purple flowers blooming in a woodland garden - phlox is used as a groundcover

Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata) cultivar with ferns in a wooded garden. Photo: M. Talabac, UME

Updated: May 23, 2024

Uses and benefits of groundcovers

Covering exposed ground with plant growth as a “living mulch” provides multiple benefits:

  • suppressing weeds by outcompeting them for resources like light, moisture, and nutrients
  • controlling erosion and reducing runoff pollution by slowing stormwater and holding soil in place
  • enriching habitat by increasing plant diversity and providing resources for wildlife
  • enhancing a garden’s aesthetic value by providing additional seasons of color, texture, or fragrance
  • substituting lawn in conditions not suitable for turfgrass and in areas too awkwardly-shaped or too small to mow or maintain

How to select groundcovers

A wide variety of plant species can be used as groundcovers. Most are chosen for their sprawling, spreading, or creeping growth habit and relatively short mature height.

Work with your existing site conditions. Success is more likely when you choose plants that suit the current site conditions, instead of trying to change conditions to meet the needs of particular plants.

For example, an area that tends to stay damp can be planted with species tolerant of wet soils, rather than attempting to improve drainage using soil amendments, regrading, or altering drainage patterns of the landscape around it.

Conditions to evaluate

  • Exposure to sunlight during the growing season. Full sun, for example, is a daily total of six or more hours of direct summer sunlight. Too much sun can stress shade-adapted plants, and too little can weaken sun-adapted plants.
     
  • Soil drainage and moisture can be influenced by competition from nearby plants, soil type, and use of the site.
    • Will shallow roots from a nearby tree or shrub compete with the groundcover for moisture? Will a dense canopy on a mature shade tree block some rain?
    • Is a roof downspout outlet nearby, where extra rainwater could saturate the soil?
    • Is the soil compacted from regular foot traffic? Clay-based soil compacts more easily than sandy soil, and compacted soil drains poorly. Will the groundcover border a well-used pathway?
       
  • Browsing risk from deer or rabbits.

Additional considerations

  • Aesthetic value
    • What is the flowering season? The yearly bloom period for many perennial groundcovers may only be a couple weeks long each year.
    • Is foliage evergreen (retained in winter) or deciduous (shed seasonally)? Roots will continue to hold soil to combat erosion, even if leaves die back for winter.
       
  • Aggressive tendencies
    • Will the plants take over? Species that grow aggressively can fill-in an area quickly and help suppress weeds and reduce erosion, but the plants may become weeds themselves, either in the garden or in local habitats.
    • Are the plants easy to restrain from spreading? Can flowers be dead-headed to reduce seed production, or sprawling stems blocked with garden bed edging?
       
  •  Wildlife value
    • Are native species suitable for that location?
    • Will minor plant damage be tolerable, in order to protect biodiversity by avoiding pesticide use? Gardening for wildlife can result in some leaf chewing or other imperfections.

Use caution with aggressive species

Aggressive growth and invasive behavior can overlap, but do not always coincide. A plant that spreads aggressively in a yard won’t necessarily colonize natural areas, and a plant easily managed in gardens can still be invasive if it escapes cultivation.

Several widely-grown groundcovers can be invasive in Maryland, spreading into natural areas, displacing wildflowers and altering habitat. Few are currently regulated, so they may still be sold (PDF) at nurseries. Visit Invasive Plants to Avoid Buying to learn more about identifying risky species, and verify that any non-native groundcover you consider is not regarded as invasive in Maryland.

Assess risk before purchase

  • Do spreading stems readily root as they creep, potentially colonizing a large area? Or, is the plant more restrained, having branches or stems that remain unrooted as they sprawl?

  • If a plant spreads aggressively and rapidly, will it risk out-competing neighboring plants, or spread where it is not wanted?

  • Will unwanted seedling volunteers be easy to remove from other garden beds or a lawn if they spread out-of-bounds?

Avoid planting these species

Planning for success

These aspects of the planning process will help you determine how many plants to use, where to place them, and how to begin the project:

Species Mix

Use a mixture of species. Planting several species of groundcover avoids drifts of one plant type that will be more susceptible to problems. Species diversity not only can support more wildlife and add seasonal aesthetic interest, but it also supports the resiliency of the planting as a whole. Species have different vulnerabilities and tolerances. In the event of a pest or disease outbreak or weather stress, not every species in a mixed planting will be equally affected.

a garden with mixed species making a groundcover
Wild ginger, ferns, and Heuchera are among the plants used in this mixed planting. Photo: C. Carignan, UME

Plant spacing

Be flexible with plant spacing. When first planted, the spacing between individuals will greatly depend on the species chosen. Fast-growing specimens will need more space to accommodate their mature size, and aggressive spread can be kept in balance by mixing them with another vigorous spreader.

  • The advantage of beginning a planting with close spacing is a faster coverage of open ground, creating less opportunity for erosion or weed colonization.
  • The potential disadvantages of close spacing are a greater risk of plant diseases (if air circulation is poor or conditions stay wet) and the eventual decline of individual plants that face too much competition.
a combination of sedges phlox and alumroot plants
Phlox, sedge, and heuchera establishing in a new planting. Photo: M. Talabac, UME

Weed removal

Eliminate weeds. Determine how to begin with a competition-free planting site. Removing weeds after groundcover installation will be challenging, and weed competition with the desirable plants can hamper their establishment.

  • If smothering pre-existing weeds with a light-blocking cover (such as landscape fabric or cardboard), remove it before planting the groundcovers.
  • If planting groundcovers to replace areas of lawn, it is simplest to remove the sod before planting, rather than adding plants to existing lawn.
soil ready for new planting
Photo: J. Traunfeld, UME

Starting plant size

Consider purchased plant size. Groundcovers that will grow beneath established trees or shrubs may be difficult to install due to existing root growth. To avoid cutting into too many roots, and to make planting easier, opt for young sizes of groundcover plants where possible.

  • Plugs are older than seedlings but younger than most nursery-sized potted plants, and will be easier to fit into a small planting hole. In bulk, they are relatively inexpensive per plant.
  • Directly sowing seed is not ideal since seedlings can be difficult to differentiate from weed seedlings, and they will take longer to establish. Instead, sow seed into containers in order to more easily spot weeds. Move transplants into the ground as they grow large enough to identify. Some species might not be readily available as seed.
a small native plant seedling - plug
Lyre-leaf sage plug. Photo: M. Talabac, UME

Erosion control

Manage erosion. Until groundcovers establish and mature, exposed soil is vulnerable to water or wind erosion, especially on a slope. Discourage significant erosion between plants with a temporary mulch or biodegradable soil covering, such as paper-based weed barrier material or untreated burlap. Fallen leaves or wood chip, bark, or pine needle mulch can be used if the site is fairly level. Mulch-free gaps can be left around new plants so they have good air circulation.

  • When erosion risk is low, complete soil surface coverage might not be necessary. Bare soil between plants can benefit pollinators that will either create burrows (such as ground-nesting solitary bees) or ingest its minerals for nutrition (“mud-puddling” behavior in butterflies).
fallen leaves and green growth of golden ragwort covering the ground
Golden Groundsel with autumn leaf litter left in place. Photo: M. Talabac, UME

How groundcovers spread 

Plants can spread naturally or with a gardener's intervention through one or more of the following means:

Self-seeding

Pollinated flowers produce seeds, and weather or wildlife carries those seeds to areas of open soil, where they can germinate and mature to help a groundcover fill in. Removing spent flowers will suppress self-seeding. Example: Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)

Bulblets

Similar to seed spread, small bulbs (or similar structures like tubers or corms) are produced either along stems or next to the original bulb, where they eventually separate to mature into an independent plant. Example: Hardy begonia (Begonia grandis)

Stolons

Also called runners, these creeping stems grow on top of the soil surface and can root at the nodes (joints where leaves attach to the stem). When rooted, pieces of stolon can be cut from the parent plant and moved to fill-in gaps. Edging materials extending several inches above the soil surface can help contain stolon spread. Example: Wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

Rhizomes

Creeping stems grow just below the soil surface, which once rooted, can be cut from the parent plant and transplanted, similar to stolons. Some rhizomes are stout and tuber-like in appearance, and even when spread is slow, may be difficult to remove because they are well-anchored. Edging materials extending several inches below the soil surface can help contain rhizome spread. Example: Eastern hayscented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula)

Suckering

Suckers are new stems arising directly from a root system, often rhizomes on a shrub. After they grow roots, suckers can be separated from the parent plant and transplanted. Edging materials extending several inches below the soil surface can help contain sucker spread. Example: Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica)

Offsets

Immature plants are produced next to the parent plant, often on short stolons. As they grow, they may fall off on their own and root independently. Example: Hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum)

an illustration of how groundcovers spread by stolons - rhizomes and other structures
Diagram courtesy of Dan Undersander.

Native groundcovers

These lists offer a sampler of ideas, but are not exhaustive, nor are they the only conditions those plants will tolerate. Lists favor low-growing or ground-hugging species, or those that stay somewhat compact but which self-seed or sucker readily.

Some species are naturally more restricted in their range within Maryland than others, and might not tolerate summer heat or winter cold equally well in all areas. To better predict which species should thrive in your area, research where species tend to grow within the mid-Atlantic (such as coastal plain, piedmont, or mountain ecological zones).

Deer palatability is never certain, but species they are unlikely to eat are listed as having a “low” browse risk; “average” means browsing may be more likely if deer frequent the area.

Species that are hard to find in local nurseries may be available through online nursery sources that specialize in supplying native or uncommon plants. An asterisk* indicates species that are more readily available in local garden centers.

Sunny to mostly-sunny, wet-tolerant

Common name Botanical name Deer browse risk Comments
Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris Low May go summer-dormant during high heat or drought; rhizome spread and self-seeding
Blue Mistflower* Conoclinium coelestinum Low Aggressive rhizome spread; self-seeding
Field Horsetail Equisetum arvense Low Aggressive rhizome spread with deep roots (may require containment)
Harlequin Blueflag* Iris versicolor Low Slow rhizome spread
Obedient Plant / False Dragonhead* Physostegia virginiana Low Aggressive rhizome spread and self-seeding
Eastern Marsh Fern Thelypteris palustris pubescens Low Rhizome spread
Large Cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon Average Evergreen; edible berries; best in boggy conditions (low-nitrogen, damp, and acidic soil)
Marsh Blue Violet Viola cucullata Average Self-seeding

* More likely to be found in garden centers

Sunny to mostly-sunny, well-drained soil

Common name Botanical name Deer browse risk Comments
Wood’s Sedge Carex woodii Low Semi-evergreen
Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana Average Runners; may go summer-dormant during high heat; edible berries
Sundrops Oenothera fruticosa Average Semi-evergreen; potentially aggressive rhizome spread and self-seeding
Moss Phlox* Phlox subulata Average Evergreen
American Self-heal Prunella vulgaris lanceolata Average Creeping stolons and self-seeding
Appalachian Barren Strawberry Geum / Waldsteinia fragarioides Low Evergreen (may turn bronze); rhizome spread; does not bear fruit

* More likely to be found in garden centers

Sunny to mostly-sunny, drought-tolerant

Common name Botanical name Deer browse risk Comments
Bearberry* Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Low Evergreen; rare in the wild in Maryland (prefers cooler summers)
Sweetfern Comptonia peregrina Low Aggressive rhizome spread; best in nitrogen-poor, sandy soil; fragrant foliage
Poverty Oatgrass Danthonia spicata Low Slow rate of spread or self-seeding; tolerant of acidic or rocky/sandy soils with low fertility
Purple Lovegrass* Eragrostis spectabilis Low Modest rhizome spread and self-seeding; tolerant of poor soil and best in a sandy or rocky loam
Robin’s Plantain Erigeron pulchellus Low Biennial or short-lived perennial; creeping stolons and self-seeding
Showy Evening Primrose* Oenothera speciosa Low Aggressive rhizome spread and self-seeding
Eastern Pricklypear* Opuntia humifusa humifusa Low Slow rate of spread; salt-tolerant
Violet Woodsorrel Oxalis violacea Low Slow rate of spread from bulb offsets
Dwarf Cinquefoil Potentilla canadensis canadensis Low Aggressive spread by runners; prefers poor soil
Fragrant Sumac* Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low’ Low Aggressive suckering

* More likely to be found in garden centers

Partly-shaded to mostly shade, wet-tolerant

Common name Botanical name Deer browse risk Comments
Northern Maidenhair Fern* Adiantum pedatum Low Slow rhizome spread; may go summer-dormant during drought
Jewelweed Impatiens capensis Average Self-seeding annual
Netted Chain Fern Lorinseria areolata Low Aggressive rhizome spread
Sensitive Fern* Onoclea sensibilis Low Aggressive rhizome spread
Golden Ragwort* Packera aurea Low Aggressive rhizome spread and/or self-seeding
Lizard’s Tail Saururus cernuus Low Aggressive rhizome spread
Marsh Blue Violet Viola cucullata Average Self-seeding
Common Blue Violet Viola sororia Average Aggressive rhizome spread and/or self-seeding
Moss Many species Low Generally self-sows via spores

* More likely to be found in garden centers

Partly-shaded to mostly shade, well-drained soil

Common name Botanical name Deer browse risk Comments
Wood’s Sedge Carex woodii Low Semi-evergreen; slow rhizome spread
Eastern Hayscented Fern* Dennstaedtia punctilobula Low Aggressive rhizome spread
Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana Average May go summer-dormant in high heat; edible berries
Wild Geranium* Geranium maculatum Low Self-seeding
Virginia Waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum Average Aggressive rhizome spread; may go dormant by late summer
Virginia Bluebells* Mertensia virginica Low Ephemeral (loses foliage and goes dormant by midsummer); self-seeding
Wild Blue Phlox* Phlox divaricata Average Semi-evergreen; fragrant flowers
Jacob’s Ladder Polemonium reptans reptans Low Self-seeding; may go summer-dormant in high heat or drought
Carolina Wild Petunia Ruellia caroliniensis Average Self-seeding; drought-tolerant
Lyre-leaf Sage Salvia lyrata Low Self-seeding
Foamflower* Tiarella cordifolia or stolonifera Average Rhizome spread varies between species/subspecies or cultivars

* More likely to be found in garden centers

Partly-shaded to shady, drought-tolerant

Common name Botanical name Deer browse risk Comments
Pussytoes* Antennaria Low Several species; semi-evergreen
Wild Columbine* Aquilegia canadensis Low May be short-lived but self-seeds
Wild Ginger* Asarum canadense Low Slow rhizome spread
Pennsylvania Sedge* Carex pensylvanica Low Semi-evergreen; slow rhizome spread
Green-and-Gold* Chrysogonum virginianum virginianum Low Moderate rhizome spread and self-seeding
White Wood Aster* Eurybia divaricata Low Aggressive self-seeding
Dwarf Crested Iris Iris cristata Low Potentially aggressive rhizome spread
Creeping Wintergreen* Gaultheria procumbens Low Evergreen; slow rate of spread; needs acidic soil
Black Huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata Average Edible berries; needs acidic soil
Partridgeberry Mitchella repens Low Evergreen; slow rate of spread
Woodland Stonecrop* Sedum ternatum Low Evergreen

Blue Ridge Blueberry

and Lowbush Blueberry*

Vaccinium pallidum

and Vaccinium angustifolium

 Average Edible berries; needs acidic soil

* More likely to be found in garden centers

Non-native groundcovers

These species are non-invasive, having not been observed spreading into local natural areas, though some could still be aggressive spreaders within a garden setting. A few are regionally native to parts of the eastern U.S., but do not naturally grow wild in Maryland.

Deer palatability is never certain, but species they are unlikely to eat are listed as having a “low” browse risk; “average” means browsing may be more likely if deer frequent the area.

Species that are hard to find in local nurseries may be available through online nursery sources that specialize in supplying a diverse range of plants. An asterisk* indicates species that are more readily available in local garden centers

Sunny to mostly-sunny, wet-tolerant

Common name Botanical name Deer browse risk Comments
Golden Grassy-leaved Sweet Flag* Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’ or ‘Minimus Aureus’ Low Evergreen; aggressive rhizome spread
Astilbe* Astilbe Low Several species and hybrids
Pink Turtlehead* Chelone lyonii Average Moderate rhizome spread; self-seeding; native to the southern Appalachian mountains

* More likely to be found in garden centers

Sunny to mostly-sunny, well-drained soil

Common name Botanical name Deer browse risk Comments
Hardy Plumbago* Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Low Rhizome spread
Irish Moss* and Scotch Moss* Sagina subulata and Sagina subulata ‘Aurea’ Low Evergreen; moss-like appearance but not related to true mosses

* More likely to be found in garden centers

Sunny to mostly-sunny, drought-tolerant

Common name Botanical name Deer browse risk Comments
Cotoneaster* Cotoneaster Low Several species; cultivar ‘Streib’s Findling’ is the lowest-growing and sprawling
Slender Deutzia* Deutzia gracilis ‘Nikko’ Low Wide-spreading branches
Common Juniper Juniperus communis ‘Alpine Carpet’, ‘Green Carpet’, or ‘Blueberry Delight’ Low Evergreen; wide-spreading branches; locally extinct, but native to much of the U.S.
Shore Juniper* Juniperus conferta Low Evergreen; wide-spreading branches
Creeping Juniper* Juniperus horizontalis Low Evergreen; wide-spreading branches; native to the northern U.S.
Japanese Garden Juniper* Juniperus procumbens Low Evergreen; wide-spreading branches
Stonecrop* Sedum Low Multiple species; evergreen
Hens-and-Chicks* Sempervivum Low Multiple species; evergreen; spreads by offsets
Creeping Thyme* Thymus serpyllum Low Semi-evergreen; fragrant foliage

* More likely to be found in garden centers

Partly-shaded to shady, well-drained soil

Common name Botanical name Deer browse risk Comments
Canada Anemone Anemone canadensis Low Aggressive rhizome spread; drought-tolerant; locally extinct, but native to much of the northern U.S.
Mottled Wild Ginger Asarum / Hexastylis shuttleworthii Low Semi-evergreen; slow rate of spread; native to the Southern Appalachian mountains
Astilbe* Astilbe Low Several species and hybrids
Hardy Begonia* Begonia grandis Average Self-seeding (plus bulblets); foliage emerges late in spring
Pigsqueak* Bergenia cordifolia Low Evergreen; slow rhizome spread
Fairy Bells Disporum sessile Average Potentially aggressive rhizome spread
Purple / Fernleaf Phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida Low Biennial; self-seeding; native to the eastern U.S. west of the Appalachians
Himalayan Sweetbox* Sarcococca hookeriana humilis Low Evergreen; slow rate of spread; may be susceptible to boxwood blight; fragrant flowers
Celandine Poppy Stylophorum diphyllum Low Self-seeding; may go summer-dormant during drought; native to the Midwest
Yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima Low Aggressive suckering; native to the southeast

* More likely to be found in garden centers

Partly-shaded to shady, drought-tolerant

Common name Botanical name Deer browse risk Comments
Barrenwort / Fairy Wings* Epimedium Low Slow rhizome spread; several species and hybrids
Wood Spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides robbiae Low Evergreen; rhizome spread
Hairy Alumroot* Heuchera villosa Low Semi-evergreen; self-seeding; native to the Appalachian mountains
Mondo Grass* Ophiopogon Low Evergreen; slow rhizome spread
Allegheny Spurge Pachysandra procumbens Low Semi-evergreen; native to the southern Appalachian mountains

* More likely to be found in garden centers

Maintaining groundcover plantings

Once established, groundcover plantings well-suited to the site conditions tend to be low-maintenance, even compared to lawn upkeep.

Watering  

Monitor plants for watering needs during periods of dry weather, especially if they are in competition with tree roots. Feel the soil a few inches deep and water when it becomes mostly dry to the touch at that depth.

Weeding 

Existing weeds are best removed manually, since it can be difficult to select an herbicide that will not also affect the desirable plants. Mulch placed between plants can help suppress and prevent weeds for a brand-new planting, but once groundcovers establish, avoiding the use of mulch will help them spread to fill gaps, so they can out-compete weeds on their own.

Pathways

Not all groundcovers will tolerate foot traffic as well as lawn; stems may break or roots will not tolerate the soil compaction. To avoid plant damage, maintain a pathway that is mulched or paved through an area frequently traveled.

Leaf litter  

Groundcover plantings beneath mature trees will collect fallen leaves in autumn. Species native to wooded habitats are adapted to living with fallen leaves as a winter mulch, and it can be a valuable insulating layer for young plants, evergreens, or seedlings.

  • Leave fallen leaves in place, since the activity of soil organisms (worms, isopods, insects, springtails) will gradually degrade them into a thinner layer and eventually into compost.
  • Keep leaf litter intact (compared to shredding it) to benefit wildlife, including overwintering pollinators.
  • Gently rake or blow aside extra-deep leaf piles if they risk promoting leaf infections or smothering sensitive plants. Use the relocated leaves to mulch other planting beds or to compost in its own pile.

Limiting spread  

  • Dig or divide plants spreading aggressively to move clumps into other areas.
  • Use garden edging to line a planting bed adjacent to lawn to help keep rhizomatous groundcovers from invading the turf.

Related videos

Native Plants: Mountain Stonecrop & Wild Ginger for Groundcover

Partridgeberry: A Native Evergreen Groundcover

Additional resources

Author: Miri Talabac, Lead Horticulture Coordinator, Home and Garden Information Center, 2024. Reviewed by Mikaela Boley, Principal Agent Associate in Talbot County, and Christa Carignan, Digital Horticulture Education Coordinator, University of Maryland Extension.

Still have a question? Contact us at Ask Extension.