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.
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