Evolvulus sericeus
silky evolvulus
Southern North America to South America
Overview
Evolvulus sericeus is a low, spreading perennial herb in the morning-glory family, growing 4-12 inches (10-30 cm) tall and 8-16 inches (20-40 cm) wide. Unlike its climbing relatives, it forms a non-twining tuft of slender, decumbent stems clothed in silvery silky hairs, with narrow gray-green leaves 0.25-1 inch (6-25 mm) long. Small five-lobed flowers about 0.3-0.5 inch (8-12 mm) across open along the stems from late spring through autumn, white to pale blue with a paler or yellowish throat, each lasting a single morning. It is native to dry grasslands, prairies, and sandy open ground from the southern United States through Mexico and Central America into South America. The plant has a deep taproot that supports it through drought, and it tolerates heat, poor soil, and full sun, but it declines in shade or wet, heavy ground. Bloom is heaviest in warm weather and tapers in cool conditions. Individual flowers are short-lived, though new buds open over many weeks. In cold-winter areas the top growth dies back, and the plant is reliably perennial only in mild climates of USDA zones 7-10.
Native Range
Evolvulus sericeus is native to the Americas, ranging from the southern United States, including Texas and the Southwest, through Mexico and Central America into South America. It grows in dry prairies, grasslands, and sandy or rocky open ground.Suggested Uses
Evolvulus sericeus is used in dry borders, rock gardens, gravel gardens, and as a low groundcover in hot, sunny sites. It is spaced 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) apart to form a low mat. It also grows in containers with sharp drainage.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 1'
Width/Spread8" - 1'4"
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
White to pale blueFoliage Description
Gray-green, silky-hairyGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Evolvulus sericeus grows in full sun in well-drained sandy, loamy, or rocky soil with a pH from about 6.0 to 8.0. Once established, its deep taproot supports it through extended drought, and it needs little supplemental water. It tolerates heat and poor soils but rots in wet, heavy ground and weakens in shade. No fertilizer is needed in lean soils. In USDA zones 7-10 it returns each year; in colder regions it is grown as an annual or lifted over winter. Trimming straggly stems in mid-season keeps the tuft compact.Pruning
Evolvulus sericeus needs little pruning. Straggly or worn stems can be sheared back in midsummer to renew compact growth and flowering. Dead top growth can be cut away in spring where the plant dies back over winter.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
summer
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons