Groundcovers that grow in shade are especially useful to cover the ground beneath trees where grass does not grow. Shade-tolerant groundcovers can help turn barren soil into a pleasant garden scene.
Most shade-tolerant groundcovers are native to woodland areas where there is full shade or dappled shade. Groundcovers do best where there is a modest amount of humus-rich soil.
The list here is divided into two parts; the second section includes shade-tolerant groundcovers that can also thrive in dry soil. Large trees and shrubs can take up a great amount of soil moisture; this often leaves the soil dry and a difficult situation for low-growing groundcovers.
Groundcovers for Shade
The plants in this list grow best where the soil is evenly moist.
A-F Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
Archangel, yellow | Lamiostrum galeobdolon | 3-9 |
Blue-eyed Mary | Omphalodes verna | 5-9 |
Bog rosemary | Andromeda polifolia | 2-6 |
Bunchberry | Cornus canadensis | 2-7 |
Christmas rose; Lenten rose | Helleborus niger | 4-9 |
Coralberry, prostrate Chenault | Symphoricarpos x chenaultii | 4-7 |
Cotoneaster, bearberry | Cotoneaster dammeri | 5-9 |
Ferns | Various | Varies |
Foam flower, Allegheny | Tiarella cordifolia | 4-9 |
Forget-me-not | Myosotis scorpiodes | 3-8 |
G-Z Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
Goldenstar | Chusogonum virginianum | 5-8 |
Hosta | Hosta spp. | 3-8 |
Italian arum | Arum italicum | 6-10 |
Ivy, English | Hedera helix | 5-9 |
Lily-of-the-valley | Convallaria majalis | 2-9 |
Pachysandra | Pachysandra terminalis | 4-10 |
Phlox, creeping | Phlox stolonifera | 2-8 |
Snow-on-the-mountain | Aegopodium podagraria | 3-9 |
Strawberry, Alpine | Fragaria vesca | 3-9 |
Sweet woodruff | Galium odoratum | 4-8 |
Vinca | Vinca minor, Vinca major | 4-8 |
Wintergreen | Gaultheria procumbens | 3-8 |
Groundcovers for Dry Shade
The plants that follow will grow in dry soil. Often the surface soil under trees is try as tree roots take up lots of moisture.
A-L Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
Allegheny spurge | Pachysandra procumbens | 5-9 |
Barren strawberry | Waldsteinia fragarioides | 3-8 |
Creeping mahonia | Mahonia repens | 5-8 |
Epimediums | Epimedium spp. | 4-9 |
Hellebores hybrids | Helleborus x hybridus | 6-9 |
Japanese pachysandra | Pachysandra terminalis | 4-8 |
Lily of the valley | Convallaria majalis | 2-7 |
L-Z Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
Lilyturfs | Liriope spp. | 5-9 |
Male fern | Dryopteris spp. | 4-8 |
Mondo grass | Ophiopogon spp. | 7-10 |
Pennsylvania sedge | Carex pensylvanica | 5-8 |
Plumbago | Ceratostigma plumbainoides | 5-9 |
Solomon’s seals | Polygonatum spp. | 4-8 |
Woodland stonecrop | Sedum ternatum | 4-9 |
Also of interest: