed lightly in spring with a slow release fertiliser.
- Hand weed while it fills in, and keep lawn weed killers and weed and feed products away. They are made to kill broad leaved plants in grass, and kidney weed is one.
- Check for snails and slugs in damp shade.
- Patches thin in winter in cold districts and fill in again in spring.
Where it struggles
Hot, dry, fully exposed positions. Kidney weed browns badly in a Perth or Adelaide summer without water. In those conditions choose a dry climate groundcover such as myoporum or pigface, or a tough low shrub such as Green Carpet.
Common questions
Is kidney weed a weed?
No. It is a native groundcover. It is called a weed because it appears in lawns, where some people want only grass.
Can you walk on kidney weed?
Lightly and occasionally. For a path used every day, lay stepping stones through it.
Does kidney weed grow in full shade?
It grows in shade better than lawn does, with taller, looser growth. In very deep shade it thins.
How far apart do I plant kidney weed?
20 to 30 cm apart, closer for faster cover.
Ready to plant?
Browse the full range in our groundcover collection to plan a mass planting.
For a school or early learning garden, the safe plants for childcare and school gardens guide covers the hazards to check and the plants that pass.
If the property runs on a septic system, the septic drain field planting guide sets out what may go over the trenches and what must stay well away.
