Flowers and Plants
Gardening Guides
8 Essential Native Ground Cover Plants for the Southeast
These low-growing ferns, shrubs and palms blanket the ground to help with erosion and soil moisture
The Southeast has many native ferns and woody ground covers that add a layer of lushness. A ground cover is typically defined as any low, spreading plant that is either woody, like a shrub or small palm, or all-vegetative, like a fern. It can do many things, including retaining soil moisture, controlling erosion, creating a lush blanket of plants and replacing a traditional turfgrass lawn. Ground covers can also be used as the shortest layer of plants spreading along the borders of planting beds or in a woodland garden to fill in gaps and create a fuller, more layered garden bed.
Not in the Southeast? Browse plants native to other regions of the U.S.
Not in the Southeast? Browse plants native to other regions of the U.S.
Sensitive Fern
(Onoclea sensibilis)
Native to the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. and eastern Canada
Best fern for wet sites. Sensitive fern has stout chartreuse deeply divided fronds that first appear in spring. This fern requires a wet, organically rich soil and will spread by underground rhizomes in ideal growing conditions. As a deciduous fern, it is best planted among other spring-flowering bulbs to make a beautiful spring emergence in wet shade gardens. It can grow up to 3 feet tall but more realistically reaches 1 foot to 2 feet tall and wide.
See how to grow sensitive fern
(Onoclea sensibilis)
Native to the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. and eastern Canada
Best fern for wet sites. Sensitive fern has stout chartreuse deeply divided fronds that first appear in spring. This fern requires a wet, organically rich soil and will spread by underground rhizomes in ideal growing conditions. As a deciduous fern, it is best planted among other spring-flowering bulbs to make a beautiful spring emergence in wet shade gardens. It can grow up to 3 feet tall but more realistically reaches 1 foot to 2 feet tall and wide.
See how to grow sensitive fern
Southern Lady Fern
(Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides)
Native to the eastern U.S.
Best feathery fern. Southern lady fern has delicate feathery-looking fronds with a wilder and looser appearance than the others on this list. Plant it in dappled shade with plenty of moisture, and the fronds will create a mass of light feathery texture. Growing up to 3 feet tall, southern lady fern has a graceful vase shape that makes a statement in the shaded garden. This subspecies grows in USDA zones 5 to 10 (find your zone) and is far more heat-tolerant than its relative, lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina).
See how to grow lady fern
(Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides)
Native to the eastern U.S.
Best feathery fern. Southern lady fern has delicate feathery-looking fronds with a wilder and looser appearance than the others on this list. Plant it in dappled shade with plenty of moisture, and the fronds will create a mass of light feathery texture. Growing up to 3 feet tall, southern lady fern has a graceful vase shape that makes a statement in the shaded garden. This subspecies grows in USDA zones 5 to 10 (find your zone) and is far more heat-tolerant than its relative, lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina).
See how to grow lady fern
Foamflower
(Tiarella cordifolia)
Native to New Brunswick in Canada, south to Georgia and west to Michigan
Best flowering ground cover for deep shade. Foamflower is a perennial ground cover that grows up to 15 inches in height, with white flower spikes that seem to float above a mass of green leaves in midspring. Foamflower is a romantic-looking flower, at home in the woodland garden and in deeply shaded sites, where its white flowers will give dark corners an airy brightness.
See how to grow foamflower
(Tiarella cordifolia)
Native to New Brunswick in Canada, south to Georgia and west to Michigan
Best flowering ground cover for deep shade. Foamflower is a perennial ground cover that grows up to 15 inches in height, with white flower spikes that seem to float above a mass of green leaves in midspring. Foamflower is a romantic-looking flower, at home in the woodland garden and in deeply shaded sites, where its white flowers will give dark corners an airy brightness.
See how to grow foamflower
Green and gold with Virginia spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana)
Green and Gold
(Chrysogonum virginianum)
Native from southern New York state to northern Florida and west to Ohio in the North and Louisiana in the South
Best ground cover for erosion control. Green and gold is a very short ground cover, topping out at 6 inches when in bloom. Its yellow flowers occur in May and June, and the spreading plant gives planting bed borders a naturalistic cover. It prefers partial shade but can also do well in full sun if given enough moisture. Green and gold is a super choice for erosion control because it spreads via stolons — or above-ground rhizomes — that form a contiguous mat to hold soil in place.
See how to grow green and gold
Green and Gold
(Chrysogonum virginianum)
Native from southern New York state to northern Florida and west to Ohio in the North and Louisiana in the South
Best ground cover for erosion control. Green and gold is a very short ground cover, topping out at 6 inches when in bloom. Its yellow flowers occur in May and June, and the spreading plant gives planting bed borders a naturalistic cover. It prefers partial shade but can also do well in full sun if given enough moisture. Green and gold is a super choice for erosion control because it spreads via stolons — or above-ground rhizomes — that form a contiguous mat to hold soil in place.
See how to grow green and gold
Photo by Raulbot
Darrow’s Blueberry
(Vaccinium darrowii)
Native to the coastal southeastern U.S., from Georgia to southeastern Texas
Best edible ground cover. Darrow’s blueberry, also called southern low bush blueberry, grows in zones 8 and 9, along the coast of the southeastern United States. It has pinkish-white flowers in spring that attract pollinators. Blueberry plants are ericaceous, meaning they grow in acidic soil, like azaleas, camellias and heather. Plant Darrow’s blueberry as a creeping edible ground cover as part of an edible forest garden. Like green and gold, this low-growing blueberry forms a large mat of plants due to its spreading growth habit.
Learn more about growing blueberries
Darrow’s Blueberry
(Vaccinium darrowii)
Native to the coastal southeastern U.S., from Georgia to southeastern Texas
Best edible ground cover. Darrow’s blueberry, also called southern low bush blueberry, grows in zones 8 and 9, along the coast of the southeastern United States. It has pinkish-white flowers in spring that attract pollinators. Blueberry plants are ericaceous, meaning they grow in acidic soil, like azaleas, camellias and heather. Plant Darrow’s blueberry as a creeping edible ground cover as part of an edible forest garden. Like green and gold, this low-growing blueberry forms a large mat of plants due to its spreading growth habit.
Learn more about growing blueberries
Needle Palm
(Rhapidophyllum hystrix)
Native to the southeastern U.S., primarily Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia
Best tropical foliage ground cover. Needle palm can be planted as small, young plants spaced 18 inches apart to form a ground cover mat of tropical foliage. Needle palm grows in dry shade and requires little maintenance, because it is very slow-growing. Once it forms a contiguous mat as a ground cover, it can help control erosion on sloped sites. It can eventually reach a mature height of 4 to 6 feet, but that growth can be cut back to maintain a short stature.
See how to grow needle palm
(Rhapidophyllum hystrix)
Native to the southeastern U.S., primarily Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia
Best tropical foliage ground cover. Needle palm can be planted as small, young plants spaced 18 inches apart to form a ground cover mat of tropical foliage. Needle palm grows in dry shade and requires little maintenance, because it is very slow-growing. Once it forms a contiguous mat as a ground cover, it can help control erosion on sloped sites. It can eventually reach a mature height of 4 to 6 feet, but that growth can be cut back to maintain a short stature.
See how to grow needle palm
Shrubby St. Johnswort
(Hypericum prolificum)
Native from New York south to Georgia and west to Louisiana
Best prolific flowering ground cover. Shrubby St. Johnswort is a low-growing, rounded woody shrub that reaches a height of 3 feet. It produces a showy yellow flower that blooms all summer long. St. Johnswort will produce the most flowers in full sun, but it will also do well in partial shade in the warmer parts of its growing zone. Shrubby St. Johnswort is a very useful garden plant for erosion control as well as in rock gardens and in naturalized garden beds. It is easily propagated by cuttings, and autumn is a great time to plant it.
Shrubby St. Johnswort is not to be confused with common St. Johnswort (H. perforatum), a sometimes-invasive European native that is the main source of the herbal supplement.
See how to grow shrubby St. Johnswort
More
Browse plants native to other regions of the U.S.
6 Great Ways With Garden Ground Covers
(Hypericum prolificum)
Native from New York south to Georgia and west to Louisiana
Best prolific flowering ground cover. Shrubby St. Johnswort is a low-growing, rounded woody shrub that reaches a height of 3 feet. It produces a showy yellow flower that blooms all summer long. St. Johnswort will produce the most flowers in full sun, but it will also do well in partial shade in the warmer parts of its growing zone. Shrubby St. Johnswort is a very useful garden plant for erosion control as well as in rock gardens and in naturalized garden beds. It is easily propagated by cuttings, and autumn is a great time to plant it.
Shrubby St. Johnswort is not to be confused with common St. Johnswort (H. perforatum), a sometimes-invasive European native that is the main source of the herbal supplement.
See how to grow shrubby St. Johnswort
More
Browse plants native to other regions of the U.S.
6 Great Ways With Garden Ground Covers
(Polystichum acrostichoides)
Native to the eastern U.S. and Canada, south to northern Florida and west to Texas
Most drought-tolerant fern. Christmas fern is evergreen and drought-tolerant and can grow in both moist and dry soils once established. This is a slowly spreading fern that’s best planted in large groups for the greatest effect. It works well in woodland gardens and hillsides, in full to partial shade, and grows to a height of 2 feet and a spread of 3 feet.
See how to grow Christmas fern