Have the soil tested and properly prepare the soil in terms of pH, nutrient levels, drainage, and aeration. Less than a foot high ground cover plants that are native to California. All parts of Viola sororia are edible.Host Plant Info: Supports Mid-Atlantic native bee pollen specialist Andrena violae; host to at least 27 butterfly and moth caterpillars.For More Information: The Friends of the Wild Flower Garden, Inc.; Xerces Society Plants for Pollinators: Violets, *Natural habitat information provided by the Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora. Light Requirement: Part Shade, ShadeSoil Moisture: MoistNatural Habitat: “Rich, mesic to dry-mesic upland forests and well-drained floodplain forests.”*Comments: A deciduous plant with fun-shaped leaves and an attractive, dense habit, wild ginger is perfect for the moist shade garden. Creeping phlox is great for areas that tend to erode easily and are considered to be deer resistant plants. Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic Learn about specific ground covers: Asarum canadense (Common or Canadian Wild Ginger) Chrysogonum virginianum (Green-and-Gold) Eurybia divaricata (White Wood Aster) Heuchera villosa (Hairy Alumroot) Iris cristata (Dwarf Crested Iris) Mitchella repens (Partridge-berry) Opuntia humifusa (Eastern Prickly-pear) Pachysandra … Deer and rabbits browse the foliage—but there never seems to be a shortage of leaves.Host Plant Info: Host to at least 32 different species of butterfly and moth caterpillars including our delightful hummingbird moths.More Information: Maryland Native Plant Society’s Wildflower in Focus; Virginia Tech Dept. These plants provide visual interest at a time when many other plants are completely dormant. The stems also root easily.Host Plant Info: Known as a host plant for four native caterpillars.More Information: Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, Light Requirement: Part Shade, ShadeSoil Moisture: MoistNatural Habitat: “Overall the species occurs in cove forests, mesic to dry-mesic slope forests, well-drained alluvial forests, and crevices of shaded rock outcrops. These are some common reasons why we choose ground covers: √  aesthetics√  erosion control√  lower maintenance√  weed suppression√  wildlife habitat. There are many other native beauties that can be used as ground covers to help improve this country of ours. Australian Native Ground Cover Range by Plant Native! Western bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa) likes shade, dies back to the ground in the winter and by mid-spring grows about 18 inches with hanging clusters of pink flowers. Trees, with their amazing root systems, are considered by ecologists as the best choice for erosion control. Another shade-loving native is the inside-out flower (Vancouveria hexandra). Native groundcover plants. And, as with all natives, you'll get the added benefit of helping pollinators. When I think about making America green again, I dream of filling in all those stark areas of unnaturally dyed mulch. Golden ragwort self-sows so vigorously that you don’t have to install many plants initially. The table below also includes information on a plant’s suitability for dry shade, its tolerance to slight foot traffic, and its resistance to deer. Copyright by Choose Natives 2020. Think trees! Green-and-gold spreads by rhizomes in optimum conditions which include well-drained soils. These low-growing ground cover plants are great for creating an alternative lawn, replacing patches of unused or difficult-to-mow areas, filling spaces between flagstone or pavers, or for creating a “living mulch.” Consider planting North American native plants as ground covers. The handsome flat, shiny leaves cover the ground, so most weeds can’t penetrate. It will creep into lawn. There are oodles of other benefits that trees provide. Native plants also require less water and fewer chemicals to maintain, which makes them better … Prairie dropseed gets only about 3 feet … 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 … It grows 1-3 feet, creeps by rhizomes and is considered aggressive by some growers. Wild ginger needs well-drained, rich soil; planting it in heavy clay may shorten its life. And locally native trees are the best choice, naturally. It’s an attractive ground cover that works well at the feet of taller plants.Host Plant Info: Supports Mid-Atlantic native bee pollen specialists Andrena ziziaeformis & Panurginus potentillae; hosts 14 native butterfly and moth caterpillars including the grizzled skipper.More Information: Sky Meadows Nature Guide; NC State Extension, Light Requirement: Sun, Part Shade, ShadeSoil Moisture: Moist, DryNatural Habitat: “Lawns, fields, roadsides, clearings, mesic to dry forests and woodlands, well-drained floodplain forests, limestone and dolomite barrens.”*Comments: Lyreleaf sage is adaptable to a lot of varying conditions. This species is undeniably more special: it was hybridized with a South American variety to produce the cultivated grocery store fruit we know and enjoy.Host Plant Info: Supports Mid-Atlantic native bee pollen specialist Andrena melanochroa; also host to at least 75 Lepidoptera caterpillars including the gray hairstreak butterfly and the grizzled skipper.More Information: Lake Forest College, Light Requirement: Part Shade, ShadeSoil Moisture: MoistNatural Habitat: “Floodplain forests, mesic to occasionally dry-mesic upland forests, seepage swamps, fens, seeps, stream banks, tidal swamps, and moist meadows; most frequent and numerous in moderately to strongly base-rich soils.”*Comments: This is the native plant that is most commonly recommended as an alternative to English ivy in shady locations. Aussie Crawl Read more. Bare soil is asking for trouble in a garden. Happy in poor soil, dwarf cinquefoil spreads relatively quickly by runners. The dainty masses of flowers attract tiny insects.Host Plant Info: None known.More Information: Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, Light Requirement: Sun, Part Shade, ShadeSoil Moisture: Moist, DryNatural Habitat: “Mesic to dry upland forests, woodlands, and well-drained alluvial forests; more characteristic of old fields, clearings, meadows, pastures, roadsides, and other open, disturbed habitats.”*Comments: Wild strawberry is a wonderful, underused perennial plant that spreads quickly by runners in shade or sun. The large basal leaves are tinged with purple. Native Plant Garden Certification; Plant Gallery and Plant ID; Join Us; Contact Us; Double Trillium Grandiflorium. Grevillea laurifolia. And it reseeds like the dickens. It will rapidly clamber up and over everything including trees, shrubs and idle husbands. Break of Day Read more. The charming golden ragwort is evergreen and has long-blooming bright yellow flowers that sit high above the basal leaves in late March. Take note that if deer are hungry enough no plant is safe from browsing. For although these ground-huggers are undeniably popular, we know that doesn’t mean they’re good choices for our gardens. Pay special attention to existing weeds, especially perennial types. Mulch is an option but for a longer term solution why not try one of these tried and tested native groundcover plants. Additionally, tree canopies will slow down heavy rains and help reduce storm runoff. Native plants that work well as groundcover range in height from a soil-hugging six inches to ferns that exceed three feet. It keeps a wonderful tight habit. It seemed to have all the virtues of a handsome groundcover plant, and I've wondered ever since why I don't encounter it more often in gardens. NGIA PLANT OF … 4 Goodenia ovata ‘€˜Gold Cover’. Just about any spreading perennial can be used as a ground cover, and even clump-formers can be planted en-masse to create the same effect. Likes: This ground cover plant prefers dry heat. It tolerates periodic flooding as well as drought; note that it’ll want more shade in dry soils. It’s a creeping succulent perennial with tiny semi-evergreen or evergreen leaves. Yes, invasive! 3 Westringia fruticosa ‘€˜Flat’€˜n’Fruity’. Low ground covers are useful in small spots, borders, or to lower the edges of larger ground covers. I like Sedum ternatum because in a garden setting it spreads at a good pace and is easy to lift and relocate to other areas. Additionally, tree canopies will slow down heavy rains and help reduce storm runoff. Although small, the fruit is deliciously edible and is enjoyed by many of our wild creatures. .seed-cls-1{fill:none;stroke:#414042;}.seed-cls-1,.seed-cls-2,.seed-cls-3{stroke-miterlimit:10;}.seed-cls-2,.seed-cls-3{fill:#414042;}.seed-cls-2{stroke:#231f20;stroke-width:1.01px;}.seed-cls-3{stroke:#fff;stroke-width:0.51px;}.seed-cls-4{fill:#fff;}SeedSeeds, .root-cls-1{fill:none;}.root-cls-1,.root-cls-2,.root-cls-3,.root-cls-4{stroke:#414042;stroke-miterlimit:10;}.root-cls-2,.root-cls-3,.root-cls-4{fill:#414042;}.root-cls-2{stroke-width:2px;}.root-cls-4{stroke-width:0.5px;}Bare Root PlantsBare Root Plants, .plant-cls-1{fill:none;stroke:#414042;stroke-miterlimit:10;}.plant-cls-2{fill:#414042;}Potted PlantsPotted Plants, Buchloe dactyloides Buffalo Grass - Cultivar, Callirhoe involucrata Purple Poppy Mallow. It spreads via rhizomes, a trait that can be a double-edged sword. That means they have absolutely no respect for us and our great American land. 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