Phyla

( FILE - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of flowering perennial plants, also called Lippia or Fogfruit, needs full sun and little to regular water to perform well. They are native to many tropical and subtropical regions around the globe, and are great groundcovers that can take some foot traffic and still look beautiful. It can be used as a lawn substitute. It spreads via creeping stems and has grey-green leaves and tiny lavender-pink flowers that bloom in spring and fall. The flowers will attract bees to your garden. It can look a little shabby and unkempt in wintertime, but can be fed with a fertilizer in early springtime to promote new growth.

Phyla species and varietals

The genus Phyla is a member of the plant species Verbenaceae and includes 9 species. Phyla species grow best in zones 8-24, H1 and H2. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Phyla canescens (Carpet Weed, Condamine Couch, Condamine Curse, Fog Fruit, Frog Fruit, Hairy Fogfruit, Lippia, Mat Grass, No-Mow Grass)
This species is native to South America, and has is considered a serious environmental weed in Australia. These plants form creeping mats of foliage with pink to brownish stems that become grey and woody with age. Flowers are white, pale pink, or purple, and are followed by small dry fruits. Plants reach about a foot tall, and produce stems that spread out from the base 40 inches.

Phyla dulcis (Lippia dulcis) (Aztec Sweet Herb, Bushy Lippia, Honeyherb, Hierba Dulce, Tzopelic-Xihuitl, Sweet Buttons)
The flower buds of these plants are typically sold as the herb called 'dushi' or 'dulce' buttons. Plants have been used historically as a sweetener and medicinal herb in Mexico and Central America. Plants produce white flowers and green foliage, and reach about 8 inches tall and 4 feet wide.

Phyla lanceolata (Lanceleaf Fogfruit, Frogfruit, Caille Eau)
These plants are native to the southern half of North America, and prefers moist or wet habitats, frequently colonizing irrigation ditches and disturbed areas. They form a mat of decumbent, trailing stems up to 20 inches long. Leaves are green, and flowers are white, sometimes tinged with blue or purple hues.

Phyla nodiflora (Turkey Tangle Frogfruit, Matchweed)
These tropical plants are native to many areas around the globe, and are often grown as an ornamental groundcover in gardens. Flowers are purple to pink, sometimes with yellow blotches at their centers, forming in multicolored inflorescences. These plants have a weedy nature, and commonly colonize grassy areas.

Caring for phyla

Phyla plants are considered easy to care for in the landscape, and typically establishes itself quickly. For best coverage, plant seeds or seedlings about 18 inches apart. Plant Phyla in a space in the garden that receives full sun to light shade. They can do well in full shade, though they will not flower as profusely. Ideally, they should be getting around 6 hours of sun every day for best results. Phyla can tolerate a wide variety of soil types and textures, as long as they are well-draining, moderately fertile, and has a pH of between 5.5 and 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Mulching is not necessary for these plants, as they are low-growers and form an insulating layer on their own. Water new plants regularly as they establish a strong root system. At maturity, Phyla plants are considered to be relatively drought tolerant, though they do appreciate some extra irrigation during elongated periods of drought.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. These plants are not heavy feeders, and this should be sufficient to provide the necessary nutrients for the active growing and flowering seasons. The best time to prune these groundcover plants is after the last blooms have died off at the end of the growing season. Phyla can be mowed or simply hand-pruned to remove leggy growth, spent blooms, and to discourage re-seeding.

Propagation

Phyla, or Frogfruit, can be propagated either by division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Frogfruit, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Phyla by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded and are very tiny (see photographs below). Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-6 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Propagating Phyla by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil (any kind will do, though it does need to be well-draining), compost and pots (only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in very early spring (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth). To propagate by division, follow these steps:

Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the root(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
Start to tease apart the roots with your gloved fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick root section attached.
Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divisions and water thoroughly.
Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season.