5 Essential Native Ground Covers for the Central Plains
These ground-level plants, for a variety of soils and sun exposures, offer benefits for pollinators
Benjamin Vogt
October 27, 2016
Houzz Contributor. I'm a big advocate for bringing the tallgrass prairie into our urban lives -- only 1% remains, making it more threatened than the Amazon rainforest yet also as effective at sequestering CO2. I own Monarch Gardens LLC, a prairie garden design firm based in Nebraska and working with clients across the Midwest. I also speak nationally on native plants, sustainable design, and landscape ethics while hosting online classes. I'm the author of A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future. In the coming years we want to restore a 40+ acre prairie and host an artist residency program.
Houzz Contributor. I'm a big advocate for bringing the tallgrass prairie into our... More
A layered landscape is important, from both a design standpoint and an environmental one. Nature is built on layers, with every niche filled, which provides habitat for wildlife as well as a sustainable ecosystem. In our gardens we can look to nature for inspiration by filling in the important ground plane, creating pizazz for our eyes as well as shelter and fuel for pollinators — not to mention competition for weeds. Here is a sampling of ground-level native plants that might work in various areas of your Central Plains landscape.
Not in the Central Plains? Browse plants native to other regions of the U.S.
Not in the Central Plains? Browse plants native to other regions of the U.S.
Purple Poppy Mallow
(Callirhoe involucrata)
Native to the High Plains region of the United States, from Wyoming to Texas
If you’ve got a hot and sunny or partly sunny site where it’s difficult to get blooms out of your plants, try purple poppy mallow. Ideal for sandy to clay soils in scorching heat, this mallow puts down a deep taproot, while the blooms keep coming month after month — even deep into warmer fall weather. It won’t smother weeds, but it will weave gracefully among other plants, reaching about 6 to 12 inches tall and 24 to 36 inches wide.
See how to grow purple poppy mallow
(Callirhoe involucrata)
Native to the High Plains region of the United States, from Wyoming to Texas
If you’ve got a hot and sunny or partly sunny site where it’s difficult to get blooms out of your plants, try purple poppy mallow. Ideal for sandy to clay soils in scorching heat, this mallow puts down a deep taproot, while the blooms keep coming month after month — even deep into warmer fall weather. It won’t smother weeds, but it will weave gracefully among other plants, reaching about 6 to 12 inches tall and 24 to 36 inches wide.
See how to grow purple poppy mallow
Sprengel’s Sedge
(Carex sprengelii)
Native from New Mexico north to Montana, the Dakotas and Nebraska and east into New England
It’s not a grass; it’s a sedge and it’s gorgeous. At 1 foot to 2 feet tall and about 1 foot wide, this adaptable native will add a bit of elegance to any space. Grow it in full sun in almost any soil type with consistent moisture, or in somewhat dry shade. It’s especially effective at shading out weed seedlings. Interplant it with any of the flowering ground covers featured in this ideabook. This sedge blooms in late spring to early summer.
See how to grow Sprengel’s sedge
(Carex sprengelii)
Native from New Mexico north to Montana, the Dakotas and Nebraska and east into New England
It’s not a grass; it’s a sedge and it’s gorgeous. At 1 foot to 2 feet tall and about 1 foot wide, this adaptable native will add a bit of elegance to any space. Grow it in full sun in almost any soil type with consistent moisture, or in somewhat dry shade. It’s especially effective at shading out weed seedlings. Interplant it with any of the flowering ground covers featured in this ideabook. This sedge blooms in late spring to early summer.
See how to grow Sprengel’s sedge
Ohio Spiderwort
(Tradescantia ohiensis)
Native to eastern North America; the western part of the range includes Nebraska south to Texas; also occurs from Minnesota eastward to Maine, including Ontario in Canada (absent in Vermont) in the north; endangered in Pennsylvania
As one of our many native spiderwort species, Ohio spiderwort grows well in full to partial sun. It prefers a sandy to clay-loam soil with medium moisture (consistent water is best). Flowers appear atop iris-like weeping foliage in mid to late spring, sometimes into early summer, and are a great help to native bees. If you’re in the west-central part of the Plains, look to T. bracteata, which is a bit shorter and thrives in dry, sandy sites.
See how to grow Ohio spiderwort
(Tradescantia ohiensis)
Native to eastern North America; the western part of the range includes Nebraska south to Texas; also occurs from Minnesota eastward to Maine, including Ontario in Canada (absent in Vermont) in the north; endangered in Pennsylvania
As one of our many native spiderwort species, Ohio spiderwort grows well in full to partial sun. It prefers a sandy to clay-loam soil with medium moisture (consistent water is best). Flowers appear atop iris-like weeping foliage in mid to late spring, sometimes into early summer, and are a great help to native bees. If you’re in the west-central part of the Plains, look to T. bracteata, which is a bit shorter and thrives in dry, sandy sites.
See how to grow Ohio spiderwort
Wild Geranium
(Geranium maculatum)
Wild geranium is a go-to plant for areas in deep shade with dry to medium soil and a variety of soil types. It will moderately self-sow, creating gorgeous drifts of early to mid-spring flowers and will often even have good fall leaf color. At about 2 feet tall and wide, it has large leaves that act as a solid ground cover with an interesting texture.
See how to grow wild geranium
(Geranium maculatum)
Wild geranium is a go-to plant for areas in deep shade with dry to medium soil and a variety of soil types. It will moderately self-sow, creating gorgeous drifts of early to mid-spring flowers and will often even have good fall leaf color. At about 2 feet tall and wide, it has large leaves that act as a solid ground cover with an interesting texture.
See how to grow wild geranium
Photo by Joshua Mayer
Longbract Wild Indigo
(Baptisia bracteata)
This is a versatile wildflower that can handle a variety of soil conditions, though it prefers a mostly sunny site. It has wiry, arching stems and reaches 2 feet tall and wide, weaving among shortgrasses and sedges to provide a late-spring bloom that bumblebees flock to. With a deep taproot and smooth oval leaves, this wild indigo provides longevity and a unique form in the native garden.
See how to grow longbract wild indigo
More
See ground covers for other garden regions
Learn new ways to think about all that mulch in the garden
Longbract Wild Indigo
(Baptisia bracteata)
This is a versatile wildflower that can handle a variety of soil conditions, though it prefers a mostly sunny site. It has wiry, arching stems and reaches 2 feet tall and wide, weaving among shortgrasses and sedges to provide a late-spring bloom that bumblebees flock to. With a deep taproot and smooth oval leaves, this wild indigo provides longevity and a unique form in the native garden.
See how to grow longbract wild indigo
More
See ground covers for other garden regions
Learn new ways to think about all that mulch in the garden
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Is there anything that will grow under evergreen trees? We have so many of these throughout our acreage and all that we see is dried needles!
kristenkay75 -- What kind of evergreens, and what kind of soil, are very important to know. As is location (native plants will likely be best for you). Pine trees create acidic soil over time with their needle drop, so you have to find shade tolerant plants that can handle acidic soil. I'd consult a local native plant design firm or nursery.
Thanks Benjamin ~ We have both clay soil on one side of a hill and then sandy soil on the other. I believe these trees are mixture of white pine and spruce. Do you have any suggestions on Eastern Nebraska shade and acid soil plants? I will also check with the local nursery in the spring. Thought it might be interesting if the purple poppy mallow was tolerant of these conditions.