I just got a one of these 'Chameleon'(Houttuynia cordata) plants today and I though about putting it in a container since I've heard it's invasive. But how would I go about overwintering it? Whats the best size of container to use? I'm zone 6a.
Thanks,
Steve
'Chameleon' in a container?
I am in Maryland, zone 7, not sure a or b but I purchased one of these plants several years ago. Wish I had never seen it. It's not very well behaved at all. It spreads by underground roots and is has spread throughout several beds near my bog garden. It's beautiful. Leaves so pretty and when it blooms, the flowers are white and it's really nice but for the fact that it goes where it wants to whether I like it or not. You can try to pull it out and if one little piece of the root doesn't come out, you still will have a plant. It will completely take over if you are not constantly pulling it out. I would put it in a pot like one does with mints. Just don't let the roots free. You could probably bury the pot in the ground as long as you don't let the plant spread you should be fine and can enjoy its' beauty. Periwinkle, liriope, Northern Sea Oats and this plant are some I wish I had never allowed in my yard. It's a constant battle trying to stay in front of them. Good luck.
Shirley C
Thanks for the info Shirly. I'll put it in a container(don't need another invasive plant) and maybe a small peice in our back garden.......if it grows well back there....it deserves to!!! I thought the plant, like you said, is very pretty. I wonder if it would look nice in a hanging basket........maybe one with a liner and it would poke through all round?
Thanks again,
Steve
Uh-oh!!! I just got some of this, too, and shared it with makshi - guess I'd better warn her! I was afraid it was going to be too sensitive to take off here. Perhaps I will select another area to try it. One where NOTHING grows! Like Steve says - if can grow there, it can have the area all to itself!!!
Thanks for the warning!!!
The only plants that grow well in our back garden is Periwinkle, and weeds(buckthorn and garlic mustard). So I'll let some of my chameleon plant fight it out with those guys! Heres a link to a photo in plantfiles that shows the chameleon plants invasiveness... http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/46106/
I bought two last year and placed them where I thought I would plant them. A friend came by and said "no no no - really invasive!" So I thought I'd just leave them there - in the pots - and enjoy the color. In the fall, I moved them up close to the house for wintering and now I see one growing in the area where the pot was sitting. Somehow it jumped the pot! It did not flower so I don't think it was a seed.
Your scaring me with your story Sterhill!!! I'll make sure I put a peice of window screen or something over the hole of the pot so those nasty roots can't escape!
Steve
Hey Steve, That's a great idea about the window screen! Eventually it might rust though?
There is only one place in my zone 4 yard that it will grow, unfortunately that is the area by the south foundation where the chancey plants also go! But this year I plan to corral it to a little corner right under the water faucet where nothing else grows. i love the smell of it - very lemony!
Sharon
I planted it up in a container yesterday and I ended up puting an upside down plastic saucer over the drainage hole and setting the pot on a brick in garden. I don't want to take any chances with it!!! When I took it out of the pot it came in there was already a sucker root coming out the bottom! I think it'll have the pot filled within a month or two. easy.
Steve
Steve, I overwinter many potted perennials very successfully in my garage. Do you have an unheated garage you could move your pot into for the winter?
BTW, I tried planting this three times, before I knew any better, and all three times it died. Guess I was lucky, huh? Since then I've learned more and decided not to plant this, although I also have been thinking of growing it in a container on the patio. I may do this with Bishop's Weed (which I also tried unsuccessfully to grow in the garden). Too bad some of the most lovely plants are so invasive!
:)
Dee
Here's the finished product!
I've got plenty if anybody wants any - LOL. I have it in a bed contained by heavy stone curbs and the only way to keep it in check is with Round up. I spray it in the grass and just re-seed the grass because it absolutely will run like crazy once it escapes. After we bought this house I wondered why there was this 2-3" bare spot all around the edge of the bed and then the first summer I figured it out - she was using Roundup to keep it in line and it does work. My neighbors grow it in a pot sunk into a pond so apparently it can be a water plant also. If I was going to do it again I would sink it into a very deep pot - probably at least 12" deep and make sure the lip of the pot was above the ground - it roots from trailers also. Or grow it in a dryer location to stop it.
Alyrics, I think I'll do just that and sink the container in the ground in the winter.
I've taken great care to not let it escape into the garden. And then last night it got hit by a frost and most of the top growth is dead. But from what I've read about it, I think it'll do just fine.
Steve
BTW, does it spread by seed too?
If I were to put a barrier around an area of chameleon plant, how deep should it be? I thought maybe window screen as someone suggested above. Just how far down do the roots burrow?
Sharon
Sorry I can't help as this is my first time growing it. Did you think about putting in a container? And setting that in the garden?
Steve