Description
Pratia –
There are about 20 species of prostrate, spreading, freely rooting, evergreen perennial in this genus. They occur mostly in damp, shady habitats in Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. They produces alternate, usually stalkless, often toothed, ovate to rounded leaves, and are grown for their mass of solitary, 2 lipped, star shaped, usually white or blue purple flowers, which are followed by globular berries. Good groundcover in damp soil, they are also suitable for a rock garden or paving crevice, but can be invasive.
Grow in fertile, loamy, reliably moist soil in partial to deep shade. Divide any time of year.
Prone to slugs and snails.
P. physaloides – This mat forming perennial from New Zealand grows 6″ tall with an indefinite spread. It produces ovate, pointed, toothed, hairless, mid green leaves, to 7″ long. In summer it bears 5-15 star shaped, pale blue flowers, to 2″ long, in terminal racemes, to 6″ long, followed by spherical, leathery blue fruit, to ½” across.
Zones 6-9
