Mühlenbeckia: An Ornament for Indoors and Outdoors

The Mühlenbeckia not only sounds idyllic, but its emerald green growth can also create a perfect landscape. It's especially popular as a decorative ground cover in the garden, but the Mühlenbeckia can also be very useful.

In the garden, Mühlenbeckia is incredibly versatile. Whether used as a trailing hanging plant or a decorative ground cover, its small, oval leaves are an attractive eye-catcher.

Wire Vine, as Mühlenbeckia is also called, is the perfect outdoor plant. It loves to grow in bright, airy conditions. However, be careful that the ground cover's sunny location doesn't become too hot and dry, as a parched root ball will cause it to drop its beautiful leaves immediately.

Conversely, the otherwise very low-maintenance wire shrub doesn't appreciate waterlogging. The best approach to watering is a middle ground: regular and, most importantly, moderate watering will keep it happiest and healthiest. If you also fertilize it with compost or horn shavings, it will quickly become a beautifully growing ground cover, transforming bare patches in your beds into lush green foliage in no time.

The Mühlenbeckia isn't just a garden gem; it also shines in pots or containers as an indoor or balcony plant. When keeping it indoors, make sure it's in a cool, bright room. It looks particularly striking when placed on an elevated surface. Even though Mühlenbeckia isn't exposed to the elements indoors, you should still water it regularly and fertilize it with a standard substrate from April to September.

Once you have Mühlenbeckia in your garden, it can survive mild winters outdoors. However, if temperatures drop to minus 5 degrees Celsius, you should bring the ground cover indoors.

If you want the plant to grow in multiple locations in your garden next spring, you can divide it starting in March and plant shoot tips with at least three leaves as cuttings in propagating soil. After they've rooted, you can then transfer them to a bed or pot.