Ground Covers

Tried and True Native Plant Selections
for the Mid-Atlantic

Learn about specific ground covers:

• Asarum canadense (Common or Canadian Wild Ginger)
• Chrysogonum virginianum (Green-and-Gold)
• Eurybia divaricata (White Wood Aster)
• Heuchera villosa (Hairy Alumroot)
• Iris cristata (Dwarf Crested Iris)
• Mitchella repens (Partridge-berry)
• Opuntia humifusa (Eastern Prickly-pear)
• Pachysandra procumbens (Allegheny Spurge)
• Packera aurea (Golden or Heartleaf Ragwort)
• Persicaria virginiana (Virginia Knotweed, Jumpseed)
• Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox, Moss Pink)  (New in 2021!)
• Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple)
• Polemonium reptans (Jacob’s Ladder, Greek Valerian)
• Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low’ (Fragrant Sumac)
• Sedum ternatum (Wild, Woodland, or Three-leaved Stonecrop)
• Silene caroliniana (Wild Pink)
• Tiarella cordifolia ([Heart-leaved] 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.

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) 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, Heart-leaved Foamlower) 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) 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, Heart-leaved 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, Heart-leaved Foamflower) in section 17.