Stephen Albert
Groundcovers for slopes must be able to hold the soil and protect the ground. They must be able to withstand wind and rain. Their roots and foliage must grow quickly and laterally to hold the soil.
Many groundcovers for slopes have a matting habit—growing low and wide. The spreading nature of groundcovers keeps wind, rain, and irrigation from eroding the soil and leaving bare spots.
When planting groundcovers on slopes consider the spread of the plant at maturity then plant intensively so that stems and foliage of neighboring plants will overlap and protect the soil.
Groundcovers for Slopes
| A-I Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
| Basket-of-gold | Aurinia saxatilis | 4-8 |
| Blanket flower | Gaillardia x grandiflora | 2-9 |
| Candytuft, evergreen | Iberis sempervirens | 4-8 |
| Coralberry, prostrate Chenault | Symphoicarpos x chenaultii | 4-7 |
| Cotoneaster, bearberry | Cotoneaster dammeri | 5-9 |
| Freeway daisy | Osteospermum fruticosum | 8-10 |
| Hens and chicks | Sempervivum tectorum | 4-10 |
| Ice plant, hardy | Delosperma nubigenum | 6-9 |
| Ivy, English | Hedera helix | 5-9 |
| J-P Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
| Jasmine, Asiatic | Trachelospermum asiaticum | 7-10 |
| Juniper, Andorra compact | Juniperus horizontalis ‘Plumosa Compacta’ | 3-9 |
| Juniper, Bar Harbor | Juniperus horizontalis ‘Bar Harbor’ | 3-9 |
| Juniper, Blue Chip | Juniperus horizontalis ‘Blue Chip’ | 3-9 |
| Juniper, Blue Pacific shore | Juniperus conferta ‘Blue Pacifica’ | 5-9 |
| Juniper, Blue Rug | Juniperus horizontalis ‘Wiltonii’ | 3-9 |
| Lilyturf | Liriope muscari | 7-10 |
| Mondo grass | Ophiopogon japonicus | 7-9 |
| Phlox, moss | Phlox subulata | 2-9 |
| Pink, Bath’s | Dianthus gratianopolitanus | 4-9 |
| R-Z Common Name | Botanical Name | Zones |
| Rose, Alba Meidiland | Rosa ‘Alba Meidiland’ | 4-8 |
| Sedum, goldmoss | Sedum acre | 4-9 |
| Spurge, cypress | Euphorbia cyparissias | 4-8 |
| Strawberry, alpine | Fragaria vesco | 3-9 |
| Verbena, moss | Verbena pulchella | 8-10 |
| Vinca, little leaf | Vinca minor | 4-8 |
Also of interest:
Groundcovers for Hot, Sunny Areas
