12 Ground Cover Plants For Shade

Other plants, though, require some consideration. In this list of 12 common ground cover plants, the first five are well-behaved species that generally can be used without fear, but the remaining seven have a reputation for unruliness and invasiveness in some regions; before using them, check with local experts to make sure they won’t cause problems. Your local university extension office is usually the best place for information. Here are 12 common ground cover plants you should know about.

USDA Growing Zones: 2 to 6Sun Exposure: Part shadeSoil Needs: Medium-moisture, well-drained soil

USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade (depends on species)Soil Needs: Rich, well-drained soil

Ferns are generally great choices for shady areas. The absence of flowers may be a deal-breaker for some gardeners, but others adore good foliage plants. For example, the interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana) is a tall type (2 to 3 feet). It turns golden in autumn, but, otherwise, offers only a green color. Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum) stays shorter (12 to 18 inches) and gives you more interesting colors throughout the growing season. Its gray-green fronds are painted with a silvery overcoat, studded with maroon veining. For this reason, the painted fern is more popular in landscaping.

USDA Growing Zones: 2 to 10 (depending on species)Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Dry to medium-moisture soil (depends on species)

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9 (depends on species)Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Dry to medium-moisture, well-drained soil

USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Medium-moisture, well-drained soil

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Dry to medium-moisture, well-drained soil

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 10Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Average, well-drained soil

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Medium to wet, well-drained soil

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Rich, medium-moisture soil

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Prefers moist, rich soil but also grows well in dry soil

USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 10Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shadeSoil Needs: Average, well-drained soil

English ivy has been used for a long time in North America for problem areas, including shady spots, but its problems are now well known. Branching out as much as 80 feet, English ivy will even scale trees, making it more troublesome than most other invasive plants. It is a notable problem in many parts of the U.S., especially the Pacific coastal states.

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shadeSoil Needs: Medium-moisture, well-drained soil