Mazus ‘Fairy Dust’

Mazus 'Fairy Dust' (Mazus reptans) is a creeping mat that sits barely 5cm off the ground and spreads about 40cm per plant, covered in small purple flowers through spring. It is one of the few groundcovers that takes light foot traffic and tolerates damp soil, which makes it the standard answer for planting between steppers or filling a low spot that stays wet. It is frost hardy and close to self sufficient once down.

Why you'll love it

• Flat enough to walk on. At around 5cm high it never trips anyone or catches a mower, so it can run right across a stepper path.
• It handles wet feet. Damp ground that rots most groundcovers suits this one, which is useful in a low corner or beside a downpipe.
• Spring flower at ground level. Small purple flowers appear in numbers across the mat, turning plain green into a feature for several weeks.
• It fills in by itself. Stems root as they creep, so the mat thickens and closes gaps unaided.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 25cm apart for a dense mat, about sixteen plants per square metre. That sounds like a lot, but wider spacing leaves bare soil for weeds through the first season.

Steppers, damp corners and rockeries. Set plants in paver gaps at 25cm centres and let them creep to meet the stone. Because it tolerates wet soil it also suits the base of a slope, a pond edge or a bed that drains slowly.

Growing Mazus 'Fairy Dust' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade both work, with part shade preferred where summers are hot, since the leaves are thin and scorch. This is a plant for cool temperate and warm temperate gardens. It is frost hardy, but tropical and humid subtropical gardens are outside its range.

Soil. Not fussy about type and unusually forgiving of soil that stays moist. Work compost through the bed to hold water in the top layer, where all the roots sit. Avoid thick mulch, because creeping stems need soil contact to root down.

Water and feed. Keep it consistently moist through the first summer and during dry spells after. It is not drought tolerant, and a hot dry fortnight thins the mat. A light liquid feed in early spring supports flowering.

Pruning. None as such. Trim the edges with a spade wherever it strays, because the mat spreads as long as there is soil and water in front of it.

What to expect when it arrives

Mazus is grown in a single size, tube stock, so the plant that arrives is small: a rooted plug with a rosette of leaves and perhaps a short trailing stem. That is why covering an area stays affordable at sixteen plants per square metre.

Tubes travel well because there is almost no top growth to damage. Plant at the same depth they were grown and keep the soil damp for the first month. Expect visible spread within four to six weeks in warm weather and a closed mat by the end of the first season. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Groundcovers to plant between steppers
• Browse the full groundcover range
• Best groundcovers for shaded areas
• Plants suited to small gardens

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

About sixteen at 25cm spacing. For stepper gaps you need fewer overall, roughly one plant per gap on standard 400mm pavers, and they will creep to meet each other.

Can I actually walk on it?

It takes light, occasional traffic, which is what makes it work between pavers. It will not survive a path used several times a day, so keep the stone carrying the load and let the mazus fill the joints.

Will it take over the garden?

It spreads steadily by rooting stems, so it needs a defined edge. A path or a mower line contains it easily, but do not plant it where it can run into a lawn unchecked.