Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Green Carpet Natal Plum
Green Carpet natal plum is a low, spreading evergreen that stays about 1 to 2 feet tall and fills 3 to 6 feet across. Its glossy green leaves form a dense mat for beds, borders, and slopes. Fragrant white star-shaped flowers show up from spring into fall, sometimes followed by red fruit. Once rooted in, it gets by on low to moderate water.
Best for: groundcover for beds and slopes, low borders and foundation beds, and low-water plantings that stay green all year.
Green Carpet stays about 1 to 2 feet tall and spreads 3 to 6 feet, so a few plants cover a lot of ground. It is used for mass plantings and to help hold soil on slopes.
It is planted along borders, in beds, and as a low foundation planting in front of the house. The glossy leaves stay green all year, and an occasional trim keeps it neat and compact.
Once it has a year to root in, it handles dry spells and gets by on low to moderate water. It also tolerates salty soil. Water deeply, then let the top of the soil dry before watering again.
It has sharp forked spines, so keep it back from walkways, seating, and play areas. Leaves are damaged in the mid to upper 20s. Heat stress can show above about 113°F. Soggy alkaline soil can yellow the leaves and rot roots, and it thins out in full shade.
- Group planting3 ft apart
- Planted with more room5 ft apart
Water a new plant every 1 to 2 days in summer for the first two weeks. Then stretch to about weekly in summer and every 10 to 14 days in cooler months by week 8. Once rooted, water deeply and regularly in summer, far less in winter, and let the upper soil dry between soaks.
Leaves yellow when alkaline soil stays wet, and poor drainage can rot the roots. Let the soil dry between waterings.
Leaves can be injured in the mid to upper 20s. Cover young plants with frost cloth on freezing nights.
Dwarf forms need little pruning. An occasional light trim keeps it neat. Wear gloves, since the stems have sharp spines.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Green Carpet natal plum get, and how fast?
It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide, and some Arizona nurseries list it as low as 12 to 15 inches. It grows slowly to moderately, so buy enough plants to cover the bed and give them a few seasons to fill in.
Which size should I buy?
The 1 gallon is the budget way to cover a larger bed or slope. The 5 gallon gives a fuller start where you want coverage sooner. See the size guide for both.
Does Green Carpet have thorns?
Yes. It carries sharp, forked spines on the stems, like standard natal plum. Keep it back from walkways and seating areas, and wear gloves when you prune.
How much sun does it need in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun to part shade. Sun gives the best flowers and growth, and it thins out in full shade. In a Valley summer, a spot with some afternoon shade helps, since heat stress can show above about 113°F.
How often should I water it?
Water a new plant every 1 to 2 days in summer for the first two weeks. Then stretch to about weekly in summer and every 10 to 14 days in cooler months by week 8. Once established it is drought tolerant. Keep watering deeply through summer, let the top of the soil dry between waterings, and water much less in winter.
How cold can it handle?
Leaves can be damaged around 26 to 28°F, and serious damage shows near 24°F. It is rated to about 26°F. Cover it with frost cloth on the coldest nights.
Does it flower and fruit, and is the fruit edible?
Fragrant white star-shaped flowers show up from spring into fall. Red fruit can follow, though low forms like this set less fruit. Fully ripe red fruit is edible and tastes like cranberry. Unripe fruit oozes a white latex, so wait for full color.
Is it safe for dogs and cats?
Natal plum is listed as non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. The milky sap can irritate skin, and only the ripe fruit should be eaten. The sharp spines can poke pets and people.
What soil does it need, and why are the leaves turning yellow?
It grows in clay to sand as long as water drains, and it handles alkaline soil. Yellow leaves usually show up when alkaline soil stays too wet. Poor drainage can also lead to root rot, so water less often.
Does it need pruning?
Low forms like Green Carpet need little pruning. An occasional light trim keeps it neat.
Green Carpet vs Boxwood Beauty natal plum: which should I pick?
Green Carpet stays lower, about 1 to 2 feet, and spreads wide as a groundcover. Boxwood Beauty grows about 2 to 3 feet as a compact border shrub and is nearly thornless. Pick Green Carpet to cover ground, Boxwood Beauty for edging near walks.
Green Carpet Natal Plum for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Green Carpet natal plum is a low, spreading natal plum used as an evergreen groundcover across the Valley. It stays short, fills in wide, and adds fragrant white flowers through the warm months. Below are the questions Arizona gardeners ask most, from spacing and watering to sun, soil, and how it compares to Boxwood Beauty.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
How big does Green Carpet natal plum get in Arizona?
Expect about 1 to 2 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. Some Arizona nurseries list it as low as 12 to 15 inches. It grows slowly to moderately, so it holds a low, wide shape without much trimming.
Green Carpet natal plum as a groundcover
Green Carpet is a low, spreading natal plum with dense, glossy green leaves. It is used for mass plantings, borders, and to help hold soil on slopes. It stays green all year and adds fragrant white flowers.
Watering Green Carpet natal plum in Phoenix
Water deeply once or twice a week the first year. Once established it is drought tolerant. Keep up deep summer watering, let the top of the soil dry between waterings, and water much less in winter.
Sun and heat for Green Carpet in the Valley
It grows in full sun to part shade, and sun gives the best flowers. Some afternoon shade helps in a Phoenix summer. It thins out in full shade.
Green Carpet vs Boxwood Beauty natal plum
Both are compact natal plums with glossy leaves and fragrant white flowers. Green Carpet stays about 1 to 2 feet tall and spreads as a groundcover. Boxwood Beauty grows about 2 to 3 feet and is used as a low border.
Is Green Carpet natal plum fruit edible?
Yes, once it is fully ripe and red. It tastes like cranberry and works in jams and preserves. Low forms like Green Carpet set less fruit than standard natal plum.
Is Green Carpet natal plum cold hardy in Phoenix?
It stays evergreen through most Valley winters. Leaves can be damaged in the mid to upper 20s, and it is rated to about 26°F. Frost cloth helps on the coldest nights.
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