by J.E. Klett and R.A. Cox* (1/18)
Quick Facts…
- Ground covers help link together ornamental plants.
- Plants that are low-growing (generally less than 12 inches) and spread easily are suitable as ground cover plants.
- Ideally, a ground cover should be dense enough to inhibit weed emergence.
- Build walkways through areas intended for foot traffic before planting a ground cover.
- Incorporate compost or another good quality organic material into soils before planting.
A ground cover should spread by itself. Species that produce rhizomes or stolons or that spread by offsets or tip layering are good choices for ground covers. Ideally, they will develop rapidly into a dense cover. Some, however, grow so fast they can become invasive.
A ground cover should be sufficiently dense to inhibit competition from weeds. If the ground cover will be used to prevent soil erosion on a steep slope, it should have a vigorous growth habit and extensive root system.
Considerations
- Control existing weeds before planting ground covers. Weeds may reduce the attractiveness of the ground cover or compete with it for resources such as water and nutrients. No one species of ground cover plant works for every landscape situation. Consider the following factors before selecting a ground cover for a specific situation.
- To maintain design balance, select lower-growing ground covers for smaller areas and taller ones for larger areas or steep slopes.
- The amount of sun versus shade and the exposure to winter sun and winds are important considerations in selecting a ground cover.
- Most ground covers will not tolerate excessive foot traffic. If foot traffic is anticipated, install a walkway through the area before planting the ground cover.
- Improve soils with good quality organic matter before planting. Incorporate 2 to 4 cubic yards of compost or other organic materials into each 1,000 square foot area.
Maintenance
All ground cover plantings require maintenance, some more than others. This contradicts the common perception that ground covers are “no-maintenance plants.”
Lawns also are considered ground covers, but may require more moisture, sunlight, fertilizer and maintenance than other ground cover choices.
Evergreen ground covers, such as creeping juniper, require little care. Ground covers that develop flowers and fruit often require more maintenance to keep them attractive. Weeds may become a significant maintenance problem in a ground cover planting if not managed properly.
| Table 1: Selected ground covers for hot, dry, sunny exposures. | ||||
| Plant Name | Type | Flower Color | Bloom Time | Remarks |
| Small areas under 50 sq. ft. | ||||
| Achillea ageratifolia Greek yarrow |
Herbaceous | White | June-Aug. | Short (4-6”) and spreading; gray-green foliage. |
| Achillea tomentosa Woolly yarrow |
Herbaceous | Yellow | June-Aug. | Poor soil; woolly foliage; spreading. |
| Anacyclus pyrethrum depressus Mount Atlas daisy |
Herbaceous | White | April-May | White daisies with red undersides; silvery foliage. |
| Antennaria dioica Pussytoes |
Herbaceous | White to pink | May-June | Native; silver gray, mat-like foliage; unique flowers. |
| Arabis caucasica Rockcress |
Herbaceous, evergreen | White to pink White | April-May | Soft, gray, spreading foliage, varieties include ‘Snow Drop’ and ‘Little Treasure Deep Rose’ |
| Arenaria montana Mountain sandwort |
Herbaceous | White | May-June | Covered in flowers; trailing habit. |
| Artemisia schmidtiana‘Silver Mound’ Silver mound sage |
Herbaceous | Unimportant | — | Mounded, feathery, aromatic, silver-gray foliage. |
| Artemisia stelleriana ‘Silver Brocade’ Silver brocade sage |
Herbaceous | Unimportant | — | Finely-cut, velvety silver foliage; mat forming. |
| Artemisia versicolor ‘Sea Foam’ Sea Foam Sage |
Herbaceous | Unimportant | — | Finely dissected silver foliage, Plant Select® |
| Aurinia saxatilis (Alyssum saxatile) Basket-of-gold |
Herbaceous | Yellow | April-May | Shear after bloom. |
| Coreopsis auriculata ‘Nora’ Dwarf coreopsis |
Herbaceous | Orange, yellow | June-Sept. | Mouding habit with slender leaves. |
| Penstemon pinifolius Pineleaf penstemon |
Herbaceous, evergreen Herbaceous | Reddish-orange, yellow | June-Sept. | Needle-like, evergreen foliage. |
| Saponaria ocymoides Rock soapwort |
Herbaceous | Pink, White | May-July | Shear after bloom. |
| Sedum acre Goldmoss sedum |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Yellow | May-June | Low growing; succulent, dark green leaves. |
| Sedum kamschaticum Kamschatka sedum |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Orange, yellow | July-Aug. | Scalloped, succulent, green leaves. |
| Sedum reflexum‘Blue Spruce’ Blue Spruce Sedum |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Yellow | July-Aug. | Blue green needle-like leaves. |
| Sedum spurium Sedum, stonecrop |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Red | July-Aug. | Succulent leaves; commonly sold varieties are ‘Dragon’s Blood’, Tricolor’ and ‘John Creech’ |
| Sempervivum spp. Houseleek, hen and chicks |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Unimportant | — | Succulent, evergreen leaves in rosettes. |
| Stachys byzantina Lamb’s ear |
Herbaceous | Purple | June-July | Furry, gray leaves resemble a lamb’s ear. |
| Tanacetum densum amani Partridge feather |
Herbaceous | Yellow | May-Jun | Finely-cut, silvery-white foliage, Plant Select® 2010 |
| Thymus praecox Creeping thyme |
Herbaceous | Pink, red, white | June-July | Low growing, evergreen foliage. Varieties include ‘Pink Chintz’. |
| Verbena canadensis Verbena |
Herbaceous | Purple | July-Sept. | Vigorous groundcover; common variety ‘Homestead Purple.’ |
| Zauschneria garrettii ‘PWWG015’ Hummingbird trumpet Orange Carpet® |
Herbaceous | Red, orange | Aug.-Oct. | Gray-green leaves; good for attracting hummingbirds, Plant Select® 2001. |
| Large areas – greater than 50 sq. ft. | ||||
| Artemisia frigida Fringed sage |
Herbaceous | Yellow | Aug- Sept. | Fringed, silvery-gray foliage; good for naturalized areas. |
| Callirhoe involucrata Poppy mallow, winecups |
Herbaceous | Reddish-purple | June-Aug. | Trailing stems with saucer-like flowers; Plant Select® 1999. |
| Cerastium tomentosum Snow-in-summer |
Herbaceous | White | May-June | Aggressive; shear after bloom. |
| Delosperma hybrids Ice plant |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Various | May-June | Several varieties with various flower colors. Several Plant Select® introductions. |
| Delosperma cooperi Purple ice plant |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Purple | June-frost | Succulent foliage turns reddish in winter. |
| Delosperma nubigenum Yellow ice plant |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Yellow | May-June | Succulent foliage turns reddish in winter. Some varieties available. |
| Fragaria vesca Wild strawberry |
Herbaceous | White, pink | May-June | Native strawberry; small edible berries. |
| Juniperus horizontalis Creeping juniper |
Woody, evergreen |
Unimportant | — | Several low-growing varieties including ‘Bar Harbor,’ ‘Blue Chip,’ ‘Prince of Wales’ and ‘Wiltonii.’ |
| Juniperus sabina Savin juniper |
Woody, evergreen |
Unimportant | — | Several low-growing varieties including ‘Broadmoor,’ ‘Buffalo,’ and ‘Scandia.’ |
| Oenothera speciosa Mexican evening primrose |
Herbaceous | Pink | June-Oct. | Spreads quickly, may become invasive. |
| Polygonum cuspidatum ‘Compactum’ Japanese fleece flower |
Herbaceous | Pink | Aug.-Sept. | Aggressive; thick, green leaves with red veins; red fall color; excellent ground cover for dry areas. |
| Potentilla neumanniana Creeping cinquefoil |
Herbaceous | Yellow | May-Aug. | Bright green foliage; spreads quickly. |
| Prunus besseyi ‘PO11S’ Pawnee Buttes® sandcherry |
Woody | White | April-May | Same species as native sandcherry but with a low, spreading habit; orange/red fall color; Plant Select®. |
| Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low’ Grow Low Fragrant sumac |
Woody | Yellow | March-April | Vibrant orange-red fall color; very drought tolerant. |
| Table 2: Selected ground covers for sun to part shade | ||||
| Plant Name | Type | Flower Color | Bloom Time | Remarks |
| Small areas – under 50 sq. ft. | ||||
| Alyssum montanum Mountain alyssum |
Herbaceous | Yellow | April-May | Gray foliage. |
| Armeria maritima Sea pink |
Herbaceous, evergreen |
Pink, white, purple | May-June | Grass-like foliage; several varieties. |
| Aubrieta deltoidea Rockcress |
Herbaceous | Purple, blue, red |
May-June | Several varieties; mat-like foliage. |
| Bergenia ‘Winterglut’ Winter glow bergenia |
Herbaceous | Pink | April-May | Low, cabbage-like foliage. |
| Campanula poscharskyana Adriatic bluebells |
Herbaceous | Blue | May-June | Spreads quickly; good for rock gardens. |
| Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Plumbago |
Herbaceous | Dark blue | Aug.-Sept. | Attractive green foliage turns red in fall. |
| Dianthus deltoides Maiden Pink |
Herbaceous | Red | May-June | Dark green foliage; mat-like. Varieties include ‘Zing Rose’, ‘Brilliant’. Several varieties available. |
| Festuca glauca) Blue fescue |
Herbaceous | Unimportant | — | Silvery-blue clump grass. |
| Geranium cinereum Cranesbill |
Herbaceous | Pink, purple | May-July | Leaves are deeply divided; clump forming |
| Geranium dalmaticum Compact rose geranium |
Herbaceous | Pink | May-June | Foliage turns red in fall. |
| Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Biokovo’ Biokovo cranesbill |
Herbaceous | Pink, white | May-July | Foliage turns red in fall. |
| Gypsophila repens Creeping baby’s breath |
Herbaceous | White, pink | June-July | Mat-like. |
| Heuchera sanguinea Coral bells |
Herbaceous | Red, pink, white | June-Aug. | Mounded foliage with taller bell-shaped flowers. Many newer varieties selected for foliage colors. |
| Iberis sempervirens Candytuft |
Herbaceous, evergreen |
White | May-June | Dark green, needle-like foliage. |
| Persicaria affinis Himalayan border jewel |
Herbaceous | Pink | Aug.-Sept. | Mat-like foliage becomes copper-red in fall. |
| Phlox subulata Creeping phlox |
Herbaceous, evergreen |
Pink, white, lavender |
March-May | Several varieties; needle-like foliage. |
| Potentilla nepalensis ‘Miss Willmott’ Miss Willmott cinquefoil |
Herbaceous | Rose, red | June-July | Strawberry-like leaves. |
| Thymus x citriodorus Lemon thyme |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Purple | June-July | Lemon-scented foliage. Several varieties available. |
| Thymus praecox pseudolanuginosus Woolly thyme |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Pink, purple | June-July | Mat-like, woolly-gray foliage; turns purplish in winter; sparse flowers. |
| Thymus serpyllum Mother-of-thyme |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Purple | June-July | Aromatic foliage; mat-like |
| Veronica austriaca ‘Crater Lake Blue’ Crater Lake Blue speedwell |
Herbaceous | Blue | June-July | Shiny leaves on mounded clumps |
| Veronica filiformis Birdseye speedwell |
Herbaceous | Blue | June-Aug. | Grows quickly in dry conditions. |
| Veronica hybrids Speedwells |
Herbaceous | Blue, white | May-June | Several varieties are Plant Select® introductions. |
| Veronica liwanensis Turkish veronica |
Herbaceous | Blue | May-June | Low growing; dark green leaves; Plant Select® 1997. |
| Veronica pectinata Woolly veronica |
Herbaceous | Lavender | May-June | Low growing; gray foliage; evergreen some winters. |
| Veronica peduncularis Speedwell |
Herbaceous | Blue | May-June | Commonly sold variety is ‘Georgia Blue’ |
| Veronica prostrata Prostrate speedwell |
Herbaceous | Blue to purple | May-June | Dense mats. |
| Veronica repens Creeping speedwell |
Herbaceous | Blue to purple | May-June | Dense mats. |
| Veronica spicata ‘Red Fox’ Red Fox speedwell |
Herbaceous | Rose-red | May-June | Flower spikes rise above clumps of dark green leaves. |
| Waldsteinia fragarioides Barren strawberry |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Yellow | April-May | Sparse fruit is inedible. |
| Waldsteinia ternata Siberian barren strawberry |
Herbaceous | Yellow | April-May | Compact growth habit; fruit inedible. |
| Large areas – greater than 50 sq. ft. | ||||
| Cotoneaster apiculatus Cranberry cotoneaster |
Woody | Pink | May-June | Attractive, mounded habit, red fruit; maroon fall color. |
| Cotoneaster dammeri ‘Coral Beauty’ Coral Beauty cotoneaster |
Woody | White, pink | May-June | Bronze fall color; abundant orange-red fruit, best in protected spots. |
| Cotoneaster horizontalis Rock cotoneaster |
Woody | Pink | April-May | Semi-evergreen; small rounded leaves with red-bronze fall color. Best in protected spots. |
| Duchesnea indica Mock strawberry |
Herbaceous | Yellow | May | Aggressive; bright red, inedible fruit. |
| Juniperus communis Common juniper |
Woody, evergreen | — | — | Performs best in acidic soils. Common clones include: Alpine Carpet®, Blueberry Delight®, and ‘Ettusa’®. |
| Lonicera japonica ‘Halliana’ Hall’s honeysuckle |
Woody, evergreen | White, yellow | July-Aug. | Can use as vine or ground cover. |
| Lysimachia nummularia Moneywort |
Herbaceous | Yellow | June-July | Prefers moist soil but can become aggressive. |
| Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper |
Woody | Can use as vine or groundcover; aggressive; red fall color; commonly sold variety is ‘Engelmannii.’ | ||
| Parthenocissus tricuspidata Boston ivy |
Woody | Can use as a clinging vine or ground cover; aggressive; red fall color. | ||
| Potentilla neumanniana Creeping potentilla |
Herbaceous | Yellow | May-Aug. | Commonly sold variety is ‘Nana.’ |
| Prunella grandiflora Self-heal |
Herbaceous | Purple, rose, white | June-July | Dense mat; several varieties. |
| Prunella laciniata Lacy self heal |
Herbaceous | Pink | May-June | Fuzzy evergreen foliage. |
| Teucrium chamaedrys Germander |
Woody, evergreen | Pink, purple | June-July | Dark green leaves; erect stems; can be sheared. |
| Symphoricarpos x chenaulti ‘Hancock’Hancock coralberry |
Woody | Pink, white | June-Aug. | Can spread to 12; stems root where they touch the ground. |
| Table 3: Selected ground covers for part to deep shade. | ||||
| Plant Name | Type | Flower Color | Bloom Time | Remarks |
| Small areas – under 50 sq. ft. | ||||
| Ajuga reptans Carpet bugle |
Herbaceous | Blue/pink, white/purple | May-June | Varieties include ‘Atropurpurea,’ ‘Burgundy Glow’, ‘Chocolate Chip’, and ‘Silver Beauty’. |
| Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ Jack Frost Siberian Bugloss |
Herbaceous | Blue | May-June | Large heart-shaped silver leaves with green veins. |
| Convallaria majalis Lily-of-the-valley |
Herbaceous | White | May-June | Drooping, fragrant flowers. |
| Hosta spp. Hosta, plantain lily |
Herbaceous | Lilac to white | July-Aug. | Many varieties; primarily grown for foliage effect. |
| Lamiastrum galeobdolon Archangel |
Herbaceous | Yellow | May-June | Silver-flecked foliage; commonly sold variety is ‘Herman’s’ Pride.’ |
| Paxistima cambyi Mountain lover |
Woody, evergreen | — | — | Small shrub; prostrate growth. |
| Sagina subulata Pearlwort, Irish moss |
Herbaceous, evergreen |
White | May-June | Dense, moss-like mat; moist soil. |
| Viola cornuta Tufted pansy |
Herbaceous | Violet | May-June | Many varieties with various flower colors; moist soil. |
| Viola corsica Corsican violet |
Herbaceous | Violet | May-August | Can tolerate some drought, reseeds moderately, Plant Select® 2003. |
| Viola odorata Sweet violet |
Herbaceous | Violet | May-June | Several varieties; potentially invasive. |
| Large Areas – greater than 50 sq. ft. | ||||
| Aegopodium podagraria ‘Variegatum’ Snow-on-the-mountain, bishop’s goutweed |
Herbaceous | White | June-July | Looks best in moist soil; grown for foliage effect; invasive, aggressive. |
| Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Kinnikinick |
Woody, evergreen | Light pink | April-May | Native; prefers acid soil; bright red fruits; glossy, evergreen leaves turn copper-red in fall. |
| Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’ Purpleleaf wintercreeper |
Woody, evergreen | — | — | Foliage turns purple through winter; many other varieties. |
| Galium odoratum Sweet woodruff |
Herbaceous | White | May-June | Fragrant foliage; aggressive. |
| Glechoma hederacea Ground ivy |
Herbaceous | Blue, purple | May-July | Member of the mint family; aggressive; variegated varieties available. |
| Hedera helix English ivy |
Woody, evergreen | — | — | Can use as clinging vine or groundcover; aggressive; foliage may winterburn on exposed sites. |
| Lamium maculatum Spotted deadnettle |
Herbaceous | Pink, white | April-June | Many varieties, including ‘Beacon Silver’, ‘Lemon Frost’, ‘Purple Dragon’, and ‘White Nancy’; most with variegated foliage. |
| Mahonia repens Creeping Oregon grape |
Woody, evergreen |
Yellow | April-May | Native; spiny foliage turns reddish purple in fall; may winterburn on exposed sites; blue, grape-like fruits. |
| Pachysandra terminalis Japanese spurge |
Herbaceous, evergreen |
White | April-May | Glossy foliage; prefers moist, acidic soil. |
| Vinca minor Periwinkle |
Herbaceous, evergreen | Blue | April-May | Varieties include ‘Alba’, ‘Bowles’, and ‘Illumination’; best in moist soil and deep shade. |
*J.E. Klett, Colorado State University Extension horticulture specialist and professor, horticulture and landscape architecture; and R.A. Cox, Extension horticulture agent, Arapahoe County (retired). 12/95. Revised 1/18.
Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Colorado counties cooperating. CSU Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. No endorsement of products mentioned is intended nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned.
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