Muehlenbeckia complexa/axillaris

I’ve fallen quite in love with this dainty-looking, but vigorous ground-cover. I’m not quite sure whether I have Muehlenbeckia axillaris or complexa – or both – in my garden. Regular French garden centers sell it cheaply but almost always without naming the species. Given the shape of the flowers and fruit and the growth habit, I tend towards M. axillaris.

I’ve planted several of them in different corners of the garden to test them and am very happy with the results. I have Muehlenbeckia growing in the half-shade under some vintage iron garden furniture as ground cover, where it looks romantic. I also have it in full sun in pots on the hot terrace – by itself and as a ground cover for other plants.

In the garden it never gets any watering and hasn’t shown any flowers so far. In the pots of course it is watered regularly and has been flowering since July. Olivier Filippi gives it a code de sécheresse of 4 and it is indeed very drought-resistant.

Both types grow about 10-20 cm high, Muehlenbeckia complexa can spread to about four meters width while axillaris stops at one meter.

Both are natives from New Zealand. They are hardy down to -9 ℃ and don’t particularly care what soil they grow in, the leaves are semi-persistent. Muehlenbeckia can be invasive and overrun other plants in milder climates, here in this Mediterranean garden the heat and drought seem to keep it well in check.