Members of the Epigaea genus are evergreen hardy perennials.
They carry cup shaped flowers of white or pink. These come into bloom in the spring.
Some of the common names for Epigaea plants include Mayflower, Ground Laurel, and Trailing Arbutus.
They grow low on the ground and have a creeping nature.
Epigaea repens by InAweofGod'sCreation's.
Epigaea gaultheroides by peganum.
Common Names: Ground Laurel, Mayflower, Trailing Arbutus.
Life Cycle: Hardy perennial.
Height: 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm). Prostate shrubs
Native: Northern America, Asia.
Family: Ericaceae.
Ground Laural and Mayflower seeds (and other Epigaea members) should be sown outdoors using fresh seeds in mid-summer. Sow at a depth of about 6 mm (1/4 inch) into a sterile soil. This should beacidic in nature (pH 4 to 5) and gritty.
They prefer to be grown in a shady area as they are naturally found in woodlands locations.
It usually takes about a month for Epigaea to germinate, but it is difficult to establish the plants. They should begin to flower after about three years.
You may prefer to get plants from a garden centre. If so then plant them outdoors at a spacing of about 25 cm (10 inches) either at the beginning of spring, or the start of autumn.
If you require more Epigaea plants, then propagate by taking softwood cuttings towards the end of summer.
I hope that you found this guide on how to grow Epigaea plants in your garden. You may also enjoy my gardening guides on how to grow Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Pieris plant, and Gaultheria procumbens plants.