Ground Covers

Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic

Learn about specific ground covers:

• Asarum canadense, Wild Ginger
• Chrysogonum virginianum, Green and Gold
• Eurybia divaricata, White Wood Aster
• Heuchera villosa, Hairy Alumroot
• Iris cristata, Dwarf Crested Iris
• Mitchella repens, Partridgeberry
• Opuntia humifusa, Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus
• Pachysandra procumbens, Allegheny Spurge
• Packera aurea, Golden Ragwort
• Persicaria virginiana, Virginia Knotweed
• Podophyllum peltatum, Mayapple
• Polemonium reptans, Jacob’s Ladder, Greek Valerian
• Rhus aromatica, “Gro-Low” Fragrant Sumac
• Sedum ternatum, Wild Stonecrop
• Tiarella cordifolia, Foamflower

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Where to See These Ground Covers in our Demonstration Gardens

Many of these recommended plants can easily be seen in person at local public gardens. The following gardens feature native plants and are designed and maintained by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, serving Arlington and Alexandria.

PDF version to print and take with you:
Index of ground covers and where to see them

Glencarlyn Library Community Garden
300 S. Kensington Street, Arlington, Virginia 22204

Features:
Native plants suitable for a container garden, shade garden, or scented garden

• Asarum canadense, Wild Ginger by the walkway and in the Woodland Garden
• Chrysogonum virginianum, Green and Gold in the 3rd Street Garden
• Heuchera villosa, Hairy Alumroot in the Woodland Garden
• Opuntia humifusa, Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus in the Gazebo Garden

Shade Demonstration Garden at Bon Air Park
850 N. Lexington Street  Arlington, Virginia 22205 (near the shelter)

Features:
Native plants that thrive in morning shade and partial sun

• Asarum canadense, Wild Ginger in section 7
• Chrysogonum virginianum, Green and Gold in sections 3W,  8N
• Eurybia divaricata, White Wood Aster in section 4W
• Pachysandra procumbens, Allegheny Spurge in section 7
• Packera aurea, Golden Ragwort in section 8N
• Persicaria virginiana, “Painter’s Palette”  Virginia Knotweed  in section 8C,  8N
• Podophyllum peltatum, Mayapple in section 7
• Polemonium reptans, Jacob’s Ladder, Greek Valerian in section 3
• Tiarella cordifolia, Foamflower in section 2E

Simpson Park Demonstration Garden
420 E. Monroe Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22301 (next to the YMCA parking lot)

Features:
Native selections for waterwise gardening and host plants for butterfly gardens

• Opuntia humifusa, Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus in the Waterwise Garden

Sunny Demonstration Garden at Bon Air Park
850 N. Lexington Street, Arlington, Virginia 22205 (at the end of the parking lot)

Features:
Sun-loving perennials and shrubs that thrive despite  excessive humidity or drought

• Heuchera villosa, Hairy Alumroot H. species in bed 5 & middle bed
• Tiarella cordifolia, Foamflower in bed 7

Other Local Public Gardens Where These Ground Covers May be Seen

The Potomac Overlook Native Plant Garden, 2845 N. Marcey Road, Arlington, VA 22207, next to the demonstration Organic Vegetable Garden maintained by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, has a variety of ground covers. The garden is maintained by Audubon at Home, the Virginia Native Plant Society, and Arlington Regional Master Naturalists in collaboration with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority

Features:

• Asarum canadense, Wild Ginger in section 10
• Chrysogonum virginianum, Green and Gold in section 12
• Tiarella cordifolia, Foamflower in section 17.