UC Riverside is testing a new ground cover plant that could reduce water use while keeping the campus looking green.
Kurapia, a low-growing, leafy groundcover, was planted by Facilities Services in the Pentland Hills and Glen Mor student residences in late June.
The landscape gardening team is testing the plant, which requires less water than grass, in select locations on campus, said John Starling, director of landscape gardening.
“We want to know if this plant can replace traditional grass in some areas to achieve the same look while saving water,” he said.
Kurapia was developed in Japan and tested at universities, including UCR’s turf research plots at Agricultural Operations. The company that makes Kurapia touts significant water savings.
Starling said they wanted to see how the system performs under real-world conditions to get a better idea of how much water the campus could save.
The two sites were chosen for their shade and sun exposure, and different versions of the product were used: turf at one site and anchors at the other, Starling said.
They will monitor the Kurapia until next summer, which should provide enough time to learn its growth habits, required mowing interval, soil conditions and its growth in summer and winter, he said.
