Our Favorite Groundcovers
Our curated list of versatile, enduring, and drought-tolerant groundcovers tested for Southern California landscapes.
Gazania
Lots of color for a long season. Needs some replacement over time, but remains a reliable and vibrant groundcover selection.
Ivy Geranium
Provides bright bursts of color. Requires occasional spot replacements; best planted in standalone beds rather than around delicate shrubs.
Kurapia
A highly versatile, modern turf alternative developed in Japan. Once established, it requires minimal maintenance and significantly less water than cool-season grasses.
Mondo Grass
Thrives in partial shade. While slow to fill in initially, it establishes into an exceptionally low-maintenance and enduring dark green carpet.
Acacia redolens
Outstanding for hillside erosion control and large banks with poor soil. Prostrate cultivars like ‘Desert Carpet’ and ‘Low Boy’ stay 1–2 ft high and fill in rapidly.
Campanula
Prefers shaded conditions and features lovely bell-shaped purple flowers. Offers medium durability in quiet garden borders.
Cotoneaster ‘Lowfast’
Extremely easy to grow with spring white blooms and red fall berries. Stems root upon soil contact, making it superb for slope erosion control or cascading over walls.
Dwarf Mondo Grass
One of the most handsome groundcovers available. Prefers shade; very slow-growing and non-creeping, making it safe to interplant among existing shrubs.
Festuca (Blue Fescue)
Sun-loving, dependable ornamental grass that provides fantastic blue-gray architectural texture along walkways and garden beds.
Dymondia
Very low-profile and durable silver foliage. Handles foot traffic exceptionally well, making it the ideal selection for filling gaps between stepping stones.
Needle Point Ivy
Low maintenance, durable, and shade-tolerant. Creates a clean green carpet and behaves well around neighboring plants.
Ornamental Strawberry
Handles sun or shade well while maintaining a low height and pretty white blossoms. Keep an eye out for occasional rust in humid microclimates.
Polygonum capitatum
Fast creeping groundcover with charming pink globe flowers. Loves full sun; best planted in its own space as it spreads enthusiastically.
Creeping Rosemary
Excellent drought-tolerant choice for sunny slopes and cascading over retaining walls. Trim occasionally to maintain shape and fragrance.
Santa Barbara Daisies
Produces an abundance of small white/pink daisy flowers. Grows vigorously on banks and requires pruning a couple of times a year.
Senecio mandraliscae
Known as ‘Blue Chalksticks’, this striking succulent offers bold powdery-blue color and excellent drought tolerance in modern gardens.
Snow in Summer
Loves full sun, featuring woolly silvery foliage year-round and a dense blanket of bright white flowers throughout the spring.
Verbena
Thrives in full sun with an extremely long blooming window. May briefly drop foliage during cold winter spells before bouncing back in spring.
Dwarf Myoporum
Low, dense, trailing evergreen mat that typically tops out at just 2 to 4 inches tall. Fast-growing and tight foliage.
Vinca minor
Slow to establish initially, but forms a very tidy, semi-durable green bed with periwinkle flowers. Partial shade helps it thrive.
Viola hederacea
Also known as Trailing Violet, this lush groundcover features dainty white and violet flowers. Highly recommended for cooler, shaded garden spots.
Lobster Flower
An aromatic succulent (Plectranthus neochilus) that forms a dense, water-wise groundcover mat even when not in flower.