Wintercreeper

Questions about wintercreeper

Does wintercreeper need sun or shade?

Wintercreeper grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun), part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning) and shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun, or bright dappled light).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and little watering once settled.

What zones does wintercreeper grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 8. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

How far apart should wintercreeper be planted?

3 ft (90 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 5 ft (150 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 16 in (40 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many wintercreeper plants do I need?

At 3 ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 1 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 4 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 4 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as threes and fives, along the front and just behind it.

Is wintercreeper poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. All parts, especially the berries, are poisonous if eaten.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

What can I plant instead of wintercreeper?

Wintercreeper is listed as invasive in parts of North America, so the planner never uses it. These do the most similar job, and are native:

• Cliff green: the same job in a bed; 4 in shorter, 12 in narrower.
• Creeping mahonia: the same job in a bed; 4 in shorter, 18 in narrower.
• Lowbush blueberry: the same job in a bed; 18 in narrower, flowers early May to late May.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat wintercreeper?

They may. NC State does not list it as resistant to deer or rabbits. Where they visit, protect it, or plant it among ones they avoid.

Will wintercreeper spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is high. Carpets the ground and climbs trees, smothering everything beneath it, and birds spread the seed. Listed as invasive in many eastern and midwestern states, and banned from sale in some.

It is listed as invasive in parts of North America, and the planner never chooses it.

What does wintercreeper look like in winter?

Wintercreeper keeps its dark green and variegated leaves all winter, so it is one of the plants that hold a bed together from November to March, when the perennials have gone.

Is wintercreeper good for bees and butterflies?

Wintercreeper is visited by bees and songbirds.