Groundcovers: the Quick, the Evergreen, the Sunny & the Shady
Curious about groundcover selection?
We've got you covered.
This article will highlight some of our favorite groundcovers that grow quickly, are evergreen, happy in the sun, or sublime in the shade.
We've also linked some additional plant selection resources at the end of this article.
Planting projects should be planned with intention for each layer. Groundcovers can be difficult to select as they are often installed in tough areas, such as those with a lot of weeds, sun, or shade. Then there are a range of other factors to consider, like how likely are they to be tread on, what's the aesthetic goal, and how can wildlife be supported.
There is a Great Diversity of Groundcovers Native to the Pacific Northwest!
What is a Groundcover?
Groundcovers are low-growing plants with dense, often spreading, foliage. They are a necessary part of healthy planting projects and provide many ecosystem services!
Groundcovers are excellent:
- Weed suppressors,
- Habitat for birds, insects, and small mammals,
- Control for erosion, and
- Moisture retainers for soils.
Fast-growing Groundcover
Fragaria chiloensis, Coastal strawberry
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Moist to dry
Salinity tolerance: Low
Fire tolerance: High
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Leathery, somewhat evergreen perennial to 10 inches, spreads by runners
Bloom color: White
Very successful in coarse, poor soils characteristic of the early stages of restoration. It is competitive in disturbed, weedy sites and grows vigorously through the winter following fall planting in the Puget Sound area. It generally grows on sand dunes and sea bluffs, and it is well adapted to droughty, exposed conditions. We recommend it for erosion control projects because it spreads quickly and anchors the surface layer. Click here for more photographs of this species on the University of Washington Herbarium website.
Coastal strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) sends out runners and spreads rapidly to cover bare ground or woody mulch. This Washington coast native thrives in full sun or part shade, and produces delicious bright red fruit (try to harvest them in the morning before the birds eat them!). Coastal strawberry is semi-evergreen, with dark, glossy leaves that persist throughout the winter. This plant loves sandy, nutrient-poor soil and provides a beautiful, low maintenance alternative to ornamental strawberries.
To read more about strawberries as groundcover, checkout our new blog series Subbing Native Plants into my Landscape.
Evergreen Groundcover
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Kinnikinnik
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Moist to dry, well-drained
Salinity tolerance: Medium
Fire tolerance: Low
Transplanting success: Medium
Growth rate: Slow until established
Form: Evergreen shrub or groundcover to 8 inches, mat forming with stolons
Bloom color: Pinky-white
Once established, kinnikinnik withstands drought and full sun exposure and does best in coarse, low-nutrient soils. It is not competitive on richer sites. It is slow to start growing, so plant densely or intermix with a fast grower if quick coverage is important. After a year or two, kinnikinnik will spread more rapidly to form mats. We often recommend this species for erosion control projects in full sun. An important food plant for wildlife. "Kinnikinnik" is the longest palindrome (a word spelled the same forwards or backwards) in the English language. Click here for more photographs of this species on the University of Washington Herbarium website.
Kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is a mat-forming, low woody shrub that thrives in the rocky soils of the Olympic and Cascade mountains. Also, known as bearberry, this minute cousin of the Pacific madrone forms dense carpets that cascade over rock walls and terraces. Masses of delicate bell-shaped flowers appear in late spring, attracting hummingbirds. The red berries that develop over the summer persist into winter. In autumn, the leaves acquire a bronze cast. Kinnikinnik thrives in rocky or sandy, well-drained mineral soil and tolerates full sun to light shade. This plant grows slowly, but it will reward the patient gardener with a stunning, year-round, wildlife friendly groundcover.
Groundcover for Sun
Sedum oreganum, Oregon stonecrop
Exposure: Sun to partial shade
Soil moisture: Dry, moist okay if well drained
Salinity tolerance: Unknown
Fire tolerance: Unknown
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Herbaceous perennial to 6 inches, from rhizomes
Bloom color: Yellow
Sedums fill rocky and sunny niche habitats. They are a drought tolerant, evergreen, tough spreading ground-cover. Most species have brightly colored, persistent flowers. Sedums are a good drought-tolerant choice for filling in a site with well-drained soils, spreads mainly vegetatively. Click here for more photographs of this species on the University of Washington Herbarium website.
Groundcover for Shade
Oxalis oregana, Wood sorrel
Exposure: Partial shade to shade
Soil moisture: Moist to dry
Salinity tolerance: Unknown
Fire tolerance: Unknown
Transplanting success: High
Growth rate: Rapid
Form: Herbaceous perennial to 6 inches, from rhizomes
Bloom color: White
Wood sorrel is an easy to establish and rapidly spreading groundcover. They cover shady woodland areas, flexibly adapted to both dry and moist soil conditions, tolerating fairly dry soil if planted in the shade. It is one of our most robust groundcovers, but still has trouble in open, weedy sites. Click here for photographs of this species on the University of Washington Herbarium website.
Plant Selection Resources
We have an abundance of native plant information right here on our website. Linked below are some specific resources that may be helpful in the plant selection process. Remember, new content is always being published on our blog, so stay tuned!
Want more? There are other rich online resources. For our Pacific Northwest region, we recommend the Washington Native Plant Society, the Burke Herbarium, and OregonFlora websites.
Curious about a Consultation?
We are happy to offer our consultation services to individuals, corporations, and agencies alike! Our team has expertise in ecosystem services, invasive plant management, erosion control, rain gardens and green stormwater infrastructure, restoration of numerous native ecotypes, and more. If you need help selecting plants for your project, reach out!