Cutleaf Stephanandra

Plant in spring or fall, spacing 4–6 feet apart. Stephanandra is adaptable to a range of soils and conditions and works beautifully on slopes, as a groundcover, or in naturalized areas. Its arching stems root where they touch the ground, gradually filling in open spaces. Water well at planting and mulch lightly to retain moisture through the first season.

Prune right after bloom — stephanandra flowers on old wood, so pruning at the wrong time removes next year's buds. Remove the oldest, woodiest stems to the ground each year to keep the plant vigorous. The finely cut, fern-like foliage turns attractive shades of orange and red in fall. Once established, it is quite drought tolerant and very low maintenance.