Under a Oak Tree

I need some help in what to plant under (around) an Oak Tree. It seems that what ever I plant under this tree it doesn't last long. I have had some luck with a sweet potatoe vine, but I'm not real thrilled about that plant. I live in south Florida, Zone 10. The tree is about 7/8 years old and is about 15/20 ft. tall . The plants under it gets sun in the afternoon, most of it filtered. Thanks for all your help.

Cathy

Have you ever had hostas?
The emerge now - march & april for me and last until late fall.
The golden ones can tolerate alot of sun. A lot of greens do too.
There are so many varieties it's mind boggling but they are fine to put under oaks. I have some going in under oaks this year.

Kristy

This message was edited Mar 21, 2009 7:43 PM

Kristy - I haven't tried Hosta's. I just assumed they were more for shade. Thanks for the suggestion. I think I will run to Wal-Mart tomorrow and see if they have some Hosta's. It seems that whatever I put under them dies. Kinda like the Oak is taking all the nutrients away from the plants.

how about iris? columbine? you could also look into the native plant communities of oaks.

be careful about hostas at walmart. I don't buy them there.
They have been known to have HVX which is a very serious disease.
They are for shade, but you said filtered shade which is fine but they like sun too, just not too much.

Oaks run their roots very deep so I don' think they are taking away nutrients or water. Could be something else. Hard to say.

Ok, thanks for the Wal-Mart suggestion. I'll just get them from a mail order co. Do you have any suggestions on where to buy them?

here you go. One of the most reliable places I have been told about & they religiously test for hvx.

http://www.perennialnursery.com/catalog/hosta-plants/


or if you want to check with some of the others in the hosta forum, surely you will find more info there.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/hostas/all/

edited to add a WARNING for addiction! These things are highly addicting so at least I told you up front! lol



This message was edited Mar 21, 2009 8:29 PM

Just wanted to say Thank You to both for responding. I'm going to go with the Hosta and keep my fingers crossed. Going to order them while I'm at work today.

Cathy

Cathy - I just read on another thread that hostas are only hardy to zone 8 & you are in 10.
You might want to double check on that.

Kristy

Kristy, you are right about Hosta's. I suppose I will try and find something else to put there. I would like to put foliage there. So I'm going to look to see what I can plant under the oak in South Florida.

Cathy

What kind of oak is it? Then we can figure where it is native to and see what grows under it in its natural habitat. We are zone 9 and have lots of live oaks so i have a couple reference books that might have suggestions, but if its a very different type of oak that it might not be relevant.

good point!
I read today you CAN plant under Black Oak, Red Oak & White Oak.
My book says to avoid Pin Oak b/c of the shallow, competitive root systems.

Kristy

How about a simple stand of ophiopogon?

Cast Iron Plant (aspidistra) is "foliag-y" and tough as nails for partial shade. I've seen it in FL, also.

Japanese Spurge (pachysandra) is another that will form a ground cover mat, 10 inches high or so.

Both of these will do well without much water, too (once established, of course), and you might be able to get starts of either from someone with a good stand of it.

How about manzanita of some kind? I've seen those two growing together. wouldn't need much water. oaks might balk at tons of water. The idea of grasses seems good or any kind of bulb that is a good naturalizer. How about geranium,
or pelargonium http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/74637/ This is a pretty easy plant to grow.

Wonderearth - I have a Live Oak. And I too thought about just getting some grasses to put under there. I was out there today "still" digging up dang ole Sweet Pototoes. That grows really good there. I would have loved to have Hosta under there, but I think it probably gets alittle to much sun, since Hosta's like the shade, plus its just to dang hot here for them.


Thanks for all the help Everyone.