Dichondra

How to choose a dichondra

Kidney Weed is the native green form for the ground: a flat mat of bright green kidney shaped leaves that fills paving gaps, replaces lawn in a shaded courtyard and runs under taller plants. Silver Falls is the trailing silver form, grown for a hanging basket, a tall pot or the top of a retaining wall, where it hangs in a sheet up to 1m long. Tiny Delight is a compact selection of the native with smaller leaves and a tighter mat for pavers and small spaces.

The trade-off is sun against shade: the green forms take shade and moisture, Silver Falls wants sun and drainage and will rot in a wet shaded spot.

Where dichondra works

Kidney weed grows across the eastern states in sun or part shade, in moist soil, and it is frost hardy. Use it between stepping stones, as a lawn alternative where the mower cannot go, around the base of trees and in the gaps of a dry stone wall. It takes light foot traffic but not a children's football pitch. Silver Falls grows in full sun to light shade in free draining soil or potting mix and tolerates dry spells; it is at its best spilling from a pot, a window box or a wall in a warm temperate or subtropical garden, and in cold districts it is treated as a summer plant. For more low spreading plants see the ground cover plants, and for pot companions the plants for pots.

Planting and spacing

Plant kidney weed 20cm to 30cm apart for cover in a season, or 15cm apart in paving gaps. Loosen the soil, water in and keep it moist until the runners take. Silver Falls goes at the edge of a pot or basket, one plant to every 20cm of rim, in a quality potting mix with the crown slightly above the mix. Our guide to ground covers for between steppers compares dichondra with the other paving plants.

Care basics

Water kidney weed regularly in its first months and in dry spells after that; it browns off in drought and recovers with rain. Feed lightly in spring. It needs no mowing and can be trimmed with shears if it climbs onto paving. Silver Falls needs water when the mix dries and a trim of the longest trails in spring to keep it thick; a liquid feed every month through summer keeps the silver bright. Snails chew new growth on both forms.

Common questions

Can dichondra replace a lawn?

Kidney weed can, in shade or part shade with light foot traffic. It is not a plant for a sunny, heavily used lawn.

Does dichondra need mowing?

No. It stays under 10cm. Trim the edges with shears if it spreads where it is not wanted.

Is Silver Falls dichondra frost tolerant?

Light frost only. In cold districts grow it as a summer pot plant or move the pot under cover for winter.

How fast does dichondra spread?

Kidney weed planted 20cm apart covers the ground in one growing season. Silver Falls trails 60cm to 1m in its first summer.