Evergreen Plants for Ground Cover: A Complete Guide

Ground cover plants are essential for any garden or landscape They provide year-round foliage, help control erosion, and allow you to avoid mowing tricky slopes and hills Evergreen ground covers are especially useful since they maintain their leaves through the winter when most plants lose theirs.

When selecting evergreen ground cover there are a few important factors to consider

Hardiness Zone

Choose plants suited for your USDA plant hardiness zone Selecting species rated for colder zones than yours will help ensure the ground cover remains evergreen in your climate Hardiness zones range from 1 (coldest) to 13 (warmest),

Sun Exposure

Determine how much sun reaches the planting area. Most evergreen ground covers need full sun (at least 6 hours of direct light daily). Some do well in part shade or full shade. Select an appropriate variety.

Maintenance Level

Consider your available time for upkeep. Low-maintenance evergreen ground covers like creeping juniper require little care once established. More attention-demanding ones like English ivy need frequent pruning and monitoring to control spread.

Invasive Species

Research if the plant is invasive in your region before planting. Fast-growing evergreen ground covers can overtake native species. Avoid planting invasive varieties like English ivy where they can escape your property.

Growth Rate

Faster-growing evergreen ground covers like creeping Jenny quickly fill in bare spots. Slower-growing ones like candytuft take longer to establish but need less frequent pruning. Choose a growth rate that fits your goals.

Foliage and Flowers

Many evergreen ground covers like creeping thyme offer more than just green leaves. Look for varieties with colorful foliage, interesting leaf shapes, or showy blooms.

With those factors in mind, let’s look at some excellent evergreen plants for ground cover:

Bearberry

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is a low-maintenance broadleaf evergreen ground cover perfect for poor soils. It thrives in both full sun and dry shade. Small pink flowers bloom in spring. It grows just 4-6 inches tall but spreads steadily. Best for zones 3-7.

Creeping Juniper

With blue-green foliage, the aptly named creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) has a sprawling horizontal growth habit, making it a popular evergreen ground cover. It does well in zones 3-9. Prefers full sun and dry soil. Grows just 6-12 inches tall but can spread 6-8 feet wide.

Japanese Spurge

This shade-loving evergreen ground cover has leathery leaves and spreading rhizomatous roots that choke out weeds. Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis) does well in zones 4-8, growing 8-12 inches tall. Unfortunately, it is invasive in some regions.

Creeping Phlox

For full sun areas, few evergreen ground cover plants can compete with creeping phlox (Phlox subulata). This popular native plant produces carpets of pretty pastel flowers in spring. It grows 4-6 inches tall and spreads readily. Suited for zones 3-9.

Creeping Thyme

With tiny aromatic leaves, creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) adds fragrance and color between garden stones or along paths. Growing just 2-4 inches tall, this semi-evergreen plant does well in zones 4-9. It needs full sun and dry, sandy soil.

Snow-in-Summer

Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) is a low-growing evergreen perennial ground cover with gray-green woolly leaves and white flowers in late spring. It grows 4-8 inches tall and spreads 1-2 feet wide in zones 3-7 with full sun exposure.

Wintercreeper Euonymus

An adaptable broadleaf evergreen ground cover, wintercreeper euonymus (Euonymus fortunei) can tolerate anything from deep shade to full sun. It grows 6-9 inches tall but spreads widely. Over 20 cultivars offer different leaf shapes and colors. Hardy in zones 4-8.

English Ivy

Though aggressive and invasive in some regions, English ivy (Hedera helix) is still a popular evergreen ground cover due to its versatility. It handles full sun to deep shade and spreads quickly. Can reach 8-15 inches tall but spreads much wider. Best for zones 4-9.

Periwinkle

Also called creeping myrtle, periwinkle (Vinca minor) is loved for its shiny leaves and spring flowers. It grows 4-6 inches tall and aggressively spreads via runners. Periwinkle does well in zones 4-9. Appreciates afternoon shade in hot climates.

Sweet Woodruff

A semi-evergreen perennial, sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) works well as a ground cover in shady spots. It reaches 6-12 inches tall and spreads via rhizomes and self-seeding. Tiny white spring flowers have a sweet vanilla fragrance. Does best in zones 4-8.

Corsican Mint

Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) is a super low-growing semi-evergreen mint perfect between stepping stones or in rock gardens. At just 1/4 inch tall, it spreads vigorously, releasing a refreshing minty aroma when stepped on. Hardy in zones 6-9. Needs part shade and moist soil.

Spreading Cotoneaster

An evergreen shrub often used as a ground cover, spreading cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri) slowly creeps along the ground to up to 2 feet high. Small white flowers, red berries, and glossy leaves provide year-round interest. Grows well in zones 5-7 with full sun to part shade exposure.

Creeping Raspberry

A fast-spreading broadleaf evergreen, creeping raspberry (Rubus pentalobus) has pretty lobed leaves that start emerald and turn reddish in winter. It reaches 6-12 inches tall, spreads several feet wide, and produces edible berries. Hardy in zones 4-8.

Dragon’s Blood Stonecrop

A cold-hardy succulent ground cover, Dragon’s blood stonecrop (Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’) has vivid ruby red foliage that intensifies in cooler weather. Just 3-6 inches tall, it thrives in zones 4-9 with full sun and well-drained soil.

Dwarf Periwinkle

Reaching just 3-6 inches tall, this periwinkle species is less aggressive than regular periwinkle, making it a great evergreen ground cover option. Dwarf periwinkle (Vinca minor ‘Bowles’) does well in zones 4-8. Appreciates afternoon shade. Produces pretty blue flowers in spring.

Irish Moss

Irish moss (Sagina subulata) creates a lush emerald green carpet only 1-2 inches tall. Tiny white spring flowers cover the dense mat of foliage. A semi-evergreen plant, it does well in full sun and zones 4-8. Irish moss needs moist, well-drained soil.

Creeping Wire Vine

With glossy oval leaves on trailing stems, creeping wire vine (Muehlenbeckia axillaris) is a fast-growing evergreen ground cover for full sun or partial shade. It grows just 1-3 inches tall but spreads several feet wide. Hardy in zones 7-9. Needs little water once established.

Dichondra

This native ground cover grows just 2-4 inches tall and spreads steadily via above-ground runners (stolons) to form a lush carpet. Dichondra (Dichondra repens) has small, round, kidney-shaped leaves. It does well in zones 7-11 with full sun to part shade and weekly watering.

Snow-in-Summer

Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) is a low-growing evergreen perennial ground cover with gray-green woolly leaves and white flowers in late spring. It grows 4-8 inches tall and spreads 1-2 feet wide in zones 3-7 with full sun exposure.

Creeping Jenny

Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) is a fast-spreading evergreen ground cover with vibrant lime-colored leaves. It can be invasive, so plant where it won’t take over. Growing just 2-4 inches tall, it does well in zones 3-9. Needs moist soil and light shade.

Dwarf Mondo Grass

With striking black-purple grass-like foliage, this compact evergreen ground cover grows just 3-6 inches tall. Dwarf mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’) spreads by underground rhizomes to form a lush carpet in shady spots. Hardy in zones 6-11.

As you can see, many attractive evergreen options exist for ground cover, ranging from succulents and perennials to shrubs and vines. Evaluate your growing conditions, choose an appropriate low-maintenance variety, and reap the benefits of year-round foliage and erosion control these hardy plants provide. Your garden is sure to look its best when dressed in a beautiful evergreen plant ground cover.