Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Gunpowder Plant, Military Fern, Rockweed

Description:

Amazing, tiny rounded leaves of bright sea green with white and pink variegation; a great spreading or trailing plant to cascade over containers or walls; also an effective groundcover; requires only bright indirect light

Ornamental Features

Variegated Artillery Plant's attractive tiny round leaves remain bluish-green in colour with showy creamy white variegation and tinges of pink throughout the year on a plant with a trailing habit of growth.

Landscape Attributes

Variegated Artillery Plant is a dense herbaceous annual with a trailing habit of growth, eventually spilling over the edges of hanging baskets and containers. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and can be pruned at anytime. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Variegated Artillery Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Variegated Artillery Plant will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it's not a true annual, this 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 should only be grown in a shady location. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate 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 pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Variegated Artillery Plant is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its trailing habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.