Plant These Species Instead
To avoid or eliminate invasive groundcovers, choose some of our top native plants, find a native plant nursery and plant those instead.
Large Area Coverage
If you’re looking to cover a large area with something that spreads easily, try native alternatives such as wild strawberry or Canada anemone in sun to part-shade, and zig-zag goldenrod or common blue violet in part-shade to shade. But take note: be prepared to keep these plants in check as they try to expand into the rest of your yard. Break up these areas by adding clusters of some of the plants below.
Create A Patchwork
Plant patches of these local beauties to create a tapestry of green texture and fresh blooms that flower at different times. Cluster five or more of each plant to create easy-to-find patches for pollinators.
Shade
Try low-growing Canada wild-ginger with heart-leaved foam-flower, bloodroot, bunchberry or native violets. Punctuate with groupings of slightly taller plants such as heart-leaved aster, blue-stemmed goldenrod, wild-columbine, wild geranium, may-apple, Jack-in-the-pulpit, or hairy Solomon’s seal.
Sun
In sun to part-shade, try barren strawberry for a low-growing groundcover that progresses slowly over time. In full sun, try groupings of prairie smoke, butterfly milkweed, strict blue-eyed-grass, nodding onion or Pennsylvania sedge. Want to add a few shrubs? Try shrubby cinquefoil and ground juniper for larger area coverage.
Always choose plants that are right for your soils, light and moisture conditions. Request a PDF of CVC’s native plant lists to guide your choices.