Authors: Vijai Pandian and Lisa Johnson
Groundcover plants are low growing perennials that spread by trailing stems and cover an area of the ground. Groundcovers provide an excellent alternative for turfgrasses in shade and other tough areas in the landscape. Established groundcovers require relatively low maintenance, outcompete weeds, reduce soil erosion, provide habitat for pollinators, and enhance aesthetic beauty in the landscape.
However, groundcovers are not ideal for all site locations and are not totally maintenance free. Unlike lawn, most groundcovers will not withstand heavy foot traffic very well. Groundcovers require initial maintenance like irrigation, fertilization, mulching and weed control until they are fully established. Some groundcover plant species can be aggressive and may require trimming and edging from time to time to control their spread.
Below is a list of common groundcovers recommended for Wisconsin landscapes.
| Common Name | Botanical Name | Cultivars | Light Requirements | Cold Hardiness | Growth Habit (Height x Width) | Soil Condition | Other Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bugleweed, Carpetweed | Ajuga reptans | ‘Binblasca, ‘Bronze Beauty’, ‘Burgundy Glow’, ‘Catlin’s Giant’, ‘Princess Nadia’, ‘Carpet Bulge’, ‘Tropical Toucan’ | Shade, part shade | Zone: 4 | 3-8” x 8-24” | Moist, well-drained | Slow growth rate, small blue-purple tubular flowers in spikes, blooms in spring, pollinator friendly |
| Alpine Lady’s Mantle | Alchemilla alpina | Part sun to part shade | Zone: 3 | 2-3” x 12-18” | Average to dry | Deeply lobed star-like leaves with silvery edges, small clusters of tiny chartreuse flowers, tolerates light foot traffic | |
| Pussytoes, Catsfoot | Antennaria dioica | ‘Rubra’ (Pink Pussytoes) | Full sun | Zone: 3 | 0.5” x 1.5” | Dry | Slow growth rate, soft gray foliage, tiny white to pale pink flowers, blooms in late spring, takes heat well, tolerates light foot traffic |
| European wild ginger | Asarum europaeum | ‘Eco Choice’, ‘Eco Red Giant’ | Part shade to shade | Zone: 4 | 3-6” x 8-18” | Moist, well-drained | Slow to moderate growth rate, glossy dark green rounded leaves, semi-evergreen |
| Canada wild ginger | Asarum canadense | Part shade to shade | Zone: 4 | 6-12” x 12-18” | Moist, well-drained | Native to Wisconsin, moderate growth rate, small red triangular flower under the leaves, pollinator friendly, tolerates somewhat drier shade once established | |
| Serbian, Dalmatian Bellflowers | Campanula poscharskyana, C. portenschlagiana, | ‘Aurea’, ‘Blue Waterfall’, ‘Alba’ | Sun to part sun | Zone: 3 Zone: 4 | 2-5” x 12-20” | Average to moist well-drained to dry soils | Small heart-shaped leaves form a mat, purple starry bell-like flowers in late spring, tolerates some drought and very light foot traffic |
| Variegated Japanese sedge, | Carex ciliatomarginata | ‘Treasure Island’ (plant is usually sold as this cultivar only) | Light shade to shade | Zone: 5 | 2-4” x 12-20” | Average to moist | Wide, variegated low-growing and arching blades, needs fall or spring cleanup |
| Blue Sedge, Glaucous Sedge | Carex flacca | ‘Blue Zinger’, ‘Mini’ | Sun to part shade to shade | Zone: 4 | 8-10” x 12-24” | Moist, moist well-drained to drier sites (in shade) | Blue foliage, blades arching to laying horizontal |
| Pennsylvania Sedge | Carex pensylvanica | Shade | Zone: 3 | 6-12” x 6-12” | Dry | Native, moderate growth rate, grass-like blades, medium green, arching narrow leaves, spreads by rhizomes, pollinator friendly | |
| Creeping broadleafed Sedge | Carex siderosticha | ‘Banana Boat’,’Snow Cap | Full shade | Zone: 5 | 4-8” x 12-18” | Average to moist | ‘Banana Boat’; bright yellow and green variegated arching wide blades, will burn in sun, ‘Snow Cap’: white and dark green variegation, same growth habit |
| Dianthus (low growing cultivars only) | Dianthus caesius (gratianopolitanus), D. simulans, hybrids | Mountain Frost™ White Twinkle, ‘Fire Witch’, Cheddar pinks (various) | Sun to part sun | Zone: 4b | 2-6” x 12-18” | Average to dry soils, need good drainage | Slow growth rate, short grass-like leaves, some blue in color, white or dark pink long-blooming flowers with fringed edges (shear back stalks after bloom to re-bloom), some cultivars tolerate light foot traffic |
| Barrenwort, Bishop’s Hat | Epimedium sp. | ‘Violaceum’, ‘Crimson Beauty’, ‘Lilac Fairy’, ‘Nanum’, ‘Rose Queen’, ‘White Queen’, X rubrum, ‘Sulphureum’ | Shade, part shade | Zone: 4 | 8-12” x 18-24” | Dry, moist well-drained | Slow growth rate, co-exists with tree roots in dry shaded areas, heart- shaped leaves, blooms in late spring, attractive fall color in a few species |
| Purple leaf Wintercreeper | Euonymus fortunei | ‘Coloratus’ | Part sun, part shade | Zone: 4 | 8” x 12” | Moist, well-drained | Moderate to fast growth rate, evergreen, foliage turns purplish bronze in fall |
| Cranesbill | Geranium sp. | ‘Biokovo’, ‘Karmina’, ‘Ballerina’, ‘Claridge Druce’ ‘Striatum’ sanguineum ‘Nanum’ | Sun, part sun part shade | Zone: 4 | 6-8” x 12-24” | Moist, well-drained | Moderate growth rate, blooms late spring to summer, light pink to magenta flowers pollinator friendly, good fall color, some tolerate very light foot traffic |
| Sweet woodruff | Galium odoratum | Shade, part shade | Zone: 4 | 3-6” x 8-12” | Moist, well- drained | Moderate to fast growth rate, fragrant white flowers in early spring, star-shaped foliage, not tolerant of dry shade | |
| English Ivy | Hedera helix | ‘Thorndale’, ‘Wilsonii’ | Full sun, shade, part shade | Zone: 4 | 6-8” x 12-18” | Moist, Well-drained | Fast growth rate, evergreen foliage |
| Candytuft | Iberis sempervirens | ‘Snowflake’ | Full sun | Zone: 3 | 8-12” x 18-24” | Average well-drained to dry | Moderate growth rate, clusters of white flower late spring to early summer, does not tolerate wet soils |
| Hosta (dwarf stoloniferous varieties only) | Hosta sp. | ‘Blue Mouse Ears’, ‘Lemon-Lime’, ‘Thumb Nail’ | Shade, part shade | Zone: 3 | 2-6” x 12-24” | Moist, well-drained | Slow to moderate growth rate, may tolerate drier shade once established, flower scapes are taller than leaves |
| Lamium, Spotted deadnettle | Lamium maculatum | ‘Beacon silver’, ‘Aureum’, ‘Chequers’, ‘Ghost’, ‘Orchid Frost’, ‘Red Nancy’, ‘Shell Pink’, ‘White Nancy’ | Shade, part shade | Zone: 3 | 8-12” x 18-24” | Moist, well-drained | Fast growth rate, aggressive, variegated silver or gold foliage, clusters of pink, purple, or white flowers in spring |
| Moneywort | Lysimachia nummularia | ‘Aurea’ | Part sun, part shade, shade | Zone: 3 | 1-2” x 18-24” | Moist, well drained | Fast growth rate, yellow flowers in early summer, ‘Aurea’ -yellow leaves. Will tolerate morning sun if moisture is sufficient. Tolerates light foot traffic. Note: The all-green form (but not this gold-leaved form) is on the WI DNR invasive plants list |
| Mazus | Mazus reptans | Part shade, part sun | Zone 5 | 1-2” x 18-24” | Moist, well drained to moist | Low ground-hugger, tolerates light foot traffic, does not tolerate dry soil, pale purple three-lobed flowers in late spring | |
| Golden Oregano | Origanum vulgare | ‘Aureum’ | Full sun, part sun | Zone 4 | 6-8” x 12-20” | Moist, well-drained | Moderate growth rate, golden foliage, lavender flowers in summer, also has culinary use, will tolerate some drought once established |
| Moss phlox | Phlox subulata | ‘Emerald Pink’, ‘Emerald Blue’, ‘Purple Beauty’, ‘Snowflake’, | Full sun | Zone: 4 | 3-6” x 8-24” | Moist, well-drained | Moderate growth rate, carpet of blooms in late spring |
| Creeping Phlox | Phlox stolonifera | ‘Sherwood Purple’ | Part shade, shade | Zone: 5 | 2-6” x 12-24” | Average to moist, well-drained, not tolerant of dry shade | Oval leaves on reddish ground-hugging stems, purple pinwheel-like blooms on 6” flower stalks, good bloomer in shade for spring |
| Allegheny spurge, mountain pachysandra | Pachysandra procumbens | Part shade, shade | Zone: 5 | 6-10” x 12-18” | Average to moist, to drier soils | U.S. native, tolerates some drought when established, slow growth rate, green to mottled silver leaves, 4” tall spikes of white fragrant flowers in late spring | |
| Pachysandra, Japanese spurge | Pachysandra terminalis | ‘Green Carpet’, ‘Variegata’, ‘Silveredge’ | Shade, part shade | Zone:4 | 6-8” x 12-18” | Moist, well-drained | Slow growth rate, evergreen, spikes of white flowers in late spring |
| Dwarf Solomon’s Seal | Polygonatum humile | Part shade, shade | Zone: 5 | 6-8” x 12-18” | Moist, well-drained | Slow to moderate growth rate, bell-like creamy white flowers in late spring, intolerant of dry shade | |
| Alpine Cinquefoil | Potentilla neumanniana | ‘Nana’ | Full sun, part shade | Zone: 3 | 3-6” x 8-12” | Average well-drained to dry | Slow to moderate growth rate, yellow flowers in spring, salt tolerant, not tolerant of heavy clay or moist soils |
| Self-heal, heal-all | Prunella vulgaris ssp. lanceolata | ‘Magdalena’ (6” x 12”), ‘Under the Sea’ | Full sun, part shade | 12-24” but can keep mowed to 3” tall x 8-15” | Moist, well-drained | Native, great for attracting bees, blooms June-August, purple flowers, moderate growth rate, may be aggressive in moist shade, deer resistant | |
| Rock Soapwort | Saponaria ocymoides | Full sun, part sun | Zone 2 | 4-6” x 12-18” | Dry to average | Semi-evergreen, slow to moderate growth rate, likes slightly alkaline soils, does not tolerate heavy clay, tolerates some drought once established, bright pink flowers in spring-summer, after flowering shear back by half to encourage more branching and re-flowering, intolerant of wet heavy soils | |
| Stonecrop | Sedum sp. | Aureum’, ‘Coral Carpet’, ‘Green Ice’, ‘Murale’, Bertram Anderson’, ‘Bailey’s Gold’ | Full sun | Zone: 3 | 1-3” x 8-18” | Dry, well-drained soil | Slow growth rate, evergreen succulents, blooms mid- to late summer, pollinator friendly, not tolerant of heavy clay or moist soils |
| Lamb’s ear | Stachys byzantina | ‘Cotton Boll’, ‘Big Ears’ ‘Silver Carpet’ | Full sun, part sun | Zone: 3 | 6-8” x 18-24” | Dry, well-drained to average soils | Moderate growth rate, very fuzzy silvery foliage, spikes of purple, or fuzzy silver flowers in early summer |
| Dwarf Germander | Teucrium chamaedrys | ‘Nanum’ | Full sun, part sun | Zone: 5 | 4-8” | Dry, well-drained to average soils | Semi-woody stems, moderate to fast spread, not tolerant of moist soils or much shade, purple flowers in summer |
| Creeping Thyme | Thymus sp. | ‘Doone Valley’, ‘Coccineus’, ‘Pink Chintz’, ‘ Purple Carpet’, ‘Elfin’, ‘Dorothy Klaber’, ‘Mother-of-Thyme’, Wooly thyme | Full sun (preferred) to part sun | Zone: 4 | 1-6” x 8-24” | Dry, well-drained | Slow to moderate growth rate, aromatic foliage, pink, purple, white or red flowers in early summer, very pollinator friendly, tolerates light foot traffic |
| Dutch White Clover | Trifolium repens | Full sun, part sun, part shade | Zone: 3 | 3-5” x 12-24” | Forms a mat, takes foot traffic, pollinator friendly, creamy white flowers May to September | ||
| Verbena | xhybrida | ‘Lizzie’ | Full sun, part sun | Zone: 5 | 6-8” x 18-24” | Average to dry | Forms a solid mat, fast to moderate growth rate, magenta pink 1.5” flower clusters, in full sun will bloom late May to October, pollinator friendly |
| Speedwell | Veronica sp. | ‘Tidal Pool’, ‘Waterperry Blue’, Crater Lake Blue’, ‘Trehane’, ‘Aztec Gold’, ‘Whitewater’, ‘Crystal Lake Blue’ | Full sun, part shade | Zone: 3 | 3-6” x 12-24” | Average to dry, | Fast to moderate growth rate, white to blue flowers in late spring |
| Barren Strawberry | Waldsteinia ternata | Sun, part shade | Zone: 3 | 6-8” x 18-24” | Dry moist, well-drained | Strawberry-like plant, moderate growth rate, yellow flowers in mid spring to early summer, evergreen, inedible fruits |
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