Dichondra Silver Falls Live Plant – Trailing Foliage, 6-8″ Tall, 3″ Pot

Overview

Elevate your plant collection with the stunning Dichondra Silver Falls live plant. This unique and highly sought-after plant is celebrated for its distinctive silvery-green, fan-shaped leaves that cascade gracefully. Originating from arid regions, ‘Silver Falls’ is a cultivar of Dichondra argentea, prized for its drought tolerance and striking visual appeal. It’s an excellent choice for adding texture and contrast to various planting schemes, whether you’re designing a vibrant hanging basket, a sophisticated container arrangement, or seeking an attractive, low-maintenance groundcover. Its ethereal silver hue creates a beautiful backdrop for flowering plants or shines as a standalone specimen, making it a versatile addition to any plant enthusiast’s repertoire.

The Dichondra Silver Falls live plant offers a soft, flowing aesthetic that can transform any space. Its delicate appearance belies its robust nature, thriving in a variety of conditions with minimal fuss. Perfect for creating a ‘spiller’ effect in mixed containers, it drapes elegantly over edges, adding a touch of understated glamour. This plant is not only beautiful but also relatively easy to care for, making it suitable for both experienced gardeners and beginners looking to add a touch of silvery elegance to their outdoor or indoor oasis.

Key Benefits

The Dichondra Silver Falls live plant provides numerous advantages, making it a popular choice for diverse gardening applications. Its unique characteristics contribute significantly to its appeal and ease of integration into various landscapes and home decor:

• Stunning Visual Appeal: The most striking feature of the Dichondra Silver Falls live plant is its shimmering, silver-green foliage. The fan-shaped leaves create a beautiful, almost metallic cascade, providing excellent contrast and texture against other plants or dark backgrounds. This unique color instantly brightens any space and adds a sophisticated touch.
• Versatile Trailing Habit: With its naturally trailing growth, this plant is perfect for hanging baskets, window boxes, and elevated containers where its foliage can gracefully spill over the edges. It can also be used effectively as a low-growing groundcover, creating a dense, silvery carpet in sunny areas.
• Drought Tolerant: Once established, Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ is remarkably drought-tolerant, making it an excellent choice for xeriscaping or for gardeners in drier climates. This reduces the need for frequent watering, saving time and resources.
• Low Maintenance: This plant requires minimal care, thriving with basic attention. It’s generally pest and disease resistant, and doesn’t require extensive pruning or fuss to maintain its attractive form.
• Heat Tolerant: The Dichondra Silver Falls live plant performs exceptionally well in hot climates, maintaining its vibrant color and lush growth even during the peak of summer, unlike many other trailing plants that might wilt or struggle.
• deer Resistant: While no plant is entirely deer-proof, Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ is generally not favored by deer, making it a safer choice for gardens in areas where deer are a common concern.
• Unique Groundcover: Beyond containers, it serves as an excellent, fast-growing groundcover, suppressing weeds and providing a uniform, silvery carpet that is both beautiful and functional. For a truly captivating display, consider using it to cover larger areas of your garden.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Dichondra Silver Falls live plant is relatively straightforward, ensuring it remains a vibrant and attractive feature in your garden or home. This plant thrives in conditions that mimic its native arid environment, so understanding its needs for sunlight, water, and soil is crucial for optimal growth and the best display of its unique silver foliage.

For sunlight, the Dichondra Silver Falls live plant performs best in full sun to partial shade. In hotter climates, some afternoon shade can prevent scorching, but too much shade will reduce the density of its foliage and the intensity of its silver color. Aim for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for the most robust growth and shimmering leaves. When it comes to watering, allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings, as this plant is highly susceptible to root rot in overly moist conditions. It’s better to under-water than over-water. Stick your finger about an inch or two into the soil; if it feels dry, it’s time to water thoroughly until water drains from the bottom of the pot. Ensure excellent drainage, as soggy soil is the biggest enemy of this plant. A well-draining potting mix, ideally one formulated for succulents or cacti, is perfect. For outdoor planting, amend heavy clay soils with sand or perlite to improve drainage.

The ideal temperature range for the Dichondra Silver Falls live plant is between 60°F and 85°F (15°C to 29°C). It is generally grown as an annual in cooler climates but can be perennial in USDA zones 9-11. Fertilize sparingly; a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength every 4-6 weeks during the growing season (spring and summer) is sufficient. Over-fertilization can lead to lush green growth at the expense of the characteristic silver color. Pruning is not strictly necessary but can be done to maintain shape or encourage bushier growth by pinching back leggy stems. Watch out for common pests like aphids or spider mites, though they are rare. Good air circulation and proper watering practices are usually enough to keep your plants healthy. If you notice any yellowing leaves, it’s often a sign of overwatering.

Size & Details

Your Dichondra Silver Falls live plant will arrive as a healthy, actively growing specimen, typically measuring 6-8 inches in height, including the foliage and root ball. It is shipped securely in a 3-inch nursery pot, providing a well-established root system ready for transplanting. While its initial size is compact, this plant is a vigorous grower, quickly developing long, trailing stems that can reach lengths of 3-6 feet or more in a single growing season when provided with optimal conditions. The spread of the plant can also be quite substantial, making it an excellent choice for covering larger areas as a groundcover or filling out large hanging baskets. Expect rapid growth during warm months, with its signature silver foliage becoming more pronounced under bright light. This plant does not typically produce showy flowers; its primary ornamental value lies in its unique and abundant foliage. With proper care, you can enjoy a continuous display of its beautiful cascading leaves throughout the growing season.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does the Dichondra Silver Falls live plant get? A: This plant is a vigorous trailing variety. Its stems can grow quite long, typically reaching 3 to 6 feet in length during a single growing season when given adequate space and care. As a groundcover, it can spread extensively, forming a dense mat.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: The Dichondra Silver Falls live plant is shipped in a standard 3-inch nursery pot. This size is ideal for ensuring the plant has an established root system and is ready for transplanting into a larger container or directly into your garden.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: While it can be grown indoors in a bright, sunny location, Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ thrives best outdoors in full sun to partial shade. It is often used as an annual in colder climates but can be a perennial in USDA zones 9-11.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: For the best growth and most vibrant silver color, the Dichondra Silver Falls live plant requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It tolerates some partial shade, especially in hot afternoon sun, but too much shade will diminish its characteristic silvery hue.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ is considered a low-maintenance plant. It’s drought-tolerant once established and generally resistant to pests and diseases, making it a good choice for both beginner and experienced gardeners.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your Dichondra Silver Falls live plant will be carefully packaged to ensure it arrives healthy and in excellent condition. It will be a live, actively growing plant with an established root system, ready for immediate planting.
• Q: Is it shipped in soil? A: Yes, the plant is shipped securely in its 3-inch nursery pot with its original soil to minimize stress during transit and ensure its health upon arrival.
• Q: When is the best time to plant Dichondra Silver Falls? A: The best time to plant Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ is after the last danger of frost in spring, once soil temperatures have warmed up. This allows the plant ample time to establish itself and grow vigorously throughout the summer.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ is hardy in USDA zones 9-11, where it can survive as a perennial. In colder zones, it is typically grown as an annual and will not survive winter outdoors.
• Q: What’s the minimum temperature this plant can tolerate? A: This plant prefers temperatures above 50°F (10°C). It is not frost-tolerant, and prolonged exposure to temperatures below 40°F (4°C) will likely cause damage or death.