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Groundcovers with a Weed Suppressive Rating (WSR) of Fair to Good

Click here for a printable version (pdf) of this table

Common Name(s) Genus &
species
cv. or syn.
WSR(a)
Type(b)

Habit
Zone Height
Spread
Origin Aesthetics Sun Water Soil Salt Tolerance
(a)
Roadside Performance
(a)
Rock cress, Wall rock cress Arabis
caucasica
F
P

Tufted
4-10 6-12"
18"
Caucasus Gray-green foliage, fragrant white flowers midspring Full sun to moderate shade Drought tolerant Well-drained    
Butterfly milkweed, Butterfly weed, Chigger flower, Indian paintbrush, Pleurisy root Asclepias
tuberosa

 F
P

Erect
 3-9

12-36"
12-24"

 Eastern North America
Vibrant orange flowers in spring Full sun Drought tolerant Well-drained, infertile    
False rockcress, Lilac bush, Purple rock cress Aubrieta
deltoidea
F
P

Mat forming
4-9 6-12"
24"
Greece Evergreen foliage, numerous purple flowers Full sun to partial shade Drought tolerant Well-drained loam    
Texoka buffalograss Buchloe
dactyloides

'Taxoka'

F
G

Low growing
 1-8

4-8"
?
  Soft blue green turf Full sun to shade Drought tolerant Tolerates compacted soil    
Japanese sedge, Morrow's sedge, Variegated Japanese sedge Carex
morrowi
'Ice Dance'
F
G

Clump forming
6-9 12"
12-18"
Japan Broad evergreen foliage with white stripe Shade Drought tolerant Moist, fertile    
Green and gold, Golden star Chrysogonum
virginianum
'Pierre'
F
P

Mat forming
5-9 6-9"
Indefinite
Eastern US Yellow flowers spring to midsummer Shade Moist Well-drained    
Maiden pink Dianthus
deltoides
'Brilliant'
F
P

Mat forming
3-9 4-8"
15"
Europe, Asia Evergreen foliage, deep pink flowers Full sun to partial shade Drought tolerant Well-drained, alkaline   G
Carnation, Pinks Dianthus
myrtinervius
F
P

Mat forming
4-9 2"
8"
Europe Tiny bright green foliage, deep pink flowers in summer Full sun   Well-drained   G
Beach fleabane, Seaside daisy Erigeron
glaucus
'Albus'
F
P

Clump forming
5-9 10"
18"
Pacific Coast Semi-evergreen foliage, white daisy-like flowers in mid to late spring Full sun Drought tolerant Well drained, sandy, alkaline and acidic    
Fleabane Erigeron
karvinskianus
'Blutenmeer'
F
P

Trailing, mat forming
5-7 6-12"
20"
Latin America Profusion of white flowers in summer Full sun to partial shade Drought tolerant Well drained    
Flowering strawberry Fragaria
x (F. ananassa x Potentilla palustris)
'Lipstick'
F
P
Creeping 5-10 3-6"
Indefinite
Europe Deep pink flowers in spring Full sun Drought tolerant Well-drained    
Baby's breath Gypsophila
cerastiodes
F
P

Mat forming
5-8 2"
6"
Himalayas White flowers in summer Full sun Drought tolerant Well-drained   F/P
Junegrass, Koeler grass, Prairie junegrass Koeleria
cristata
(syn. macrantha)
F
G

Clump forming
3-9 18-24"
2-6"
North America Compact clump with gray-green foliage and attractive seed head Full sun to partial shade Drought tolerant Well-drained    
Blue lily-turf, Lily turf Liriope
muscari
'Royal Purple'
F
P

Clump forming
5-10 12"
18"
China, Japan Evergreen grass-like foliage, purple flower spikes Sun or shade Drought tolerant Well-drained fertile    
Creeping mazus Mazus
reptans
F
P

Mat forming, trailing
4-9 2"
Indefinite
Asia Purple flowers in late spring Partial to full shade Moist Well-drained    
Coat flower, Saxifrage tunicflower Petrorhagia
saxifraga
F
P
Mound forming 4-8 10"
12-18"
Central Europe Pale pink flowers in summer Full sun Moist Well-drained   F
Fragrant sumac Rhus
aromatica
'Gro Low'
F
W
Erect, dense, woody 4-9 2'
6-8'
Eastern North America Red berry-like fruit persisting in winter, glossy foliage Full sun to light shade Drought tolerant Well-drained    
Creeping raspberry Rubus
calycinoides
(syn. pentalobus)
F
W
Creeping and rooting 7-9 4"
Indefinite
Taiwan Rugose dark glossy evergreen leaves Full sun Drought tolerant Well-drained    
Stonecrop Sedum
reflexum
'Blue Spruce'
F
P
Creeping, carpet forming 3 8-10"
Indefinite
Europe Succulent blue-green foliage, numerous yellow flowers Full sun Drought tolerant Well-drained G G
Stonecrop, Two-row stonecrop Sedum
spurium
'John Creech'

F
P
Mat forming  3-8

3"
3-12"

 Asia
Fleshy green leaves with pink flowers Full sun to partial shade Drought tolerant Well-drained    
Tufted catchfly Silene
saxifraga
F
P
Carpet forming 4 4-8"
Indefinite
European Alps Greenish-white to white flowers in summer Full sun Dry Well-drained    
Compact seaside campion, Seaside campion Silene
uniflora
'Compacta' (syn. maratima)
F
P
Spreading 3-7 6"
8"
Europe White blooms in summer Full sun Drought tolerant Well-drained    
Alpine goldenrod Solidago
cutleri
F
P
Dense tuft 4-9 12"
30"
North-
eastern US
Yellow flowers in late summer to early autumn Full sun Moist Well-drained    
Creeping thyme, Mother-of-thyme, Woolly thyme Thymus
praecox
'Albiflorus'
F
W
Creeping 5-7 1-2"
18"
Europe White flowers in summer, small bright green leaves Full sun or partial shade Drought tolerant Well-drained F/G G
Purple leafed clover, Shamrock Trifolium
repens
'Atropurpureum'
F
P
Creeping 4-8 4"
Indefinite
Europe Red bronze foliage Full sun Moist Well-drained   F
Speedwell-creeping Veronica
peduncularis
'Waterperry Blue'

F
P
Creeping, mound forming  5-8

4-6"
12"

hybrid
Medium green leaves with blue flowers from spring to summer Full sun to partial shade Moist Well-drained    
Harewell speedwell Veronica
prostrata
F/P
P
Prostrate spreading 4-8 8"
Indefinite
Europe Semi-evergreen foliage, bright blue flowers in late spring Full sun to partial shade Moist Well-drained    
Common periwinkle, Dwarf periwinkle, Myrtle, Running myrtle Vinca
minor
F
P
Creeping 4-8 4-6"
Indefinite
Europe Evergreen glossy foliage, light blue flowers in spring and fall Full sun to shade Drought tolerant Well-drained fertile    

a WSR-Weed Suppressive Rating, Salt Tolerance, and Roadside Performance: G = good, F = fair, and P = poor
b Type: P = perennial, G = grasslike, and W = woody

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