What can I plant under an old oak tree for ground cover?
Hello Carol – If you have an old valley oak, it is important for the longevity of the tree not to disturb the soil (under the tree) very much. Because of this, I cannot really recommend anything which would overwhelm the tree or disturb it further – particularly plants such as ivy because of its invasive nature. The more and more you disturb the earth underneath the oak – the more you are decreasing the ultimate longevity of the tree itself. I love these old oaks – so, I would try to preserve the overall health of the tree itself. Best to use Western natives and plants which will not be particularly destructive to the tree. Try native sages (Salvia mellifera, leucophylla as examples) .. California lilac, california buckwheat, manzanita and others. For flowers, try Monkey Flowers (Mimulus sp) and even some anemones (blanda or nemorosa – not the more common variety)would make a ground cover which can naturalise on their own. (Mimulus would be great because it is also a native). Again, it
