Ground Cover under the oak trees?

Hi everybody. I'm new here, but a quick glance at all your postings didn't reveal anything on this question...if it's already been covered, will somebody please just direct me to the thread? Thanks!

I'm in Falls Church and have a ton of oak trees. I'd like to grow something under there other than moss, but it's so acidic that I don't know what to put in. Has anybody tried periwinkle, clivers, wintergreen, squaw vine, or sweet woodruff? How about lemon balm or one of the mints? Any other ideas? I'm hoping for a fast-growing, non-invasive, preferably native, preferably low-growing, shade-loving, acid-soil-loving cover. I know, I know--I'm picky, LOL. I had to wait a long time for Mr. Right, too! Thanks for any ideas out there...and a shout out to all the breast cancer ladies who are recovering :o)

You don't want to plant anything you've listed there if you don't want invasive, especially the mints and lemon balm. Well, especially any of them.

What about tiarella, the spreading not clumping types, or epimedium? There are some really nice low growing ferns that would do well there too since it sounds like you have fairly moist soil.

Thank you, hart! I'm not from around this part of the country--so it's helpful to know what's considered invasive here and what's not. I really love tiarella and I don't know a thing about epimedium, so you've given me a couple of great leads here. Thanks!

you could have geranium macrorrhizom... ferns..carex...pachysandra procumbens...geranium samobor...hostas...asarum....arum italicum pictum...brunnera...wood poppy...ophiopogon...liriope...hakonachloa.....hellebores....begonia grandis...pulmonarias....heucheras...iris cristata..corydalis...dicentra...aruncus..etc.

Well, I think the term "invasive" is tossed around way too freely to cover any plant that spreads. But I assume you mean something that will stay reasonably within the area you're planting. Tiarella will spread nicely, provided you get the spreading and not the clumping varieties, and won't take over the neighborhood. Epimidiums are just so pretty and they spread, but slowly. They tolerate dryness once they're established. The flowers are pretty but the foliage is gorgeous. There are lots of varieties with different colored flowers and foliage.

http://www.dunngardens.org/spring/epimedium_x_versicolor_sulphureum.html

I saw a very pretty shade groundcover on a gardening show on TV the other night. It was a native, Jeffersonia. (Not all have blue flowers.)

http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/283/10065.jpg
http://www.vanberkumnursery.com/portfolio3/pages/Jeffersonia%20foliage.html
http://www.henriettesherbal.com/pictures/p07/images/jeffersonia-diphylla.jpg

Hi Rocket, Welcome to this corner of DG. Hope you visit often.

I am partial to Sweet woodruff I have it growing under my huge pine tree. Looks like snow when it blooms in May, It will sometimes die back in the heat and dayness of summer but that is when it smells heavenly.

If you look to the top left of the tree trunk, the white tiny flowers are it. That picture was taken last May.

The biggest concern is what will grow in acid soil.