Gardening and Landscaping
Match native plants to your light, soil, moisture and available space.
Small yards can suit several low-growing native groundcovers, but no single plant fits every spot. Compare Pennsylvania sedge, wild ginger, woodland strawberry, creeping phlox, bearberry and Allegheny spurge.
Pennsylvania sedge and Allegheny spurge suit shade; wild ginger prefers moist shade. Woodland strawberry adapts to sun or part shade, while creeping phlox and bearberry need sunny sites.
Assess sunlight through the day, drainage, soil moisture and room for mature spread. A site beneath a tree may shift from bright spring light to dense shade as its canopy fills in.
Pennsylvania sedge handles dry shade and tree-root competition. Its fine foliage forms low clumps that gradually spread into a loose colony beneath deciduous trees or along a shaded path.
Wild ginger suits shaded beds with evenly moist, well-drained soil. Its rhizomes form colonies at a moderate pace, making it a fit for woodland-style borders or north-facing foundations.
Woodland strawberry sends runners that root where they touch the ground, so it can fill gaps in sun or part shade. It may wander into nearby beds; its small fruit is edible.
Creeping phlox suits sunny, well-drained edges. Bearberry fits sunny, dry, acidic ground, while Allegheny spurge prefers shade and average to moist, well-drained soil.
Remove perennial weeds and their roots before planting; pulling only top growth can leave them ready to return. Space groundcovers for coverage and keep weeds from seeding as plants establish.
For dry shade, try Pennsylvania sedge; for moist shade, wild ginger or Allegheny spurge. Choose creeping phlox for sunny, well-drained edges, or bearberry for dry, acidic sun.
A plant native somewhere in North America may not belong in your local ecosystem. Check its range for your state or ecoregion, then choose according to your yard’s conditions.
Keep reading