It was beautiful for 3 seasons (zone 4) and the it started to die back after a season of no flowers. When winter (rain) came so did the moss. I live in nw Washington. The area gets full sun to full shade as the sun moves through out the day. I’m admittedly a lazy gardner once plants are established. So I did not fertiliz. Was that my mistake?
It may be a short-lived perennial. Just replant when it dies out. Here is more about its care:
The area has well-amended soil, full sun, sprinklers on three times/week. Blue Star creeper is dying out after doing really well. It was planted about a year ago.
It may have root rot from too much water. Compare the roots in a good area (if there is one) with the bad area. If the roots look bad you can remove the brown area and patch it with plants from the good area.
I've also read too much sun will cause it to brown out and disappear.
I'm thinking about planting Blue Star Creepers in our backyard under a cotton wood tree -- so while we live in Zone 5 and have hot dry summer days and clay soil, the area is mostly shade, but getting some morning light and early evening light. Your site says they do well in full sun and full shade, but then another site says they need full sun. So, I'm confused. For our zone and in a primarily shaded area, would you recommend Blue Star Creepers or Early Snow Glories??? P.S. Our zip code suggests we are in Zone 6 but we are not, every nursery around here says that is more west of us and that we are zone 5. :) Thank you!
I tend to agree with the zone 5 sentiment. I feel that setting the zones higher right before entering the solar minimum was a bad move. You used to be zone 4! By the middle of this solar minimum, you may be there again...
For now, I would stick with zone 5.
With that being said- Blue Star Creeper will grow there. It is a very hardy plant. It will not be happy during colder years, or colder than average winters, but it will bounce back through the summer. Here is an article that will help:
You do have several other choices. Most will prefer full sun, but most will do just fine in shade, as well. This article will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/gardening-by-zone/zone-5/ground-covers-in-zone-5.htm
I am interested in buying an 18 Pack of Blue Star Creeper. I am in Zone 6a in Kansas. Can I plant now... early September? I will plant in pots and in the ground. Does the price include shipping? How are the plants shipped?
We don't sell plants so I can't answer your questions about shipping. Your plants will do better planted when it cools off a little more, at the end of September.
They are hardy to zone 5, so the groundcover Blue Star Creeper should do well, but those in pots will need some protection in winter to survive a zone 6 winter. You can cover them during the coldest spells, or move them inside the garage.
If you mean Blue Star juniper, it will do fine in pots without extra protection.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/juniper/growing-blue-star-juniper-plants.htm
I wanted to plant blue star creeper as a ground cover... because it looks nice, is hear and close to the ground. However, find out now it is poisonous to cats. How worried do I need to be? I want to cover about 10sf of yard, plus in half a dozen pots. If blue star creeper is not recommended because of the cat/poison issue... what can you recommend instead. I want a perennial that will cover fast... has a bit of color... hardy, 6" - 123" to the ground. Hopefully something I could plant now (late August).
The ASPCA site has a section on plant toxicity to cats and dogs. I checked there and other reputable sites and I don't see blue star creeper listed as toxic to cats. (Isotoma fluviatilis)
However, I see it randomly listed as toxic on other sites (who may be copying from another site). Any plant a cat chooses to snack on can cause vomiting and gastrointestinal upset, whether or not it is toxic.
I would wait till September to plant when it is a little cooler.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/groundcover/gcgen/groundcover-for-foot-traffic.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/gardening-by-zone/zone-6/zone-6-ground-covers.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/slope-hill/hill-ground-cover.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/groundcover/top-10-flowering-ground-covers.htm