Introduction

It would be hard to find another groundcover better suited to hot, dry conditions than wedelia (Figure 1). Attractive, glossy, dark green, lobed leaves, rapidly spreading growth habit, and a continuous display of small, bright yellow, daisy-like blooms create a much-favored landscape plant.

General Information

Scientific name: Wedelia trilobata

Pronunciation: wee-DEEL-lee-uh try-loe-BAY-tuh

Common name(s): wedelia

Family: Compositae

Plant type: perennial; herbaceous

USDA hardiness zones: 8B through 11 (Figure 2)

Planting month for zone 8: year round

Planting month for zone 9: year round

Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round

Origin: not native to North America

Uses: mass planting; container or above-ground planter; naturalizing; hanging basket; cascading down a wall

Availability: generally available in many areas within its hardiness range

Description

Height: .5 to 1 feet

Spread: depends upon supporting structure

Plant habit: upright

Plant density: dense

Growth rate: fast

Texture: medium

Foliage

Leaf arrangement: opposite/subopposite

Leaf type: simple

Leaf margin: serrate; lobed

Leaf shape: obovate

Leaf venation: bowed; brachidodrome

Leaf type and persistence: evergreen

Leaf blade length: 2 to 4 inches

Leaf color: green

Fall color: no fall color change

Fall characteristic: not showy

Flower

Flower color: yellow

Flower characteristic: year-round flowering

Fruit

Fruit shape: elongated

Fruit length: less than .5 inch

Fruit cover: dry or hard

Fruit color: brown

Fruit characteristic: inconspicuous and not showy

Trunk and Branches

Trunk/bark/branches: not applicable

Current year stem/twig color: green

Current year stem/twig thickness: medium

Culture

Light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sun

Soil tolerances: extended flooding; alkaline; clay; sand; acidic; loam

Drought tolerance: moderate

Soil salt tolerances: good

Plant spacing: 18 to 24 inches

Other

Roots: not applicable

Winter interest: no special winter interest

Outstanding plant: not particularly outstanding

Invasive potential: potentially invasive

Pest resistance: long-term health usually not affected by pests

Use and Management

Suited to a wide variety of conditions, wedelia will cover rough, rocky ground or wet drainage ditches, and even tolerates some degree of foot traffic. Producing the most bloom in full sun, frost-free locations, wedelia will grow in shade and still bloom, although only sparsely. Though killed to the ground by frost, wedelia's rapid growth quickly returns with warm weather (in the northern part of USDA hardiness zone 9), the long, creeping stems rooting wherever they touch moist soil. Set the plants on 18-inch centers. Creating a dense mat of foliage, wedelia rarely needs pruning to control its height but can tolerate severe trimming, even occasional mowing on a high setting, if plants need to be rejuvenated.

Wedelia has a vine-like habit and will grow up into shrubs and trees planted in the bed. When used as a groundcover in and among shrubs, it is a high maintenance plant. It looks best planted in a mass over large areas. Like ivy and other creepers, it will require regular trimming along the edge of the groundcover bed to control its spread. It may be best used as a container plant where it will cascade over the side forming a weeping mound of yellow flowers. It has escaped cultivation in certain regions of south Florida where it proliferates, especially in wet areas.

Propagation is easily accomplished by setting unrooted tip cuttings in the landscape soil where new plants are wanted, or by layering, the stems rooting quickly.

Pests and Diseases

Though relatively sturdy, wedelia can occasionally be infected with chewing insects and mites.

No diseases are of major concern.