Asked by: Vitores Cabareda,
home and garden landscaping

What kind of ground cover grows in the shade?

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As ground covers for shade go, pachysandra is perfect for these areas because it can cover the ground under the bushes and prevent weeds and other things from growing, giving your foundation garden a neat look. Ajuga – A great creeping evergreen plant that quickly fills in empty areas is ajuga.


Besides, what is the fastest growing ground cover plant?

Creeping Jenny is a fast grower, and thyme will gain about half its size by the next year, but really how fast any plant spreads depends upon how well it likes the conditions.

Similarly, what is the best ground cover for under trees? Some good choices for ground cover plants under trees include:
  • Lungwort.
  • Foamflower.
  • Creeping juniper.
  • Liriope/monkey grass.
  • Periwinkle.
  • Pachysandra.
  • Wild violets.
  • Hosta.

Additionally, what is the best low maintenance ground cover?

The Best Low-Maintenance Ground Covers for Your Garden

  • Heuchera. 1/11. An evergreen perennial, heuchera is known for its vibrant foliage, which ranges in color from silver to green to brown.
  • Honeysuckle. 2/11.
  • Brass Buttons. 3/11.
  • Creeping Phlox. 4/11.
  • Creeping Jenny. 5/11.
  • Stonecrop. 6/11.
  • Vinca Minor. 7/11.
  • Lamium. 8/11.

What do you put under trees where grass won't grow?

Landscaping ideas without grass

  1. Lay bricks, wood or cement over the area to make a patio.
  2. Swap in artificial turf where grass won't grow.
  3. Add woodchip mulch, particularly in grassless areas under trees, for a cleaner look.
  4. Create a small garden with flowers or shrubs.
  5. Cover the area with rocks or pebbles.

Related Question Answers

Adelardo Brull

Professional

What is the easiest ground cover to grow?

Best, Fast-Growing Ground Cover Plants
  • Trailing Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
  • Dragon's Blood (Red Sedum)
  • Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)
  • Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
  • Mazus (Mazus reptans)
  • Tufted Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera)
  • Creeping Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum coccineus)

Sherri El Kadiri

Professional

What ground cover will choke out weeds?

The Dragon's blood sedum or Schorbuser Blut is considered the most versatile and toughest ground cover that can choke out weeds. Similar to creeping jenny, this type of ground cover also has stems that easily root, so it's fast to proliferate. A dragon blood sedum is an all year-round charmer.

Ginger Ekmann

Professional

Will Ajuga choke out other plants?

Once established, ground covers control soil erosion and form an attractive foliage blanket across your yard. These low-lying plants do not choke out other species, but they can hinder their growth with proper maintenance, especially during establishment.

Josette Autin

Explainer

What is the best ground cover to prevent weeds?

5 Effective Groundcovers That Combat Weeds
  • Ice Plant (Delosperma sp.) Ice plant is an outstanding succulent performer in locations characterized by full sun and well-drained, dry soils.
  • Stonecrop (Sedum rupestre)
  • Leadwort (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides)
  • Creeping Raspberry (Rubus hayata-koidzumii –formerly, calycinoides)
  • Lysimachia nummularia (Creeping Jenny)

Efrain Keutgens

Explainer

What can I plant on a steep bank?

Some plants that work well on slopes include:
  • Burning Bush.
  • Fragrant Sumac.
  • Japanese Yew.
  • California Lilac.
  • Creeping Juniper.
  • Dwarf Forsythia.
  • Snowberry.
  • Siberian Carpet Cypress.

Ferran Rontgen

Explainer

What plant spreads the fastest?

The world record for the fastest growing plant belongs to certain species of the 45 genera of bamboo, which have been found to grow at up to 91 cm (35 in) per day or at a rate of 0.00003 km/h (0.00002 mph). According to the RHS Dictionary of Gardening, there are approximately 1,000 species of bamboos.

Roseli Hopci

Pundit

How fast does creeping phlox spread?

Like other ground covers,creeping phlox takes a few years to reach maturity -- about two years on average, according to the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension. This means it grows an average of about an inch per month.

Beatris Kulubiz

Pundit

Is Creeping Jenny invasive?

Once established, Creeping Jenny grows and recovers quickly. Some consider this plant to be invasive, so don't leave to its own devices for too long or it will overtake a garden. Or, if spreading is a concern, try growing as a trailing, complimentary plant in a container or along the edge of a raised bed.

Pancho Doukkali

Pundit

What can I plant in shade instead of grass?

Eco-Friendly Alternatives to a Grassy Lawn
  • Groundcovers. Groundcovers sprawl across the ground but don't grow tall, eliminating the need to mow, providing the perfect alternative to grass.
  • Corsican Mint.
  • Creeping Thyme.
  • Clover.
  • Ornamental Grasses.
  • Evergreen Moss.
  • Native Perennial Beds.
  • Artificial Turf.

Ludibia Barros

Pundit

How do I keep my ground cover from spreading?

If not restricted, many ground covers will advance beyond the area you've allotted for them. If the plant spreads by underground stems or by rooting along stems that touch the soil, you may be able to control it by trimming the planting's edges with pruning or hedge shears or with a rotary mower.

Kanta Chyrgal-Ool

Pundit

What is a good ground cover for a steep bank?

Cotoneaster – a fast growing evergreen that lives for years and requires little care. Each bush can cover a six foot circle in just a few years. Junipers – several low growing varieties that make great ground cover for a hill. Planted closely, they'll form a dense mat in a couple of years.

Antoliana Luizaga

Teacher

Will creeping phlox grow in the shade?

In spring, creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) blooms create cascading drifts of pink and white flowers that look like pools of soft color in the garden. Also called moss phlox, this 3- to 6-inch-tall flowering ground cover grows well in sun or light shade.

Massinissa Bashkov

Teacher

What is the best ground cover for full sun?

10 Best Ground Covers for Full Sun
  • 03 of 10.
  • 04 of 10.
  • Yellow Alyssum (Aurinia saxatilis) David Beaulieu.
  • 06 of 10. Silver Mound Artemisia (Artemisia schmidtiana)
  • 07 of 10. Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)
  • 08 of 10. Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)
  • Angelina Sedum (Sedum rupestre 'Angelina') David Beaulieu.
  • 10 of 10. Creeping Thyme (Thymus sp.)

Tian Lopez Bravo

Teacher

Is garden phlox invasive?

Tall garden phlox is a very popular well behaved late season blooming perennial but its evil twin with the same five-petal flower arrangement is highly invasive.

Nawel Mochulov

Reviewer

How deep do hosta roots grow?

Hostas are not deep rooting -- their roots are more likely to spread horizontally, which makes the width of the planting hole slightly more important than the depth. A planting hole that's 12 to 16 inches deep is sufficient. Make the width of the planting hole at least one-and-a-half times the size of the mature clump.

Quan Korfgen

Reviewer

What are some low growing perennials?

Top 10 Low Maintenance Perennials
  • Sedum. (Sedum species, Zones 3 to 10)
  • Agastache. (Agastache species, Zones 5 to 11)
  • Coreopsis. (Coreopsis species, Zones 3 to 9)
  • Pasque Flower. (Pulsatilla vulgaris, Zones 4 to 8)
  • Hens-and-chicks. (Sempervivum tectorum, Zones 3 to 8)
  • Yucca. (Yucca filamentosa, Zones 4 to 10)
  • Yarrow. (Achillea species, Zones 3 to 9)
  • Penstemon.

Tasawar Eberts

Reviewer

What kind of grass grows under trees?

With proper care and determination, you can successfully grow grass under a tree. Choosing shade-tolerant grasses such as fine fescue is about the only way to ensure the healthy growth of grass under trees. The grass seeds should be sown in early spring or fall and watered daily.

Dobri Katka

Reviewer

Is it OK to plant flowers around a tree?

What about planting flowers around a tree? Not a good idea, Taylor says. Any time you dig in a tree's root zone — especially in the area under its branches — you are slicing the roots it needs to survive. If you plant annual flowers under a tree, you will be cutting many roots every time you plant, year after year.

Garcia Sroczynsk

Supporter

What do you put under trees?

DO mulch when establishing plantings beneath a tree.
Adding two to three inches of mulch around the base of new plants will help keep moisture in the soil so you won't have to water constantly. Use either commercial mulch, such as pine straw or wood chips, or recycled dried leaves.