Groundcovers - Plants

1st plant American Cranberry 'Pilgrim': 2 years old in C2 pot

Common name: Cranberry, Antberry
Scientific name: Vaccinium macrocarpon
Family: Ericaceae

Plant history & use:

Full description coming soon...

Culture:

Full description coming soon...

Features:

Year: Perennial
Growing position: sun / partial shade
Height: 10-20 cm
Growing zone: 1-4

1st plant American Cranberry 'Early Black': 2 years old in C2 pot

Common name: American cranberry, antberry
Scientific name: Vaccinium macrocarpon
Family: Ericaceae

Plant history & use:

Full description coming soon...

Culture:

Full description coming soon...

Features:

Year: Perennial
Growing position: sun / partial shade
Height: 10-20 cm
Growing zone: 1-4

1st plant Lingon 'Fireballs': 2 years old in C2 pot

Common names: Lingonberry, Lingon Berry
Scientific name: Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Family: Ericaceae

Plant history & use:

Full description on the way...

Culture:

Thrives best in light, humus-rich, and lime-poor soil.

Very resistant to cold, can withstand temperatures down to -40ºC - as long as the summers are warm.

Full description on the way...

Features:

Year: Perennial
Growing conditions: partial shade / shade
Height: 20-40 cm
Growing zone: 1-5

1st plant Gotu Kola: 1 year old - current height (rather length in this case) 20-40 cm

Common names: Gotu Kola, Pennywort, Brahmiwort, etc.
Scientific name: Centella asiatica / Hydrocotyl asiatica
Family: Apiaceae

Plant history & use:

Gotu Kola is a well-known medicinal plant that originates from Asia. It has long been used to relieve stress and anxiety, among other things. It is also commonly used for skin conditions such as eczema, wounds and acne as it improves the elasticity of the skin. Gotu Kola is an adaptogen and, like Ashwagandha It is one of the few plants with a very wide range of uses in traditional medicine. There are a variety of scientific articles to read for those interested in learning more in depth.

For purely medicinal purposes, extracts are made from the plant. However, its health-promoting properties can also be utilized in food and drinks.

In Burma, for example, salad is often made with "Pennywort" as a base together with tomato, onion & peanuts etc. Tea is also brewed from the leaves or a cooling drink is made by pressing the fresh leaves.

There are two different varieties of Gotu Kola:

One of them has whole, round leaves and is better suited to growing directly in water - but it also grows well in soil. This variety spreads horizontally by means of underground (/under the water surface) rhizomes that are slightly thicker than the leaf stem itself.

The other variety has a small gap in its leaf shape right where the petiole meets the leaf - this variety spreads by means of long, narrow above-ground stolons like strawberries. Judging by its similar growth habit, it is not difficult to understand that Gotu Kola is also a good ground cover.

Both variants contain the same active ingredients, but it is the latter variant that is most often used in the manufacture of dietary supplements, etc. As can be seen in the pictures, our plants belong to the latter variant.

Culture:

In its natural environment, Gotu Kola is often found growing in water , in damp soil, and along roadsides and hedgerows.

It is an easy-to-grow and vigorous plant that thrives best in moisture-retaining soil in semi-shady locations. One advantage is to let it grow in airy soil with lots of organic matter as it requires moisture-retaining properties while excess water easily drains off/down into a basin. Gotu Kola can also grow in drier soils.

The Gotu Kola plant spreads quickly, so if grown in a pot, a wide pot is preferable.

This plant usually does not grow taller than 30 cm, but it does like to spread up to 1 m horizontally.

For this reason, it is an effective ground cover in intercropping with other crops.

Features:

Year: Perennial
Growing position: partial shade/sun
Height: 30 cm (width 1 m)
Growing zone: 1-4