Falkia repens Thunb.
white carpet, African morning glory · oortjies (Afr.)
Fast, low creeping groundcover (repens means "creeping") with small rounded leaves and white to pink trumpet flowers in spring.
What’s in the name: Falkia: honours Johan Peter Falck, a Swedish student of Linnaeus; repens: "creeping".
“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”
— Henry David Thoreau, Walden – Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854), Project Gutenberg
Available from AVNPlants: see the availability list.
Family
Convolvulaceae
Conservation status
Least Concern, SANBI Red List of South African Plants
Natural distribution & habitat
Endemic to the Western and Eastern Cape. Looks delicate but copes with heat, drought and poor soil.
Size & form
Mat-forming creeping perennial 5–10 cm tall, rooting at the nodes; slightly fleshy, rounded leaves 6–25 mm.
Flowering
Late September to December: single white or pink flowers about 15 mm across.
Uses in landscaping
- Quick groundcover for open spaces; a lawn substitute in small areas
- Combine with other low plants
Care notes
Prefers fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil and regular moderate watering. Propagate by dividing rooted runners; space about 30–45 cm apart and water new plantings daily for the first couple of weeks.
Wildlife value
Moths and bees pollinate the flowers; the fruits develop underground.
Find out more
Facts checked against: SANBI PlantZAfrica species page 'Falkia repens'; SANBI Red List of South African Plants, Falkia repens Thunb. (assessment 2005/06/30).