Fast-Spreading Purple Groundcover or Short Hedge: Little Ruby Alternanthera

Looking to add a vibrant touch to your garden that covers the ground, provides colour all year round, and increases soil health with its root exudates? Little Ruby™ Alternanthera, a compact ground-cover and short shrub, offers a striking contrast to the green and golden foliage in your garden.

In this article, we’ll learn about this plant that can be used for container gardening, ground cover, low hedges, and more.

Understanding Little Ruby™ Alternanthera (Alternanthera dentata ‘LRU30’ PBR)

Overview of Characteristics

Description and Size: Little Ruby™ Alternanthera is a testament to the power of selective breeding, offering a more compact and manageable alternative to traditional alternanthera varieties.

This ground-covering gem reaches up to 30-40cm in height and spreads approximately 60-90cm, creating a dense mat of stunning burgundy leaves. Its vibrant foliage stands out in any landscape, making it an ideal choice for those seeking to add depth and contrast to their garden palette.

Ideal Conditions: Thriving in full sun to part shade, Little Ruby™ Alternanthera is well-suited to a variety of Australian climates, with the exception of areas prone to extreme frost. Its versatility allows it to adapt to different garden aspects, from bright sunny spots to partially shaded areas, ensuring vibrant colour throughout the year.

Environmental Tolerance and Care

Heat and Frost Tolerance: Little Ruby™ Alternanthera has been bred for superior environmental tolerance, withstanding heat exceptionally well. While it is moderately frost-tolerant, protection from severe frost is recommended to maintain its aesthetic appeal.

Soil and Watering Needs: For optimal growth, this plant prefers well-drained soil. It’s important to establish a consistent watering regime, particularly during periods of prolonged dryness, to ensure the plant remains hydrated and healthy. However, once established, it demonstrates remarkable drought tolerance, making it a water-wise choice for environmentally conscious gardeners.

Mulching Recommendations: To support healthy growth, applying a layer of chunky mulch around the base of the plant is advisable. This practice helps to retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and facilitate proper drainage and airflow, which are crucial during the establishment phase. As the plant matures, it will form a natural living mulch, further enhancing soil health and reducing maintenance needs.

Practical Gardening Tips

Planting and Spacing

Optimal Planting Conditions: For best growth, Little Ruby Alternanthera dentata thrives in well-drained soil under full sun to part shade. It is adaptable to a variety of soil types, provided they are fertile and maintained moist. When planting, consider incorporating a slow-release fertiliser to encourage vigorous growth.

Spacing for Coverage: To achieve an effective ground cover, a planting density of 3–5 plants per square metre or 2–3 plants per linear metre is recommended. This allows each plant enough space to spread and establish a dense mat without overcrowding.

Maintenance and Pruning

Pruning for Health and Shape: Regular pruning not only maintains the desired shape but also encourages lush, dense growth. To prevent this plant from spreading into undesired areas, prune it back from walkways and other plants. Removing unwanted rooting stems is straightforward and helps keep the plant in check.

Encouraging Spread in Desired Areas: If this plant is in a private garden, you can propagate it by bending and burying healthy stems in the soil, which will encourage rooting and new growth. Alternatively, allowing the plant to spread naturally can achieve a similar effect with less intervention.

Keep in mind that propagating for commercial purposes without permission is strictly forbidden by Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) regulations. You can learn more about propagating this plant for commercial purposes here:

Control Spreading: While this plant is a vigorous grower, controlling its spread is manageable with regular maintenance. Prune away from undesired areas and uproot any stems that root beyond your designated boundaries.

Design Uses in the Garden

Contrast and Complement: The deep burgundy foliage of Little Ruby™ Alternanthera offers striking contrast against bright green hedges such as murrayas, lilly pillies, or callistemons. This combination enhances the visual appeal and adds depth to garden designs.

Accent Planting: Utilise this plant as an accent plant to draw attention within garden beds or landscape features. Its unique colour and texture amidst green foliage or near brightly coloured flowers create eye-catching focal points.

Dynamic Borders and Edges: This plant is ideal for creating vibrant borders along pathways, garden beds, or driveways. Its uniform growth and striking colour define spaces within the garden, adding depth and guiding the eye through the landscape.

Container Gardening: Thriving in containers, Little Ruby™ Alternanthera offers flexibility in garden design, suitable for both small and large spaces. It can serve as a dramatic standalone plant or be combined with others for varied compositions.

Vibrant Ground Cover and Small Hedge: As a ground cover, this plant fills spaces between larger plants, covering bare spots with a lush, cohesive look. Its compact nature also makes it suitable for layering in front of taller hedges, providing a vibrant contrast.

Long-term Benefits and Considerations

Cost-Effectiveness and Sustainability: Little Ruby™ Alternanthera presents a sustainable, long-term investment for gardens. Its low maintenance requirements reduce the need for frequent mulching, offering cost savings over time.

Managing Spread: While Little Ruby™ Alternanthera is a robust and fast-spreading plant, strategic pruning and monitoring can effectively manage its growth, preventing it from invading unwanted areas and maintaining the garden’s aesthetic appeal.

Conclusion

Recap of Key Points

Alternanthera dentata ‘Little Ruby™’ stands out as an exceptional choice for gardeners seeking to add vibrant colour and texture to their outdoor spaces. This versatile plant offers a lush, burgundy foliage that creates stunning visual contrast against traditional green landscapes. Key benefits and care tips include:

• Optimal Growing Conditions: Thrives in well-drained soil under full sun to part shade, adaptable to various soil types.
• Spacing for Coverage: Plant 3–5 plants per square metre or 2–3 plants per linear metre for effective ground cover without overcrowding.
• Maintenance and Pruning: Regular pruning maintains shape and encourages dense growth, with easy control over spreading.
• Design Uses in the Garden: Ideal for creating contrast, accent planting, dynamic borders and edges, container gardening, and as a vibrant ground cover or small hedge.
• Sustainability and Cost-Effectiveness: Low maintenance needs make it a sustainable choice, reducing the need for frequent care and offering long-term cost savings.

Daniel’s Wrap

Incorporating Little Ruby™ Alternanthera into your garden not only elevates its aesthetic appeal but also introduces a practical, low-maintenance solution for various landscaping challenges. Its striking burgundy foliage provides a year-round splash of colour, while its adaptability and ease of care make it suitable for gardeners of all levels.

Its above-ground foliage protects the soil from direct sunlight, while its roots exude food for microbes, worms, and other soil biota. It works great under trees and in front of taller hedges.

Whether you’re looking to create dramatic contrasts, define spaces with vibrant borders, or simply enjoy a lush, colourful ground cover, Little Ruby™ offers a wealth of possibilities.

I encourage you to consider this vibrant addition to your outdoor spaces. With Little Ruby™, you can achieve both practical and aesthetic enhancements, creating a garden that’s as easy to care for as it is beautiful to behold.