Top 10 Low-Water-Use Groundcovers

Native Groundcovers for Zones 7-9

© Robert Dailey

Sep 25, 2006
Lantana, Robert Dailey
Here are the top 10 Low-Water-Use Native Groundcovers.

Groundcovers are attractive ways to cover unsightly or difficult planting areas. Groundcovers have been used on bare slopes, in shade areas, and beneath and around larger plants, as accents, borders, or background.

Groundcovers also help retain moisture in the soil, help prevent erosion, maintain the soil at a more constant temperature, provide food and cover for small animals, and replenish nutrients into the soil.

Although this list is far from exhaustive, it includes most of the native groundcovers that grow in zones 7-9.

Since these plants are natives, they can grow in unamended soil, and low-water-use doesn't mean NO-water. Water infrequently, but deeply. These plants work well on slopes to help prevent erosion, and act as an anchor for other plants to establish themselves.

But these ground covers can also be used in level gardens as well, and, although they are adapted to alkaline soils, they should do well in amended and more acidic soils.

Most of these groundcovers are evergreen, with the exception of two which are herbaceous perennials.

  • Prairie Sagebrush, also known as White Sagebrush, Artemesia ludoviciana, 2' X 3', evergreen.
  • Coyote Bush, Baccharis hybrid, 4' high X 5' wide, evergreen.
  • California Ice Plant, Carpobrotus chilensis, 1' high X 5' wide. Evergreen.
  • Common Ice Plant, Carpobrotus edulis, 1' high X 5'wide. Evergreen.
  • Trailing Yellow Dalea, Dalea capitata, 1' high X 5' wide. Evergreen.
  • Prostrate Indigo Bush, also known as Trailing Indigo Bush, Dalea greggii, 1' high X 3' wide. Evergreen.
  • Trailing lantana, Lantana montevidensis, 1' high X 3' wide. Perennial.
  • Prostrate Rosemary, Romarius prostrates, 2' high X 8' wide. Evergreen.
  • Skullcap, Scutellaria suffretescens, 2' high X 3' wide. Evergreen.
  • Stonecrop, Sedum spp. , six inches high X 2' wide. Evergreen.

See also

  1. Top Low-Water-Use Desert Trees
  2. Top Low-Water-Use Desert Shrubs
  3. Top 30 Low-Water-Use Perennials

The copyright of the article Top 10 Low-Water-Use Groundcovers in Desert Gardens is owned by Robert Dailey. Permission to republish Top 10 Low-Water-Use Groundcovers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.




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Comments
Sep 27, 2006 6:20 AM
Rosemary Drisdelle :
Hi Bob,
Prostrate Rosemary - how I wish they'd named that plant something else... Anyway, it wouldn't make it in chilly Nova Scotia (zone 5-6, depending). My all-time favourite is Periwinkle (Vinca minor, zones 4-8). It's pretty, drought tolerant, full sun to deep shade, and even seems to do okay in areas where the soil isn't the best. It grows fast too (I swear mine grows under the snow in the winter because spring thaw always seems to uncover twice as much as I had in the fall.)


Meanwhile, I put a Rosemary out in a pot each summer and bring it in come fall. Last year was the first year ever that it survived for a second season outdoors.

Rosemary Drisdelle
birds.suite101.com
Sep 27, 2006 8:16 AM
Robert Dailey :
Rosemary,
I agree about the name. And I completely forgot about vinca, which I love, and which completely covered one bed at my last home.
I had artemesia, lavender, some coreopsis and gaillardia, and columbine growing in the bed. The vinca grew around it, under it and through it, but it was a beautiful counterpoint to the other plants growing there.
Thanks for reminding me.
Sep 30, 2006 4:56 PM
Robert Dailey :
Thank you.
3 Comments