Light: Sun, Part Sun; Zones: 5-9; Plant Type: Perennial; Plant Height: 6 inches to 4 feet tall; Plant Width: 1-4 feet wide; Landscape Uses: Containers, Beds . They used every letter in the alphabet on that one. Turk's Cap 3. If you live in a region of Texas where winters are cool, you might get the chance to watch it turn a dazzling shade of gold or bronze. It's a shame that yellow archangel is invasive, since its bright yellow flowers would go a long way toward brightening a shady spot in the landscape. However, this grass type of ground cover thrives better in full sun rather than shade. Ajuga are low-growing groundcovers with glossy leaves and spiked flowers, perfect for morning sun afternoon shade areas. One of the striking features of Hostas is their fragrant flowers. If you have tried and tried and tried again to get grass to grow beneath your shade trees, maybe, just maybe, you have too much shade. I find it does best in small, confined beds. The Japanese pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) is a low-growing leafy evergreen plant that is good for ground cover under shrubs or in other shady parts of your garden. Other trees such as Cedar Elm, Pistache, and Mexican Sycamore require relatively low-water when established and provide a great deal of shade to other plants and humans. It gets about 6 or 8 inches tall. Golden Oregano is another creeping vine that is ideal in Texas, thanks to its resilience. Texas Frogfruit - Phyla nodiflora Native Texas perennial groundcover that spreads vigorously Evergreen in warm years and areas protected from frost 3-6 inches tall x 1-3 feet wide Plant in full sun to part shade Small white flowers bloom spring to fall Also called Turkey Tangle Frogfruit Hardy in Zone 7-11 Just plant, establish and walk away. Once the roots of these plants are established, its very hardy and drought tolerant. I find it does best in small, confined beds. Epimedium plants can provide stunning ground cover in shady parts of your garden. Vinca (Vinca minor) is an excellent evergreen flowering ground cover plant because it covers the ground with dense foliage and a few flowers in the spring. You might also notice tiny pink or purple flowers peeking out above the plant through summer and fall. The attractive features of this evergreen plant are its purple and green foliage, a profusion of tiny white flowers, and bright red berries that persist during fall and winter. You will also learn about the best plants that flower, are drought resistant, or just provide evergreen cover in shady areas. Lavender blooms last for several weeks in summer. a virtually indestructible perennial that can also be used in the kitchen. The low-growing plants have flowers measuring up to 2 (5 cm) across. The shade-loving Hydrangea macrophyllaBig Daddy is a large shrub with reblooming mophead flowers that appear in early summer and persist until fall. Yarrow A North American native, Yarrow is popular with bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The Texas Redbud will liven up any garden with magenta flowers in the early spring and thrives just fine in low-sunlight conditions. Trim dead flowers to remove seeds and keep the spread under control. Because this type of flowering ground cover plant is best in the shade, the leaves may start to yellow in full sun. Silver Carpet. Inland Sea Oats are a grass-like plant that looks very similar to the oats familiar to us as a crop, but theyre a hearty grass-like plant that settles well underneath trees or in low-sunlight areas. Well, if you dont have three or four hours of sunlight in South Texas, and four or five hours of sunlight in North Texas, youre not going to get St. Augustine to grow. It can grow in full, direct sunlight to full shade. Also called lilyturf, it forms blankets of deep green, grass-like foliage from six to eight inches tall that stay green year-round. I find it does best in small, confined beds. English Ivy is one of those classic ground cover plants that become perfect for the shaded areas in your yard. Its height varies from one to two feet. Even St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10 and the most shade tolerant, needs four hours of direct sunlight daily to thrive. Your sales reps at Calloways Nursery, talk to one of the Texas-certified nursery professionals. Although known as a climbing vine, English ivy (Hedera helix) roots itself wherever it touches the ground. Typically, plants for full shade or partial shade should thrive on one to three hours of sunlight. Some short plants are native to Texas, while others are not. Average minimum winter temperatures are 20F to 30F. However, knowing which Texas flowering plants and shrubs are suitable for the shade can be challenging. Ground covers are spreading or mounding plants that cover most or all of the soil surface. This type of thyme is usually grown for its dainty pink, purple, or magenta flowers rather than for culinary purposes. Prostrate rosemary a virtually indestructible perennial that can also be used in the kitchen. It is easy to grow this plant from seeds, and blooms should appear within a few months of being sown. It can do many things, including retaining soil moisture, controlling erosion, creating a lush blanket of plants and replacing a traditional turfgrass lawn. Alternatively, you can plant monkey grass as pathway edging, ground cover for sun or shade, or create texture in front of trees and shrubs. Most thyme plants are perennials with pointed, blue-green leaves that softly blanket the ground. The Allegheny Pachysandra ( Pachysandra procumbens) is a popular type of perennial ground cover plant due to its low height and dense green foliage. In late spring, expect to get delicate flowers that are tan to purple color and have 3 petals. Brass Buttons (Leptinella) Another shade ground cover that has really unique foliage is known as brass buttons. Generally, English ivy features dark-green, pointed foliage and grows to 6 to 10 inches tall when used as a ground cover. Spotted deadnettle is an evergreen ground cover for shade that sometimes offers variegated leaves as a selling point, though its beauty is further enhanced by pretty white, pink, or purple flowers. These include the Lacey Oak, Red Oak, Live Oak, Monterrey Oak and Bur Oak. It does well in Texas, tolerating both full and partial shade. Tolerating a little more sun than some of the others, lily turf (Liriope muscari) gets taller, too, averaging 12 to 18 inches high. Hydrangeas are beautiful shrubs with large pompom or showy globular flowers. Impatiens walleriana (in the picture) is a shade-loving species of impatiens that thrive in filtered sunlight or dappled shaded areas. SAWS Conservation personnel are excited about this native in the landscape. Creeping thyme has become a popular ground cover for filling dry, hot areas of the garden. If you have put St. Augustine sod down and you watch it just disappear on you, you find that you have nothing but bare ground three or four months later, its time to take that out and replace it. One of the reasons why this perennial is a great ground cover plant is that it grows well in shady areas where other plants dont thrive. You will also get top tips on where to grow these Texas shade plants. Coupon eligible. Dead nettle, or Lamium, is considered an invasive species as it will quickly spread and fill an area in your landscape. The ground cover plant thrives in full to partial shade and flowers every spring when new leaves appear. Also called lily turf, monkey grass is an evergreen perennial that loves the shade. This shade-loving plant produces pink, purple, or white helmet-shaped flowers. This member of the mint family, only reaching 6 to 10 inches high, is useful planted between steppingstones. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful home and garden ever. For extra color, you can also choose ground cover plants that flower in the spring, summer, or fall. Epimedium is a slow-growing genus of herbaceous perennial plants that are good for ground cover where you have cool shade. : Help Your Plant Bloom, How Long Does It Take Clover to Bloom? Learn more at neilsperry . The hydrangea flowers can be blue, lilac, purple, red, white, pink or multi-colored, depending on the cultivar and soil type. Its stiff, leafy branches grow about 6-12 inches, and purple flowers sprout directly from the stems over the summer. And it has weed control, sending out chemicals that inhibit their growth. Coupon eligible. Succulent offers. This plant blooms in late spring and bears delicate, white flower clusters. Search for items or shops Close search. It grows well in soil and shade and has a starry pink flower. Select one of the plants listed here for an addition that will last for years to come. Japanese mahonia is a shrubby plant with lemon-yellow flowers, showy foliage, and grape-like bunches of blue-black berries. Also, it is attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies so that you might enjoy some new visitors in your garden. Stonecrop is a perennial flowering ground cover that grows well in dry soil. Adorn your garden in the timeless elegance of Roses! This carefree ground cover is great for beginners as it grows in most types of soil and in partially shady areas or full sun. If you live in Texas and want to plant some ground-covering foliage, its crucial to pick something that will tolerate the environment. 3. a classic and still one of the best, this one is also virtually indestructible. USDA growing zones: 2 to 11. Hi, Im Neil Sperry, back in your neighborhood, Calloways Nursery. Light to medium shade groundcovers we love (morning sun/afternoon shade): Ajuga Ardisia Asparagus fern Horseherb Dwarf Plumbago Their leaves can be red, bronze, copper, and green and then turn purple, scarlet, or crimson in the fall. Because all Texas lawn grasses do best in full sun, homeowners in the state often find bald spots in shady areas of their yards. Carolina Jessamine this is a vine that is useful as a groundcover. Evergreen savings. All parts of the plant are toxic and may cause digestive upset or skin irritations. Some landscaping ideas to use this plant for good ground cover is to prevent erosion on slopes, use as a colorful edging border, or have foliage under trees or shrubs. Use Japanese mahonia as foundation plantings, a decorative specimen shrub, or to create an informal hedge. Size: 5 to 6 ft. (1.5 2.4 m) tall and wide. Creeping thyme belongs to the mint family and has a pleasant scent; while not grown as an herb, it can be used for cooking. Many types of barrenroot are planted for their nice leaves, more so than for their blooms, although the jester's-hat shape of Epimedium pubigerum is very nice. Epimedium cultivars also produce small clusters of flowers in a variety of different colors. So they're an excellent ground cover for low light areas in zones 4-8. It grows about a foot high and can spread as much as 12 feet. Mow it once a year with a lawn mower. Lily-of-the-valley has overrun many abandoned homesteads in eastern North America, and many garden centers no longer even sell the plant. This strength is to the gardeners advantage in areas where the weather can be unpredictable. Work the soil up, work in organic matter, and choose shade-tolerant groundcovers. USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10 Mondo grass cultivars: nippon, variegatus, and kioto Care: Easy. 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