Lindernia grandiflora

The Lindernia grandiflora, also known as Largeflower False Pimpernel, Blue Moneywort, Angel's Tears or Blue Nummularia, is a little-known perennial ground cover plant for wetlands among French gardeners. Often used for ornamental purposes around ponds in North America, where it thrives, it forms a dense, low carpet of fresh green, adorned with delicate bicoloured flowers, purple-blue and white, throughout a very long summer flowering period. This plant, which tolerates cold weather well, has a great effect in wet and semi-shaded areas of the garden. It is easily cultivated in pots on the terrace, where it cascades beautifully as long as it never lacks water.

The Largeflower Lindernia belongs to the Scrophulariaceae family or the Linderniaceae family according to classifications. It is native to North America, where it is found in humid and shaded areas on peaty, clayey or humiferous, very acidic to neutral soils. This species does not tolerate limestone well. It is a creeping perennial herbaceous plant with succulent stems that root at the nodes. It spreads rapidly, forming a carpet that reaches at least 40 cm (16in) in width but does not exceed an average height of 10 cm (4in). The flowering, which is particularly long, occurs from May to June until September. It consists of numerous tiny flowers appearing in the axils of each leaf. Tubular in shape, their corolla expands into three round and well-developed lobes. The throat is purple-blue, while the lobes are white and extensively speckled with purple-blue. The flowers give way to capsules containing fine dust-like seeds, which will germinate in moist and humiferous soil. The creeping stems bear small, round or heart-shaped leaves of 1 cm (0in), slightly succulent, with a bright acidic green colour. The above-ground vegetation disappears in winter. The plant can withstand temperatures as low as -10°C (14°F).

The Lindernia grandiflora is ideal for effectively covering the ground in cool to wet areas of the garden, in semi-shade. It is perfect for dressing the banks of a water feature, with partially submerged stumps. This plant will also thrive in non-limestone soil that never dries out, allowing it to be planted along pathways, for example, always in semi-shade. It can be combined with other ground cover plants such as Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon', as well as spring-flowering bulbs such as Snowdrops and Snake's Head Fritillary, which will emerge from its green carpet. To take over, consider Corsican Mint (Mentha requienii). This Lindernia allows for creating beautiful decorations on the terrace, with its flowering stems dressing flower pots or cascading from hanging baskets.