Types of Ground Cover Plants

Ground covers are plants that, as their name implies, grow low and spread rapidly to blanket the ground with a sea of green or color. They are typically used in areas where grass won't do, such as slopes or embankments or shady areas under trees. They also provide an alternative to the traditional neatly manicured lawn, although in most cases they can't be walked on. In addition to beauty, their roots help prevent soil erosion.

Ivy

Ivy has received knocks for its being invasive, but if you have a large area of ground you need to quickly cover with something dense, lush and green, by all means give it a second look. Ivy grows well in virtually every climate, including ones with harsh winters, and it grows equally well in shade or sun. English ivy has small, dainty leaves, and the white variegated type offers leaves with mottled whites and greens. Ivy also is a climber, and that fact, coupled with its inherent invasiveness, makes ivy a good choice as a "solo" ground cover, with no other plants to compete with. Virginia Tech describes invasive plants as those that "exhibit rapid growth and maturity, are highly successful at self-propagating, and have the ability to compete and crowd out other plants."

Ice Plants

Ice plants have long been a popular ground cover choice in hot, dry climates. Ice plants are succulents, with thick leaves that are watery inside. There are many varieties of ice plants, with daisy-like flowers of all sizes, from the tiny red ones of the red apple Ice plant to the big, bold yellow blooms of the yellow ice plant. The latter are often seen as highway slope coverings in drier parts of California.

Crown Vetch

Crown vetch is a vigorous, perennial "legume" that quickly and efficiently covers large areas of land, including steep, rocky slopes. Often used on highway slopes, creeping vetch spreads through creeping stems that form dense mounds of vegetation. Crown vetch grows up to 2 feet tall and produces small, pea-like pink and white flowers during the summer months. It prefers full sun.

Creeping Juniper

Creeping juniper, a relative of the pine tree, is a woodsy evergreen with needle-shaped leaves. These plants prefer full sun and thrive in hot, dry areas. They are commonly used for slopes and banks and grow best if the ends of the main branches are clipped for two or three seasons after they are planted. This helps the plants build a dense branching system. Popular varieties include shore juniper, with a blue-green look, and the light gray-green Andorra. The flattest creeping junipers are the Blue Rug and Wilton Carpet varieties.

Creeping Phlox

Creeping phlox, also known as moss pink, can effectively cover patches of poor, bare soil, although it also is commonly used in rock gardens. The foliage is dense and flat, which in the spring or summer is covered with carpets of pink, purple or white flowers. Creeping phlox does best in full sun and dry soil. It is an evergreen in mild climates but may suffer from browning in areas were winters are harsh.

Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses are becoming increasingly popular as ground covers because of their windswept look and ease of care. Most grow in clumps that spread rapidly, forming a sea of bumps across slopes and embankments that get full sun. The most popular variety for ground cover is blue fescue, which forms blue-gray mounds that fare best in well-drained soils and, in warmer climates, remain in color year-round.

References

• Virginia Tech: Ground Covers
• The Garden Helper: Care and Cultivation of Ivy
• University of Illinois Extension: Ornamental Grasses