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Shade-loving groundcovers

Many groundcovers require full or partial shade to thrive and create a dense plant canopy. Some of these groundcovers also have requirements for higher soil moisture levels, and prefer higher soil organic matter content. Although our research in field settings related to weed suppressive groundcovers has been conducted in full sun settings, there are many groundcovers which are shade tolerant and capable of producing a dense foliar canopy to suppress weeds effectively over time. Suggested groundcovers to consider for Northeastern U.S. establishment are listed.

List of shade-loving groundcover species (sorted by common name)
       
(click here to sort by scientific name)

Common name Scientific name
American alumroot Heuchera americana
August lily Hosta plantaginea
Bigroot cranesbill Geranium macrorrhizum
Bigroot geranium Geranium macrorrhizum
Blue sedge Carex glauca (syn. C. flacca, C. firma)
Blue wood sedge Carex flaccosperma
Carnation grass Carex glauca (syn. C. flacca, C. firma)
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
Common periwinkle Vinca minor
Creeping bluet Houstonia serpyllifolia
Creeping mazus Mazus reptans
Dwarf periwinkle Vinca minor
Early sedge Carex pennsylvanica
Feited cranesbill Geranium macrorrhizum
Fragrant hosta Hosta plantaginea
Fragrant plantain lily Hosta plantaginea
Glaucous sedge Carex glauca (syn. C. flacca, C. firma)
Golden dead nettle Lamiastrum galeobdolon
Goldenstar Chrysogonum virginianum
Green and gold Chrysogonum virginianum
Hardy geranium Geranium macrorrhizum
Heath sedge Carex glauca (syn. C. flacca, C. firma)
Japanese pachysandra Pachysandra terminalis
Japanese painted fern Athyrium nipponicum
Japanese sedge Carex morrowi
Lamiastrum Lamiastrum galeobdolon
Lenten rose Helleborus orientalis
Morrow's sedge Carex morrowi
Myrtle Vinca minor
Northern maidenhair fern Adiantum pedatum
Penn sedge Carex pennsylvanica
Pennsylvania sedge Carex pennsylvanica
Running myrtle Vinca minor
Scented cranesbill Geranium macrorrhizum
Texoka buffalograss Buchloe dactyloides
Thinfruit sedge Carex flaccosperma
Thymeleaf bluet Houstonia serpyllifolia
Variegated Japanese sedge Carex morrowi
Variegated yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon
Yellow archangel Lamiastrum galeobdolon
Yellow sedge Carex pennsylvanica


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