Groundcover Plant List

Groundcovers serve many purposes. They can define a section of your yard, add texture and color to shady areas where grass won’t grow and offer a great alternative to plain mulch. In addition to familiar favorites such as ivy, pachysandra and vinca we offer interesting, lesser-known options.
Evergreen plants are noted with an (E). Spacing is the average distance (inches) between each plant, center to center. The first number indicates spacing if full coverage is desired the first year while the second number indicates spacing if full coverage is desired after the second year.

 Common Groundcover

Name	Spacing	Height	Light	Description
Ivy, Thorndale Hedera helix	8/10	3-5”	Part Sun, Shade	Rapid growing. Handsome dark green foliage. Plant in areas shaded from winter sun. Likely to climb, but this ivy is not reliably hardy as a vine in our climate. E
Pachysandra, Green Carpet Pachysandra terminalis	6/8	4-8”	Part Sun, Shade	Moderate growing. Small white flowers in spring. Attractive dark green foliage. Prefers moist well-drained soil. The best groundcover for dense shade. E
Vinca, Bowles Vinca minor	8/12	4-6”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Slow to moderate growing. Attractive dark green glossy foliage. Large violet flowers in spring and fall. E
Wintercreeper, Purpleleaf Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’	10/15	6-12”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Rapid growing. Leaves turn purplish red in the fall. Tough groundcover for any situation. Tolerates light foot traffic, can be mowed. E

 Groundcover

Name	Spacing	Height	Light	Description
Ajuga, Bronze Beauty Ajuga reptans	8/12	3”	Part Sun, Shade	Moderate growing, mat forming. Attractive bronze foliage and masses of blue flower spikes in spring. E
Ajuga, Burgundy Glow Ajuga reptans	8/12	3”	Part Sun, Shade	Moderate growing, mat forming. Shiny metallic green leaf with pink and white variegation. 6” spikes of blue flowers appear in early spring. E
Ajuga, Catlin’s Giant Ajuga reptans	8/12	10”	Part Sun, Shade	Moderate growing, mat forming. The largest ajuga boasts bronze-purple cabbage-like foliage and bright blue flower spikes in early spring. E
Ajuga, Chocolate Chip Ajuga reptans	8/12	3”	Part Sun, Shade	Rapid growing, mat forming. Chocolate-bronze foliage on compact plants. Very floriferous with spikes of blue flowers in spring. E
Archangel, Herman’s Pride Lamiastrum galeobdolon	8/15	6-9”	Part Sun, Shade	Rapid growing. Half-inch dark yellow flowers in summer over green and white variegated foliage. Easy to grow in lean fast-draining soil.
Barren Strawberry Waldsteinia ternata	9/12	4”	Part Sun, Shade	Rapid growing. Bears bright yellow flowers in late spring. A tough plant. Good for difficult spots in dry shade or on steep banks. An aggressive spreader. E
Canadian Ginger Asarum canadense	6/10	6-8”	Part Sun, Shade	Moderate growing. Wild ginger makes an effective groundcover for shaded areas and woodland settings. Inconspicuous flowers in spring.
Candytuft, Snowflake Iberis sempervirens	12/18	8-10”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate growing. Clustered, large white flowers in late spring to early summer. Shear hard after flowering to promote compact growth. E
Catmint, Blue Wonder Nepeta x faassenii	12/18	12”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate growing. Soft lavender flowers in summer. A loose sprawling plant with aromatic, fuzzy gray leaves.
Creeping Lilyturf Liriope spicata	8/12	8-10”	Part Sun, Shade	Rapid growing. Deep green grass-like foliage with pale violet flowers in late summer. Trim old foliage in spring.
Creeping Phlox Phlox subulata	10/15	4-6”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate growing, mat forming. Outstanding display of color when hundreds of tiny five-petaled flowers in white, pink or blue appear in early to mid-spring.
Deadnettle, White Nancy Lamium maculatum	10/15	6-8”	Part Sun, Shade	Rapid growing. Hooded white flowers in spring to summer. Spreading clumps of green leaves are cream colored along the midrib. Tolerant of dry shade once established.
Geranium, Striatum Geranium sanguineum var. lancastriense	12/18	12”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate growing. Lilac rose flowers with crimson veining. Heavy bloom in June, then intermittent bloom throughout the summer.
Hosta Hosta	12/18	6-14”	Part Sun, Shade	Moderate to rapid growing. There are hundreds of varieties in colors ranging from chartreuse to green to blue and in many different combinations.
Houttuynia, Chameleon Houttuynia cordata ‘Variegata’	8/12	6-9”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Rapid growing. White flowers in early summer. Dark green leaves edged with red and yellow. Can tolerate moist to wet soils. An aggressive spreader.
Irish Moss, Golden Sagina subulata ‘Aurea’	8/12	1-2”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate growing. Dense moss-like tufts of golden foliage. Small, white star-shaped flowers. Tolerates heavy foot traffic.
Leadwort Ceratostigma plumbaginoides	8/10	8-12”	Part Sun, Shade	Moderate growing. Cobalt blue flowers in late summer to fall. Rich red fall color. Intolerant of wet soils. Mulch with evergreen boughs during the winter.
Lily-of-the-Valley Convallaria majalis	10/15	6-9”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate growing. Fragrant, white bell-shaped flowers in spring amidst dark green foliage. Tolerates moist soils.
Mazus Grass, Blue-flowered Mazus reptans	6/10	2”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate growing. Purplish blue flowers in May. The leaves lay flat on the ground and the stems root where they touch the ground. Will tolerate light foot traffic. Prefers well-drained soil.
Moneywort Lysimachia nummularia	8/12	2-4”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate growing. Forms a dense mat of small green leaves. Yellow flowers in spring to summer. A creeping plant which roots at the nodes of the trailing stems. An aggressive spreader.
Ornamental Strawberry Fragaria	10/15	6-12”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate to rapid growing. Bright pink flowers top a dense mat of shiny dark green leaves. Flowers in early summer. Bears small sweet fruit.
Pachysandra, Green Sheen Pachysandra terminalis	6/8	3”	Part Sun, Shade	Slow to moderate growing. Compact plant with very glossy green foliage. May burn in full sun situations, yet more heat tolerant than other varieties. E
Pachysandra, Silver Edge Pachysandra terminalis	6/8	4-6”	Part Sun, Shade	Moderate growing. Attractive, glossy green foliage edged in silver. Helps brighten shady areas in the garden. May burn in full sun situations.
Pachysandra, Variegated Pachysandra terminalis	6/8	4-8”	Part Sun, Shade	Moderate growing. Small white flowers in spring. Attractive variegated foliage. Prefers moist well-drained soil. Attractive foliage brightens shady locations. E
Veronica, Waterperry Blue Veronica	8/12	5”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate growing. Dense, creeping mat of tiny, shiny, burgundy-tinted leaves with small lavender blue flowers in May-June with small pale purple flowers in late spring. Deer resistant. Will naturalize.
Stonecrop Sedum acre	10/15	2”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate to rapid growing. Forms a loose mat of green succulent foliage. Bears tiny yellow flowers in summer. Prefers well-drained garden soil, but will tolerate poor dry soil. Very hardy.
Stonecrop, Kamtschatka Sedum kamtschaticum	6/10	6-9”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate growing, mat forming. Pink buds opening to golden yellow flowers in summer. Easy to grow in lean well-drained soil. Drought tolerant. Suitable for rock gardens.
Stonecrop, Red Carpet Sedum spurium	10/15	2-6”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Rapid growing, mat forming. Red flowers in late spring. A good choice for borders or edging. Drought tolerant.
Sweet Woodruff Galium odoratum	10/15	6-8”	Part Sun, Shade	Moderate growing. A sprawling plant with many slender stems with whorls of linear leaves. Tiny white fragrant flowers in late spring. Prefers moist well-drained soil.
Thyme, Red Creeping Thymus serpyllum var. coccineus	8/12	3”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Moderate growing. Bright red flowers in late spring. A spreading perennial with an aromatic mint-like scent. Thrives in poor dry soils. Plant among paving stones or in the rock garden.
Thyme, Woolly Thymus pseudolanuginosus	8/12	4”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Slow growing. Rosy purple flowers in summer. The aromatic, fuzzy gray leaves are evergreen. Best used among rockery or between paving stones where it won’t be crowded out by other more vigorous plants. E
Vinca, Sterling Silver Vinca minor	8/12	4-6”	Full Sun, Part Sun	Rapid growing. Blue flowers in spring. Leaves have creamy edges and green streaks. Flowers may remain through fall ceasing only during hot weather. E