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Dichondra

Dichondra repens
Also known as: Kidney Weed

Dichondra is a flower in the Convolvulaceae family. It grows best in full sun to part shade with dry to medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 2-13. Plants reach maturity about 91–98 days after planting and sit about 12 inches apart.

Varieties

1 from True Leaf Market · sorted by days to maturity
  • Emerald Falls (Multi-Seed Pelleted)91–98 days

    Non-GMO; Container

    100 Pelleted Seed Package. 91-98 days. Emerald Falls dichondra seeds are an efficient and simple grow ideal for many hot and dry gardens across the country. Emerald Falls seeds are quick to mature into hardy 2" tall creeping shrubs that trail out 24-36" wide perfect to cascade from hanging baskets, window boxes, and planters. Emerald Falls dichondra is popularly grown as an easy, low-effort perennial ground cover along walkways, fences, and around a leafy deciduous. Emerald Falls dichondra is so tolerant to insects and disease that many homes in the American Southwest have replaced their traditional grass lawns with a dichondra lawn. 100 multi-seed pellets. Multi Seed Pelleted. (MSP). Approx 5 seeds per pellet.

    View on True Leaf Market
Family
Convolvulaceae
Category
Flower
Form
Bush
Lifecycle
perennial
Zone
2-13
Height
0.16666666666666666–0.16666666666666666 ft
Spread
2–3 ft
Sun
Full sun to part shade

Plant spacing

1 plant per square footSquare-foot planting diagram: one dichondra fills a 1-foot square, spaced 12 inches from its neighbors.
1 plant per square foot

In a square-foot bed, space dichondra about 12 in apart — that fits 1 plant in each 1-foot square (1×1). Wider rows or containers space the same.

Water
Dry to medium

Plan your dichondra planting

Add dichondra to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.

Start your free plan →

At a glance

Days to harvest
91–98 days
From transplant or sow to first harvest
Harvest style
Harvest once
One main harvest
After harvest
Use within days
Quality eases off after peak
Frost tolerance
Tender · to ~32°F
Lowest temperature the foliage usually survives
Germination
~60%
Typical minimum germination rate

Growing timeline

When to plant and harvest dichondraPlanting timeline for dichondra, relative to last frost: start indoors from 7 weeks before last frost to 1 week after last frost; grow from 1 week after last frost to 14 weeks after last frost; harvest from 14 weeks after last frost to 15 weeks after last frost.Start indoorsGrowLast frostTransplant
Start dichondra indoors ~8 weeks before transplanting 1 week after last frost; first harvest 14 weeks after last frost.
Seed to transplant
42-56 days
Outdoor planting
7 to 14 days vs frost
Propagation
Seed
Schedule anchor
Last Frost

Care & troubleshooting— extension-sourced, with citations

Something looks wrong?

Describe what you see on your dichondraand we'll rank the likely causes — most likely first, least-invasive fix first.

Japanese beetles

Pestmoderate

Symptoms: leaves skeletonized between veins; lacy chewed foliage; metallic green-bronze beetles clustered on plants; feeding worst in warm midsummer sun

Spider mites

Pestmoderate

Symptoms: fine pale stippling/speckling on leaves; fine webbing on undersides in hot dry spells; leaves bronzing and dropping

  • CulturalHose down and raise humidity· every 3 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence

    Mites thrive in hot, dry, dusty conditions. Spray foliage (especially undersides) with water to dislodge them and reduce dust.

    Source: UC IPM

  • OrganicInsecticidal soap or horticultural oil - label use only· every 5 days · ~2 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence

    Apply to undersides per label; mites resist many products, so soaps/oils are preferred. Not in extreme heat.

    Always follow the product label — it is the law.

    Source: UC IPM

Aphids

Pestlow

Symptoms: clusters of tiny soft-bodied insects on new growth and undersides; sticky honeydew or sooty mold; curled distorted new leaves; ants tending them

  • CulturalBlast off with water· every 3 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence

    Knock colonies off with a strong jet of water in the morning; repeat every few days. Light infestations rarely need more.

    Source: UC IPM: Aphids

  • OrganicInsecticidal soap - label use only· every 1 wk · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence

    For persistent colonies apply insecticidal soap to undersides per label. Avoid open flowers.

    Always follow the product label — it is the law.

    Source: UC IPM

Leaf miners

Pestlow

Symptoms: winding pale tunnels inside the leaf; pale blotches between the upper and lower leaf surfaces; tunnels/blotches that can't be rubbed off because the larva is inside

  • CulturalPick mined leaves + row cover· every 5 days · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence

    Remove and bag leaves with tunnels, and cover plants with insect netting to block the egg-laying flies. Damage is mostly cosmetic on leafy crops.

    Source: UMN Extension