The evergreen ground cover plants are those planted to fill a vacant space in the yard or landscape. By planting these fast-growing ground cover plants, you can transform your landscape into a rich display of colorful plants with various textures and leaf shapes. They are the best solution for sprucing up difficult areas around and under the trees, and in transitional locations along a home’s foundation and pathways. They are the best for adding visual impact to the vast areas in your yard. The evergreen ground cover plants are perennials that provide a seasonal show of colors, fruits, and flowers.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. WHEN TO PLANT EVERGREEN GROUND COVER
For the best results, it is preferable to plant the evergreen ground cover plants in spring or early summer. Planting them during this time of year enable to get well-rooted plants. The ground cover plants are with low-growing foliage or flowering plants. They spread fast and are the best choice for covering a hard to plant area. Some evergreen ground cover plants are short. But they rapidly grow and spread to cover the difficult areas.
In case your property or landscape is on a slope, the water rushing over it during rain can cause soil erosion. However, if your landscape is covered by ground cover plants, the plant roots will hold the soil and prevent soil
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erosion. This helps to hold the topsoil in place and saves the soil nutrients from leaching. By having cover plants, you can safeguard the fertility of the soil. Evergreen ground cover plants are the best to cover hard space such as terraces and walls to keep the soil intact.
There are different types of ground cover plants, Some grow well in sun, some in shady areas, and some grow well in a combination of both.You can opt for a ground cover that forms a carpet of delicate blooms, or robust, attractive, low-growing greenery.
2. HOW TO GROW GROUND COVER PLANTS?
When you choose an evergreen ground plant for your landscape, choose only perennials, since annuals do not return the next year. Also, you have to choose between a herbaceous perennial that dies back in winter and an ever green perennial based on your situation. Some may choose both for their landscape. It may be better to choose two over one ground cover plant. The ground cover plants grow fast and form a thick mass of roots where weeds cannot grow. So having a ground cover helps to prevent weed growth.
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3. WHAT ROLE DOES LIGHT PLAY?
When you choose a ground cover plant for an area, consider the availability of sunlight. If there are trees nearby, they shade the area where the ground cover plants grow. You cannot grow ground cover plants that need more sunlight in a shady area where they cannot grow properly. Full sun plants require six to eight hours of sun. Check the light at different times of the day to assess the availability of light in the area you plan to have the ground cover. Most shade-loving ground cover plants thrive well in a gentle morning sunshine or filtered afternoon rays.
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4. WHAT ROLE DOES SOIL PLAY
Soil is the medium where plants grow. Therefore, the soil you grow the ground cover plants should be healthy. Some ground cover plants grow well in lean, rocky soils. Others need rich, fertile soil for their best growth. Amend the soil according to the need of the plant. Clay soil is poor for plant growth as it retains water. Also, you may have to change soil texture by adding gravel or organic matter. Based on soil quality you have to choose the right evergreen ground cover plant.
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5. IS PLANNING NECESSARY?
It is essential to research about ground cover plant species before planting them. You can find various resources online that provide ‘How to Grow’ ideas and other necessary information. A well-planned approach can help you grow the best evergreen ground cover that adds to the beauty of your landscape that prevents weed growth and control soil erosion. The evergreen ground cover plants are great for filling underdeveloped areas of your yard with lush, green foliage. They grow fast and fill the vacant area making your property adorable.
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HOW WE REVIEWED
Various features of ground cover plants, such as tolerance to light, shade, temperature, soil type, terrain, etc. were all taken into consideration.
WHAT WE REVIEWED
We reviewed ten evergreen ground cover plants namely Asiatic Jasmine, Trailing Periwinkle, Liriope, Dragon’s Blood, Carpet Junipers, Creeping Phlox, Adrisia, Golden Creeping Jenny, Mazus, and Bearberry.
ASIATIC JASMINE
Asiatic jasmine is a woody evergreen ground cover. Can be grown in a variety of spaces. It is great in mass plantings or can even be planted as a replacement for grass in low or no traffic areas and doesn’t require much sunlight. It is perfect to use around trees, can out-compete any weed and there are many beautiful varieties are available. Some make incredible accents in container plantings. Perfect replacement for a lawn that has affected by trees. Grows to 3? wide. Place plants 1 1/2 feet apart. It will take 1 to 2 growing seasons for them to fill in. These plants can tolerate full sun, but some prefer mild sun to part shade.
FEATURES
- Can grow in shade
- Can be grown around trees
- Weed resistant
TRAILING PERIWINKLE
Trailing Periwinkle is an evergreen ground cover plant that yields beautiful, fragrant blossoms. Grows and spreads fast. So it needs monitoring. Periwinkle is ideal for a ground cover. It grows strong and dense in full sunlight and also in full or partial shade. This makes it an excellent plant to place around trees or on top of a rock wall where it will cascade down like a waterfall.
FEATURES
- Can grow both in sunlight and shade.
- Can grow around trees.
- Can grow on rock-wall for decorative cascade-like growth.
LIRIOPE/MONDO GRASS
If you’re looking for a tough and drought-tolerant plant cover, look no further. Liriope, also called Monkey grass or lilyturf makes a great border ground cover plant. It is a perennial that can grow and spread fast. They grow it both as a border plant or a ground cover. It is very tolerant to dry conditions. For propagation of monkey grass, lift them in late autumn or early spring and pull them apart. Be sure that each portion contains at least one rootstock. Mainly grown for the attractive ribbon-like leaves that are both plain and variegated. It grows well in semi-shade and in plenty of sunlight. Mondo grass can tolerate almost anything, including deer, but needs adequate moisture.
FEATURES
- Drought-resistant.
- Grows and spreads fast.
- Great for border cover.
DRAGON’S BLOOD
Dragon’s blood is a beautiful, evergreen ground cover plant. It is a perennial and grows well in bright sunlight. It boasts a beautiful deep red color as it absorbs more sunlight. It grows about 8-inches in height. Growth is quick, and it and spreads fast throughout your yard. Dragon’s Blood is a hardy ground cover plant and will tolerate dry soil and fluctuations in temperature.
FEATURES
- A Perennial, evergreen ground cover plant.
- Grows and spreads fast.
- Tolerates dry soil and fluctuations in temperature.
CARPET JUNIPERS
Carpet Juniper is a drought-tolerant evergreen ground cover. It grows well on sunny slopes. Once fully grown, it craves for fast drainage. Since many other plants find it difficult to thrive on sunny slopes, where the water runs off fast making the plants go thirsty, growing carpet junipers can be a good option to cover the area. It shows a centered growth habit. It prefers well-drained soil. The flashy silver-blue evergreen tendrils create a dense, low-maintenance mat that is ideal for any landscape that requires an evergreen ground cover. It is drought tolerant and, resistant to deer and pests.
FEATURES
- Drought-tolerant.
- Grows well on sunny slopes.
- Resistant to deer and pests.
CREEPING PHLOX
Creeping Phlox is a perennial, low-lying semi-evergreen ground cover plant. It blossoms in an array of outstanding colors of red, lavender, pink, white or bluish-purple. They have needle-like foliage with small starry, five-pointed flowers. It blooms in spring and produces long, spreading stems, which become woody with age. It spreads fast and needs regular trimming if grown along a pathway or as a border cover. When it isn’t in bloom, creeping phlox has tiny green leaves that transforming into a blanket of colors when it blooms again.
FEATURES
- Grows and spreads fast.
- Tolerant to local conditions.
- Blooms with outstanding colors.
ARDISIA
Ardisia japonica, commonly known as Japanese Ardisia or marlberry, is a low-growing, coarsely textured, woody, evergreen shrub. This evergreen ground cover spreads by underground runners to produce a succession of upright stems rising to about 8-12″ tall. The stems have leaves that are thick, glossy, leathery, opposite or sub-whorled, elliptic or lanceolate shape. The leaves are densely concentrated near the end of branches. Ardisia spreads rapidly spread by suckers to form a dense evergreen ground cover on shady areas of the landscape. Shows fast growth and blooms in July-August
FEATURES
- Grows and spreads fast.
- Can grow on shady areas.
- Controls soil erosion.
GOLDEN CREEPING JENNY
Golden Creeping Jenny is a rugged, evergreen ground cover plant that thrives well in wet areas. While it will grow in partial shade, planting it in an area with full sun will provide you with more vibrant colors. It has long trailing stems, round chartreuse leaves, and vibrant yellow flowers. It can quickly cover large areas, choking out weeds and pulling out roots along its stems.
FEATURES
- Rugged ground cover plant.
- Thrives well in wet areas.
- Grows and spreads fast.
- Chokes out the weeds.
MAZUS
Mazus is a perennial evergreen ground cover plant that requires low maintenance. It is a very tiny perennial plant, growing only two inches tall. This plant performs best when planted in partial shade but will also grow in full shade. If planted in mild climates, it will remain green throughout the year and will bloom in early spring. If you live in a tropical environment, it’s essential to keep the mazus moist during hot weather. Mazus is an evergreen ground cover plant. It forms a dense mat of foliage that stays green throughout spring, summer, fall. In summer, it blooms with tiny blue flowers.
FEATURES
- A sturdy ground cover plant.
- Forms a dense mat of foliage that stays green throughout spring, summer, and fall.
BEARBERRY
is a slow-growing, hardy, evergreen ground cover plant. They plant bearberry in dry, sandy, and rocky soils. It typically grows to a height of between 6 and 12-inches, and about 3 to 6-feet in width. It blooms in early spring with miniature, drooping, white or pink flowers, transitioning into rounded, berry-like fruits in August and September. This plain-looking little ground cover preferred by landscapers and homeowners who need a low-growing perennial evergreen ground cover that requires little care.
Bearberry grows groups of cherry-red berries that measure just under a 1/2 inch across. Most wildlife consume these berries. The plant gets the name bearberry because the bears absolutely love the berries.
FEATURES
- Preferred by most landscapers and homeowners.
- Sturdy ground cover plants.
- Berries loved by wildlife, particularly by bears.
Comparison Table
CONCLUSION
The evergreen ground cover plants help to cover the vacant place in your yard and landscapes. There are different evergreen ground cover plants for you to choose from. Based on the availability of light, climatic and, soil conditions, you can choose the right plant for your area. The evergreen ground cover plants help to prevent soil erosion and for weed control. They yield food for wildlife and habitat for birds to nest. Besides, the assorted colors enhance the appeal of your yard and landscape. Buy your choice evergreen ground cover plant from Amazon or other plant stores today.
