Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Prostrate Mecardonia

Description:

A stunning accent groundcover producing volumes of brilliant yellow flowers from mid-summer until first frost; perfect for rockeries, or spilling from containers; blooms steadily through mid-summer heat

Ornamental Features

Baby Jump Up Mecardonia has masses of beautiful yellow round flowers held atop the stems from early summer to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its small serrated round leaves remain green in colour throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Baby Jump Up Mecardonia is an herbaceous annual with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Baby Jump Up Mecardonia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Baby Jump Up Mecardonia will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity extending to 6 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 16 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. This plant should not require much in the way of fertilizing once established, although it may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the growing season. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America.

Baby Jump Up Mecardonia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.