Vine & groundcover · North Texas care guide
Trachelospermum asiaticum
Nursery Pro tip: The evergreen groundcover for North Texas. Mow it once a year in late winter.
The default groundcover of North Texas — a dense, fine-textured evergreen mat 6–12 in deep that covers ground grass can't hold, chokes out weeds once established and asks for almost nothing. Not a climber in practice, and it rarely flowers.
Sun, part shade or deep shade — it grows in all of them, including dry shade under live oaks. Any soil. Space 12 in apart for cover in two seasons, 8 in if you're in a hurry.
Spring or fall. Loosen the bed, set plants at grade, Root Stimulator, and mulch between them while they fill in. Pre-emergent in the first two seasons saves hours of weeding.
Twice a week the first summer while it knits together, then every week or two — and after that it survives on rainfall in most years.
A light spring feeding speeds the fill-in; established beds need nothing.
Mow or shear the whole bed to 4–6 in in late February every year or two — it looks brutal for three weeks and then comes back thicker and flat. Edge it two or three times a season; it will climb into shrubs and across walks if you let it.
Winter burn after a hard freeze (cut it back and it recovers). It will swallow a low shrub or a fence, so edge it. Slow the first year — patience.
Under trees, on slopes, in narrow strips where mowing is a nuisance. With yaupon holly, nandina and crape myrtle above it.
Written for Rockwall's black clay, heat and winters by the Landscape Source team. Every yard is different — bring a photo by, or ask LS-Ai, and we'll tailor it to your spot.