Groundcovers are an essential element in some gardens. They help fight soil erosion, they provide shelter to wildlife, and they fill in otherwise unappealing areas with life and color. Evergreen groundcover plants are especially nice because they keep that life and color year-round. Keep reading to learn more about selecting evergreen creeping plants for zone 8 gardens.
Evergreen Groundcover Varieties for Zone 8
Here are some of the best plants for evergreen groundcover in zone 8:
Pachysandra – Pachysandra likes partial to full shade. Reaches 6 to 9 inches (15-23 cm.) in height. Prefers moist, fertile soil. Effectively crowds out weeds.
Confederate Jasmine – Confederate jasmine likes partial shade. Produces fragrant white flowers in the spring. Reaches 1 to 2 feet (31-61 cm.) in height. Drought tolerant and needs well-draining soil.
Juniper – The horizontal or creeping varieties of juniper vary in height but tend to grow to between 6 and 12 inches (15-31 cm.). As they grow, the needles mesh together to form a dense mat of foliage.
Creeping Phlox – Reaches 6 inches (15 cm.) in height. Prefers full sun. Likes well drained soil. Creeping phlox produces tiny needle-like leaves and lots of flowers in shades of white, pink, and purple.
St. John’s Wort – St. John's wort likes full sun to partial shade. Reaches 1 to 3 feet (31-91 cm.) in height. Prefers well drained soil. Produces bright yellow flowers in the summer.
Bugleweed – Bugleweed reaches 3 to 6 inches (8-15 cm.) in height. Likes full to partial shade. Produces spikes of blue flowers in the spring.
Periwinkle – Periwinkle can be invasive-- check with your state extension before planting. Produces light blue flowers in the spring and throughout the summer.
Cast Iron Plant – Reaches 12 to 24 inches (31-61 cm.) in height. Cast iron plant prefers partial to deep shade, will thrive in a variety of tough and poor conditions. Leaves have a nice tropical look.