Silver ponysfoot

Silver ponysfoot: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Creeping plant about 10 cm tall with stems up to 1 m long.

Leaves

Round to kidney-shaped, 2–3 cm across, silver-grey thanks to a fine covering of hairs.

Flower

Small and inconspicuous, greenish white; no ornamental value.

Colour

Silver to silvery grey; in shade the leaves turn greener and less attractive.

Roots

Fine and shallow: it dries out quickly in a small pot, but rots in standing water.

Sowing: January–March · Plants: May–June

Why grow it?

• Silver foliage that lasts the whole season, from May until the first frost.
• Stems about 1 m long: a lovely overhang for hanging baskets, pots and low walls.
• Tolerates drought better than most trailing plants, so ideal for sunny spots.
• Silver suits almost any flower colour and makes red, purple and blue flowers stand out.
• No deadheading needed: very little maintenance.

Silver ponysfoot: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: the foliage stays silver and compact, whereas in shade it turns green and sparse.
• Free-draining soil or compost: sandy or loamy, acid to chalky.
• Dry to normally moist; it hates wet feet.
• In a hanging basket or pot so the stems can trail freely; in the garden as ground cover 40–50 cm apart.
• Not frost-hardy: only put it outside once night frosts are over.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.1 m tall, 1 m wide

Hardiness

Frost tender: plant out after the last frost (mid-May)

Goes well with

• Petunia: Purple or pink flowers above the silver, in the same sunny pot.
• Pelargonium: Red ‘geraniums’ give a strong contrast next to the silver.
• Verbena: Flowers from summer to autumn and likes the same dry sun.
• Sunflower: A cheerful tall accent in a big pot, with silver stems trailing around it.
• Sage: Blue or purple spikes next to the silver foliage; also a sun lover.

Silver ponysfoot: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May–June.

1. Plant out in May–June, after the last frosts, when it no longer freezes at night.
2. Harden off home-grown plants first for a week: outside by day, inside at night.
3. Use potting compost with some coarse sand or perlite and make sure the pot or container has drainage holes.
4. Plant at the same depth as in the pot; in a 25–30 cm hanging basket use three plants.
5. Water straight away, then let the compost dry out a little between waterings.

Care

Water

Let the top layer of compost dry out before watering again. In hanging baskets, check more often in hot weather.

Feeding

Sparingly: a liquid feed for foliage plants every two to three weeks, and not too strong.

Trimming

Simply cut back stems that are too long or bare; it soon regrows.

Sun

Give it as much sun as possible, otherwise the foliage loses its silver colour.

Tidying

Remove brown or dried-out leaves by hand.

Tip: Put it in a sunny spot and let the compost dry out a little between waterings. A waterlogged hanging basket is the stems’ worst enemy.

Silver ponysfoot: when to prune it?

When: It is hardly pruned. Just trim stems that are too long or bare in summer.

How:

• Cut stems that grow too long or look bare back to just above a node.
• Remove dried or brown leaves and limp stems.
• The trimmings can be used as cuttings.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow indoors in January–March at room temperature. The seed germinates slowly: scatter it on damp seed compost and barely cover it.

Cuttings

In summer: put a piece of stem 8–10 cm long with a few nodes into damp compost. Roots form quickly at the nodes.

Silver ponysfoot: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to 0 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Not hardy: it cannot take frost and is an annual in our gardens.
• To keep it, bring it indoors before the first night frost and put it in a bright spot at about 8–12 °C.
• Water very little in winter; too much water makes the roots rot.
• Easier still: take a few cuttings in late summer and overwinter them indoors.

Diseases and pests

• Root rot: The foliage turns limp and brown, especially when overwatered. Provide free-draining compost and drainage holes, and water less.
• Aphids: Small insects on the young tips. Rinse off with water or use a mild soap solution.
• Spider mite: In dry, warm air: fine webbing and dull leaves. Mist the plant and put it somewhere slightly cooler and more humid.
• Slugs: They eat young plants, especially after planting out. Hand-pick or put down a slug barrier.
• Green, sparse foliage: Not enough sun: move the plant to a sunnier spot.

Through the year

• January: Sow indoors at room temperature.
• February: Keep sowing. Move seedlings into the light.
• March: Last sowing. Prick out seedlings.
• April: Pot on seedlings. Keep bright and not too wet.
• May: Plant out after the last frosts. Acclimatise to outdoors.
• June: Plant in hanging baskets and pots. Feed sparingly.
• July: Trim stems that are too long. Water in drought.
• August: Take cuttings to keep.
• September: Keep cuttings for winter.
• October: Bring indoors before the first frost or discard.

Did you know?

• The silver colour comes from very fine hairs on the leaf, which also reflect sunlight and help the plant cope with dry, hot spots.
• The genus name Dichondra comes from the Greek and refers to the two-lobed fruit; ‘di’ means two, ‘chondros’ grain.
• It is a distant relative of bindweed and morning glory: they all belong to the bindweed family, Convolvulaceae.