Silver Ponyfoot

Dichondra argentea

Need to replace some lawn in a sunny spot?  Native groundcover silver ponyfoot can do that for you, with striking silvery foliage that covers an area like a living carpet.  The silver color of the leaves may be what first catches your attention, but when you look closely, you might find the shape of them even more appealing.  Flat, almost heart-shaped, and slightly cupped, the leaves of silver ponyfoot provide an interesting structural element to any garden space.

As with many groundcovers, silver ponyfoot is equally happy to drape from an elevated perch as it is to crawl along the ground.  Whether that perch be an urn on a 3 foot pedestal or simply a 3 inch border of steel edging, you’ll be pleased with the result.

Silver ponyfoot is quite happy in xeric, sunny areas of the garden, and will be more mannerly in those spots as well.  But if given a little shade and plenty of moisture, you may find silver ponyfoot will quite vigorously leap past the boundaries you set for it.

Most descriptions list a height of 6 to 12 inches, but I doubt you’ll ever see the upper end of that range.  As for width, silver ponyfoot sends out little runners that look kind of like small feet.  Similar to strawberries, these runners put down roots at the nodes and a new plantlet is formed, giving this plant the ability to roam far and wide if not kept in check.