Living ground cover

Kurapia, measured for your yard

Kurapia is a low, flowering ground cover that does what a lawn does on a fraction of the water. Tell us about the area and we will work out how much you need, whether plugs or sod makes more sense, and what it costs.

1 · What is the area like?

Plugs spread outward to close the gaps between them. These answers decide how far apart they can start.

It is on a slopeSteep enough that you would not push a mower up it.
Soil moves when it rainsRills, bare patches, or silt at the bottom after a storm.
It gets three to five hours of sunRather than sun for most of the day.
The soil is very sandy or heavy clayWater runs straight through, or sits on top.
It is watered by dripRather than overhead sprinklers.

18" apart suits this area.

Full sun, workable soil and overhead watering let plants cover the most ground each.

2 · How big is it?

Length in feetWidth in feet

SpacingPlanting pattern

Triangular rows are offset so the gaps between plants are smaller. It takes about 15% more plants than a square grid and closes over sooner, which is the usual choice on a slope.

Growing Kurapia in the low desert

Water, once established: Around 60% of reference evapotranspiration in a hot inland climate like ours — roughly half what a cool-season lawn drinks. Water one to three times a week, deeply enough to wet the root zone without running off.
Getting it established: Three to four weeks between March and September, and it is thirsty for all of them. Keep the soil damp until you see new shoots, then soak once or twice a week until it has closed over. This is not the stage to test its drought tolerance.
Roots: Five to ten feet deep once mature, which is where the drought tolerance comes from.
Height and mowing: About an inch in full sun, taller in shade. Mow it for a tidy look or leave it alone — it does not need cutting to stay healthy.
Flowers and bees: Left unmown it flowers and pulls in honeybees. That is a feature beside a garden and something to think about beside a doorway; mowing takes the flowers off.
Foot traffic: Fine for the walking a household does. Not a playing field — heavy repeated traffic will wear it through.
Where it shines: Slopes and anywhere soil moves, parkway strips, medians, and any wide area you would rather not mow or water like turf.
The variety: Kurapia S1, Phyla nodiflora “Campagna Verde”. It is a sterile selection, so it spreads where you plant it rather than seeding around.

Water figures come from University of California, Riverside trials and the grower’s own guidance. Your yard will differ — how the irrigation actually lands on the ground matters more than any published number.