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Two Flowered Knawel

Scleranthus biflorus

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Two Flowered Knawel (Scleranthus biflorus) at Roger's Gardens

Two Flowered Knawel foliage

Two Flowered Knawel foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  4 inches

Spread:  3 feet

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  8b

Other Names:  Canberra Grass, Lime Lava

Description:

Impressive used as a border, groundcover, or rockery plant; a fine textured moss like appearance contrasts well with broad leafed plants; will tend to cling to rocks and crevices; an outstanding texture plant in the garden or containers

Ornamental Features

Two Flowered Knawel is primarily valued in the garden for its broadly spreading habit of growth. It features tiny green flowers with chartreuse calyces at the ends of the stems in late spring. Its attractive tiny grassy leaves remain green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Two Flowered Knawel is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Two Flowered Knawel is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Rock/Alpine Gardens
  • Border Edging
  • General Garden Use
  • Groundcover
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Two Flowered Knawel will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Two Flowered Knawel is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Rock  Edging  Garden  Groundcover  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Foliage Color  Texture  Plant Form 
Ornamental Features