How low water can our landscapes go?

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources researchers Loren Oki and Karrie Reid.

Kurapia is a great option where you need a groundcover that won’t get irrigated. I think it will be great in what they call ‘hell strips,’ ” Reid says. “That’s the area between the sidewalk and the street where it’s notoriously difficult to grow anything. Kurapia will do just fine there! Homeowners may want to consider using it as a lawn replacement, too. We’ve found that it looks good year-round.

“Really the public wants it all,” she continues. “Whether you are a homeowner or a large-scale landscaper, we want beautiful and low-water. So we don’t solely look at water use. We want to also know how irrigation and its frequency correlate to attractiveness, seasonal interest and blooms. We report on that, too.”

The researchers’ full reports can be found on the California Center for Urban Horticulture’s website, ccuh.ucdavis.edu.