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 scientific name)
       (click here to sort by common name)

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

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