10 Easiest Georgia Native Ground Cover To Plant

If you are a Georgia resident and happen to look for Georgia native ground cover plants to prevent water clogs in your garden? You are exactly at the right place! We have a great collection of the easiest Georgia native ground cover to plant without much maintenance.

You can choose several types of Georgia native ground cover plants from our list, including the flowering, fruit-producing, and green lush foliage ground covers. Besides being erosion control, each has its distinctive characteristics that will surely amaze you!

Are you Interested? Let’s get on the list!

Table of Contents

BEST Georgia Native Ground Cover Plant
Final Thought
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

BEST Georgia Native Ground Cover Plant

Nestled beneath towering pines and oaks, Georgia’s soil nurtures more than just its famous peaches. Dive deep into the world of native ground cover plants that have called Georgia home long before we did. These natural beauties don’t just grace our landscapes; they tell tales of the region’s rich ecology.

Get ready to embark on a green journey, where every leaf and petal whispers secrets of the Peach State’s verdant past.

1. Carolina Yellow Jessamine (Gelsemium Sempervirens)

Exploring Georgia native ground cover plants will be incomplete if we do not include Carolina Yellow Jessamine or Gelsemium sempervirens in our list. It is a flowering native perennial with five beautiful petals, trumpet yellow flowers, and dark green lance-shaped foliage.

The flowers are fragrant; thus, they are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. Nonetheless, the nectar is poisonous to honeybees, and honey made from the nectar’s flowers is toxic to humans.

Since Carolina Yellow Jessamine grows climbing up and sprawling on the ground, it will make a gorgeous fence and ground cover. You only need to maintain soil moisture and create good drainage to have a happy plant.

Moreover, it thrives in both sun and partial shade, making it easier to choose planting locations. It is also generally pest and disease-free, adding to the excellent qualities the plant already has.

2. Garden Phlox (Phlox Paniculata)

Having Garden Phlox as flowering perennial as ground cover may be more exciting since it offers you cheerful vibes than merely green foliage types.

This native species will show off its exquisite white summer flowers with circle purple marks on the center that will surely stand out in your landscape. No wonder pollinators are interested in its blooms.

Furthermore, it is one of the low-maintenance perennials that like to get full sun exposure or part shade. Make sure to have at least 6 hours of sun per day to thrive.

Additionally, it is a drought-tolerant plant that prefers rich-organic, acidic soil. Aside from being a ground cover, you can also plant it as border fronts or a collection of plants in cottage gardens.

3. Heartleaf Ginger (Hexastylis Arifolia)

Moving on from flowering native plants to variegated foliage, we have Hexastylis arifolia or better known as the common name Heartleaf Ginger. This herbaceous perennial grows dark green, heart-shaped leaves with silvery-green markings, making them no less appealing than flowering ground covers.

Aside from its fantastic foliage, this plant also has edible roots utilized by indigenous people as flavorings, while the root extract and leaf infusion are used as natural remedies for heart and lungs treatment.

Speaking about growing conditions, Heartleaf Ginger performs best in partial shade and shade on rich, moist, and acidic soils. Despite being a humid-loving plant, this evergreen ground cover tolerates heat and drought.

It also needs low to medium watering to keep the soil moisture.

4. Lily Of The Valley (Convallaria Majalis)

Planting Lily of The Valley may be your best decision if you wish to have both greenery and beautiful white blooms in your landscape at the same time. The stalks bear gracefully nodding white shade of aromatic lily flowers with the background of jade green leaves that create a breathtaking view.

It grows low and lush, making it a brilliant ground cover for landscaping.

Thanks to its fantastic appeal, Lily of The Valley received the precious Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1993.

As a low-maintenance rhizomatous perennial, Lily of The Valley has no complicated growing requirements. It grows well in part shade and shade, though it tolerates full sun if grown in northern regions as long as being provided with moist soil.

Ensuring fertile, rich, evenly moist, but well-drained soil is essential for a well-developed plant. However, parts of the plant are toxic if ingested. Hence, make sure you plant it away from kids.

5. Moss Phlox (Phlox Subulata)

Phlox subulata or Moss Phlox is considered as one of the most colorful ground covers that will display its spring beauty to the season.

It features pink to purple shade on its flat, five-petaled blooms that grow wide and lush, covering up its green foliage. For that reason, Moss Phlox is also highly popular to create exquisite flower beds and carpets to the landscape.

Not only it has stunning appearance, but Moss Phlox is also easy to maintain. This hardy plant handles heat and drought better than other phlox within the same species.

It grows best in full sun yet tolerates dapple shade in hot areas. Furthermore, it tolerates a wide types of soils as long as they are well-drained. Nonetheless, it prefers humus-rich with medium moisture soil condition.

6. New York Fern (Thelypteris Noveboracensis)

You may wonder whether this fern is native to New York or Georgia. In fact, it has a wide native range which includes Georgia to the list. Thelypteris noveboracensis or New York Fern is a delicate, deciduous fern with a fine texture thanks to the twice-cut foliage.

The fronds are yellow-green that taper from the bottom to the top. Moreover, it consists of around 20 pinnae which form small clusters from their sub-leaflets.

Because of its fast multiplication, New York fern can form dense foliage for ground cover. Hence, cutting off faded fronds is necessary.

Although it favors humus-rich, moist soil and will not widely spread, this shade lover’s fern can withstand dry conditions as long as the soil is acidic. The water requirement is also low to medium, making it easy to grow.

7. Partridge Berry (Mitchella Repens)

Who would have thought that fruit-bearing plants can be grown as ground covers, like this Partridge Berry?

Not only having ornamental evergreen foliage with petite white blooms, but you can also harvest edible red berries and consume them. It is indeed a perfect package in one plant to create a beautiful view!

Even more remarkable, Partridge Berry is not hard to grow. Despite accepting the morning sun, it thrives best in the shade. It also easily grows in humus-rich, moist, acidic, well-drained soil, yet relatively drought-tolerant.

However, it will be better to provide regular watering. Moreover, this perennial is usually grown under acid-loving shrubs since it loves acidic conditions.

8. Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum × Superbum)

No wonder Shasta Daisy has become one of the most well-known herbaceous perennials since it bears brilliant white, lemon yellow flowers, and attractive foliage, providing you with such an eye-catching appeal.

Moreover, it has several cultivars with different compactness, longevity, flowering types, and floral sizes, making it easier to choose the perfect variety for your garden.

Interestingly, it does not need much maintenance. This daisy loves full sun yet tolerates some shade, especially in hot summer areas. Though it favors fertile, well-drained, and moist soil, it withstands drought so well.

Not only that, but Shasta Daisy is also extremely disease-free and deer-resistant. Aside from being wonderful cut flowers, it also creates a splendid ground cover, pampering you with white blossom carpet in the landscape.

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9. Southern Lady Fern (Athyrium Asplenioides)

Besides New York Fern, we have Southern Lady Fern to grow as ground covers. It belongs to the fern species with deciduous leaves and bright, lacy green fronds hanging on brown-reddish stems.

This fern is a great option to grow on large scales, creating a green carpet in your shade garden through the seasons if you provide them with proper growing conditions.

Southern Lady Fern favors shady locations with organically rich, well-drained, medium moist soils to thrive, resembling its natural habitat on stream banks or the edge of woodland ponds.

However, it tolerates sunlight exposure and drought better than most ferns. It generally does not need turning, yet you can remove dead fronds if necessary.

10. White Sage (Salvia Apiana)

After having a long list of flowering and green foliage plants, you will be amazed by White Sage, which has unique fragrant silvery-white leaves.

You can also notice tiny yellow flowers that decorate the showy foliage. Because of its high adaptability and ability to grow fast, this plant is a fantastic pick of low-maintenance ground covers to plant.

Moreover, it is a heat and drought-tolerant plant that only requires low water requirements under sunlight exposure. White Sage prefers dry soil rather than moist since it can make the plant leggy.

Other than ornamental plants or ground covers, the leaves and roots are also ingredients for making herbal teas for medicinal purposes, such as treating digestive problems, eczema, and even deodorants.

Final Thought

In the heart of the Peach State, beneath the majestic pines and alongside babbling brooks, lies a green tapestry often overlooked: Georgia’s native ground cover. These humble plants, steeped in history and adapted to Georgia’s unique climate, weave a story as old as the red clay itself.

Let’s tread softly and discover the resilient flora that blankets our Georgian landscapes. As each leaf unfolds, so does a story of nature’s artistry and tenacity.

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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What are ground cover plants growing all year-round in Georgia?

Heartleaf Ginger and Patridge Berry are the two of Georgia’s native ground cover plants that will give you endless greenery. Even the Patridge Berry can produce edible red berries you can consume during their fruiting period.

Meanwhile, Heartleaf Ginger gives you variegated leaves you cannot get enough of.

How often should you water your native ground cover plants?

After establishing themselves, most native ground covers require minimal watering, benefiting from natural rainfall. However, during extended dry periods, occasional watering may be necessary.

Where can you buy Georgia native ground cover plants?

Many local nurseries and plant sales focus on native plants. Purchasing from these sources ensures you’re getting genuine Georgia-native varieties and supports local businesses.

What ground cover can thrive in sun and shade in Georgia?

Carolina Yellow Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata), Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata), Patridge Berry (Mitchella repens), and Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x ‘superbum’) are among Georgia native ground cover plants that thrive in sun, partial shade, or shade.

However, some of them prefer either one of the lighting conditions to grow best. For further information, you can take a look at our collection above.

Do Georgia’s ground cover need fertilizers or pesticides?

Generally, native ground covers are adapted to Georgia’s soil and rarely need fertilizers. Their natural resistance to many pests often eliminates the need for pesticides.