Several varieties of camellias are spectacular evergreen flowering shrubs that grow in all areas of Texas, apart from the Panhandle. Woodruffs also produce sweet-scented small white flowers that add fragrant smells to your garden. Because this type of flowering ground cover plant is best in the shade, the leaves may start to yellow in full sun. Plant Asiatic Jasmine in your yard for an easy-going, attractive perennial. Frog fruit may grow in sun or shade and can spread rapidly. It has glossy green leaves and yellow flowers in early spring. I prefer the small, variegated variety. Ground covers are spreading or mounding plants that cover most or all of the soil surface. It has a low maintenance requirement and can thrive in hot climates. Japanese painted fern(Athyrium niponicum var. This spreading plant thrives just as well in the shade as it does in the sun. However, in Southern Texas, the fast-growing flowering plants bloom throughout the year. But don't be deceived by its good looks. There is a reason you see rows and rows of vinca plants at the big-box nurseries. If you happen to live in the area and are interested in planting some ground cover, its wise to research which species will thrive. Lily of the Valley produces large leaves that can be up to 10 in length (25 cm). The Japanese pachysandra (also called the carpet box plant) has creeping stems with light-green glossy leaves. The clear benefit of using ground covers instead of grass is. The Bexar County Master Gardener Hotline Speak to one of our volunteer Master Gardeners on duty, 210-631-0400 or E-mail info@bexarmg.org. Pinwheel Jasmine is a non-native plant in Texas that tolerates the shade exceptionally well. Sweet Woodruff is a flowering ground cover plant for shade. Plants can be pruned or trimmed when disease occurs to prevent it from spreading. Top Texas Native Plants for Shade It can be tricky to find plants that want to bloom in the shade, but these three plants are stars in the shade! This plant is a member of the Council of Government's Regional for North Central Texas. Even St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10 and the most shade tolerant, needs four hours of direct sunlight daily to thrive. Although this type of plant is good for ground cover, its invasive nature means that you have to keep it under control. Many tall types of shade plants are available for Texas gardens to add height and color to a landscape. Related article: Nandina Plant Care and Growing Guide. Ground Cover TR0325M 5 out of 5 stars (24.4k) $ 11.50. Alternatively, you can plant monkey grass as pathway edging, ground cover for sun or shade, or create texture in front of trees and shrubs. Hydrangea macrophylla Big Daddy (in this image) is a shade loving shrub with pink flowers in alkaline soils and blue flowers in acidic soils. You can also use Purple Wintercreeper Euonymus. Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) is a native plant in northern regions of North America. Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata) Height: 18-30 inches Spread: 18 inches Flower color: Pink, lavender, white Bloom period: Late Spring-Summer Herbaceous Butterfly nectar plant. So, this may not be the best type of ground-covering plant if you only have a small garden. The plant grows as a mound and spreads, creating ground cover in the shade. This zone includes Amarillo, Canyon, and Borger. Sun exposure: Partial shade to full shade. They also have the unique ability to prevent weed growth from underground. If youre a gardener in Texas searching for some ground cover for your garden, youll be pleased to find plenty of varieties to choose from. You can avoid those major roots of the trees, and then put the shade-tolerant groundcovers. Due to this, it should not be planted in areas of occasional foot traffic. Pachysandra often goes by the common name spurge, which leads to sometimes confusing this plant with wood spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea'), which is also used as a ground cover plant. This fern typically grows one to three feet and spreads around two feet but is considered slow-growing. Although other types of geraniums are annuals, the trailing sanguineum variety is a perennial. These can be simply evergreen or provide seasonal flowers. Epimedium pubigerumis one of the taller types (24 inches); it bears white flowers with yellow centers. This shade-loving plant produces pink, purple, or white helmet-shaped flowers. Pigeonberry is a small flowering perennial shrub that thrives in shaded gardens in Texas. The shrub has an irregular mounding habit. Spreading by underground rhizomes, Japanese pachysandra forms colonies of handsome, glossy, deep-green foliage that stays green year-round. However, this grass type of ground cover thrives better in full sun rather than shade. The mound-forming perennials have long, dark green leaves and tolerate drought, heat, and shade. Compared to other low-ground creeping shrubs, this variety is very drought resistant. Excellent for the front yard near the curb and sidewalk or between driveways. Ferns are great ground cover plants for shady areas in your garden learn about the many types of ferns and how to care for them. All Rights Reserved. Come to Milbergers Nursery and talk to one of our garden experts: theyll be happy to help you find the shade plant thats right for you. They are also shade-loving plants that grow as ground cover in Texas gardens that get little daily sunlight. Its also called lilyturf by a few people. Maidenhair ferns grow in places where typical plants are not found, including in-between rocks, making it great for a spreading ground cover. Ground cover plants for the shade help to provide greenery to areas where other plants dont grow well. This variety only grows to 4 tall (10 cm) with a small spread. If you live in a region of Texas where winters are cool, you might get the chance to watch it turn a dazzling shade of gold or bronze. Texas sedge SAWS Conservation personnel are excited about this native in the landscape. You can also use your perennial mint plant in the kitchen as an alternative to regular mint. This plant blooms in late spring and bears delicate, white flower clusters. And the reason I like it so much and have used it throughout my landscape is that it does not have runners. Check our plant database for more ideas! The absence of flowers may be a deal-breaker for some gardeners, but others adore good foliage plants. Ground covers play an essential role in our ecosystem, providing diversity in many environments. Carpet bugleweed does best in fertile, well-drained soil with good air circulationwet soil leads to rot. Which ones am I talking about? The plant is slow-growing and will reach a height between 4 and 24 (10 60 cm) after 3 years. This evergreen herbaceous perennial plant grows to a height of between 8 and 31 (20 80 cm) and spreads very quickly. If you don't exactly have a green thumb but what to add some color and interest to your landscaping, then consider ground cover. 8. 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. Do you want color for spring? Mazus cultivars grow in hardiness USDA zones 5-8. Trim dead flowers to remove seeds and keep the spread under control. It grows well in soil and shade and has a starry pink flower. Size: 5 to 6 ft. (1.5 2.4 m) tall and wide. That means trimming only three to four times a year, if that. Neil Sperry's Complete Guide to Texas Gardening; Neil Sperry. Throughout much of Texas, Asiatic Jasmine has taken over as one of the most popular choices for ground cover. Let me suggest something to you. It is a notable problem in many parts of the U.S., especially the Pacific coastal states. Mow it once a year with a lawn mower. SAWS Conservation personnel are excited about this native in the landscape. Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) is one of the smallest varieties of the mint family and spreads out to form a green mat-like covering in shady areas. Maybe you hate mowing and fertilizing. Coming in at about 3-6 inches tall, its true to its nature and will remain a low-growing plant during its lifetime. Althea, Rose of Sharon This is out-of-the-box thinking and we have seen a few and hope for more examples in San Antonio. Its not a problem. This slow-growing perennial creeping plant forms an excellent dense covering over the ground. Creeping liriope has a very bad reputation in the Southeast U.S., though it is less troublesome in the northern part of its hardiness range. Texas is a large state, but most of it is warm and often susceptible to drought. The improved "Big Blue" variety has longer leaves and larger flower spikes than other varieties. Spikes of white flowers appear atop the foliage in summer. It has tiny fern-like leaves that are multi-colored dark purple and bright green. Many types of barrenroot are planted for their nice leaves, more so than for their blooms, although the jester's-hat shape of Epimedium pubigerum is very nice. Below are the best picks for ground cover plants in Texas. Snake Herb is a great choice for Texas gardens and yards. They can handle sun too: 1. 3. Once the roots of these plants are established, its very hardy and drought tolerant. This perennial plant has feathery, fan-shaped, green foliage and is cold-hardy. Lets look in detail at the best plants that thrive in shaded areas or grow in the shadows of tall trees, shrubs, or buildings. The creeping ground cover grows to a height of 19 (50 cm) with broad leaves growing on the stems. Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) is a type of ground cover plant that loves to grow in shady areas. Shrubs that also thrive in the shade include Philodendron, Aralia, Aucuba and Mahonia with ferns like Holly fern or Autumn fern providing a cool tropical look. These shade-tolerant shrubs have showy flowers with ruffled petals and double blooms. Classified as a form of dogwood, this is a low-growing (3 to 9 inches) deciduous shrub that makes for an excellent ground cover plant in part shade locations. Most thyme plants are perennials with pointed, blue-green leaves that softly blanket the ground. This evergreen grass grows to be four to six inches tall. a classic and still one of the best, this one is also virtually indestructible. Searching for a tree to provide your garden or home with some much needed shade? In addition, since they are rooted more deeply than those in small pots, the soil is more protected from erosion. A collection of hosta plants herbaceous perennial ground cover plant. Creeping, clumping, or trailing plants are good landscaping solutions that generally require little maintenance. Size: 8 to 10 ft. (2.4 3 m) tall and wide. It is, however, relatively easy to control by cropping in closely with a mower or by denying it water. These can be simply evergreen or provide seasonal flowers. Forming a dense carpet, it also thrives in USDA zones 5 to 9. Pachysandra is an evergreen perennial or subshrub comprised of five species, of which P. terminalis (Japanese pachysandra) is the most commonly used landscape variety. Hostas grow from rhizomes. There are fern species to meet the needs of shady locations in just about every climate zone. You will find information about plants, shrubs, and flowers that require little sunshine to grow well. I use ferns. It does best in full sun for vibrant color. 2 But, like creeping juniper, it's a short (3 to 6 inches) evergreen. Coupon eligible. No water, fertilizer, or pruning required. Mow yearly. Tired of mowing, weeding, feeding and watering the lawn over, and over, and over again? It is also relatively easy to maintain and is resistant to animals such as deer and rabbits. Its an opportunity for something different. Just the Facts, Actaea Simplex Brunette: Growth and Care Guide. It can do many things, including retaining soil moisture, controlling erosion, creating a lush blanket of plants and replacing a traditional turfgrass lawn. For the look of lawn grass, but not the upkeep, mondo is your plant. Cedar Sage 9. Add to Favorites . In addition to the floral blooms, the variegated and silvery foliage is often the main feature of this plant. Features purple foliage and pink flowers, and the only maintenance required is pruning once every five years. In late spring, expect to get delicate flowers that are tan to purple color and have 3 petals. Canadian Anemone Native Wildflower Seeds Also called pinwheel cape jasmine, the lush evergreen foliage of glossy, leathery leaves makes the plant ideal as a screen or low-growing hedge. It will climb if it encounters an obstacle, so keep an eye on that. Size: 3 to 5 ft. (1 1.5 m) tall and 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 1 m) wide. The plant in the picture is the Lamium maculatum cultivar. The perennial plant, Bishops Weed (Aegopodium podagraria) is another low-maintenance gardening solution for ground cover in shady areas. Once the roots of these plants are established, its very hardy and drought tolerant. 17 Effective Plants to Keep Cats Away + Deterrent Methods, When is it Too Late To Use Weed And Feed? Some plants, such as lily-of-the-valley(Convallaria majalis), have such a bad reputation that they don't even bear consideration. Size: 10" to 36" (25 - 90 cm) tall and 12" to 23" (30 - 60 cm) wide. Other common names for Turks cap include Drummonds wax mallow, Texas mallow, and sleeping hibiscus. This habit can make it an ideal ground cover for some areas where lawn grasses are difficult to grow, but it does require you to monitor its spread. To get the best ground cover, you can plant many of these plants together. Opportunities abound for replacing that tiresome, water-sucking grass. Size: 2 to 5 ft. (0.6 1.5 m) tall and wide. They are also shade-loving plants that grow as ground cover in Texas gardens that get little daily sunlight. Ornamental strawberries growing in a shade garden. Perennial Canadian anemone ( Anemone canadensis) is a US native wildflower that spreads well in Zones 3 to 8, prefers moist soil, and thrives in full sun to part shade. This easy-keeper annual shrugs off deer, rabbits, and even drought, putting forth its best flowering show in hot weather. Santolina an extremely drought-tolerant plant that comes in green and gray varieties, both with yellow flowers. However, it is a hardy flowering plant that survives the winter well. (USDA Plant Hardiness Zones), Why is My Phlox Not Flowering? The evergreen shrub grows well throughout the Lone Star State, and its compact growth makes it perfect for landscaping small gardens. This heat-tolerant, shade-loving shrub creates lush, vertical height in small gardens to grow as a hedge, privacy screen, or specimen plant. This refined ground cover grows slowly to only 3 or 4 inches tall. Opportunities abound for replacing that tiresome, water-sucking grass. Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) is a flowering perennial plant that grows well in the shade and spreads quickly to cover ground. Shrubby Boneset 8. The cast iron plant is an evergreen plant for shaded Texas gardens with a clumping growth habit. It thrives in humid environments with temperatures between 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. She holds a B.A. Work the soil down three or four inches. Light: Sun, Part Sun; Zones: 5-9; Plant Type: Perennial; Plant Height: 6 inches to 4 feet tall; Plant Width: 1-4 feet wide; Landscape Uses: Containers, Beds . These are just few examples of ground covers. Average minimum winter temperatures are 20F to 30F. Besides reporting and editing for several small Texas newspapers, Simpson has written for "Petroleum Engineer Magazine," "Denton Today Magazine" and put out an employee newsletter for a FEMA facility. This trailing shrubby vine has white jasmine-like, pinwheel white flowers, dark green oval leaves, and bronze-red fall colors in colder climates. This easy-to-grow plant, which doesn't require deadheading flowers or fertilizer, blooms in the spring and summer. Damianita. Scotch moss is also frosted with a pretty layer of tiny white flowers in the spring. Its dark green leaves and bright blue to purple flowers make it a favorite among gardeners. 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