Native Ground Covers for Beauty and Biodiversity at the Ground Level

by Heather McCargo

Groundcovers are low-growing plants that fill in quickly to make a dense carpet of foliage. Once established, they’ll crowd out weeds, provide year-round protection to the soil, and offer overwintering habitat for native fauna.

Ideally, a groundcover should include several species combined to create a beautiful tapestry of foliage and blooms, offering a long season of interest to humans and pollinators. Choose species with a similar growth rate (aggressiveness) for low-maintenance planting.

Below are some of my favorite groundcover combinations for a variety of growing conditions ranging from shade to sun. Once you’ve determined your site’s conditions, choose at least three to combine for your plantings.

For a visually dynamic planting and to create a more diverse habitat with safe places for birds and pollinators to forage and hide, include larger shrubs and trees.

Species marked with an * are tolerant of tough urban and roadside conditions such as infertile soil and salt spray.
Species marked with a # indicate an American plant native south or west of Maine.

Part to Full Shade for Large Sites

These four species are aggressive growers and make a great combination for large, low-maintenance shady sites. These species are too dominant for small landscapes, unless bordered by pavement or lawn:

• May-apple (Podophyllum peltatum) #
• Canada windflower (Anemone canadensis)
• Eastern hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula)
• Large-leaved wood-aster (Eurybia macrophylla)

Part to Full Shade with Medium Moisture and Moderately Fertile soils

• Canada wild ginger (Asarum canadense)
• Golden star (Chrysogonum virginianum) #
• Wild bleeding-heart (Dicentra eximia) #
• White wood-aster (Symphyotrichum divaricata)

Ferns:

• Creeping wood phlox (Phlox stolonifera) #
• Foam-flower (Tiarella cordifolia)
• Maidenhair fern (Adiantum peltatum)
• New York fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis)
• Lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
• Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilities)
• Allegany spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) #
• Golden groundsel (Packera aurea)
• Spreading Jacob’s-ladder (Polemonium reptans) #
• King Solomon’s-seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum)
• New England violet (Viola novae-angliae)

Part Shade, Moist to Dry Acid Soils (near spruce, firs, and pines)

• Bunchberry (Chamaepericlymenum canadense)
• Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
• Large-leaved wood-aster (Eurybia macrophylla)
• White wood-aster (Symphyotrichum divaricatus)
• Canada-mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)

Ferns:

• Eastern hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula)
• New York Fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis)
• Common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
• Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)

Full Sun and Dry Sandy or Gravelly Soil

• Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
• Sand/moss phlox (Phlox bifida, P. subulata) #
• Common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
• Bush-honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) *
• Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)
• Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) # *

Full to Part Sun for Medium Moisture and Fertile Soils

• Canada windflower (Anemone canadensis)
• Heart-leaved golden Alexanders (Zizia aptera) #
• Wild bleeding-heart (Dicentra eximia) #
• Spreading Jacob’s-ladder (Polemonium reptans) #

Note: In full sun with moist fertile soil, weeding will still be needed.

These Woody Shrubs Make Very Low-Maintenance Plantings.

Once again, combine several species with the same growing needs.

• Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
• Sweet-fern (Comptonia peregrina) *
• Bush-honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) *
• Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)
• Virginia-creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
• Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) # *
• Flowering raspberry (Rubus odoratus)
• Shrub yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima) #
• Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

Species with an * are tolerant of tough urban and roadside conditions such as infertile soil and salt spray.
Species with a # indicate an American plant native south or west of Maine.