Best Ground Cover Plants for Pennsylvania: Enhance Your Landscape

Smart landscape design in Pennsylvania leans on ground covers to do quiet, essential work: hold soil on slopes, cut down weeds, and keep moisture where roots can use it (even with freeze–thaw winters, summer dry spells, and road salt near parking areas).

In this guide to ground cover plants for Pennsylvania, we’ll stick to native, non-invasive choices vetted by regional experts so your beds stay attractive and low-care.

Key Takeaways

• Match plants to the spot—sun, shade, slope, moisture, and salt—so ground covers fill in fast and cut weeding.

• Favor Pennsylvania-native, non-invasive choices for deeper roots, fewer inputs, and year-round stability.

• Plant in spring or fall, skip fabric under organic mulch, and mix a few species for better coverage and lower risk.

How to Pick (Sun, Shade, Slope, and Salt)

Before you buy a single flat, let the site choose the plants. A quick walk tells you almost everything: how much sun hits, where water lingers or runs off, how much foot traffic an area gets, and if there’s winter salt splash from nearby drives or lots.

Match the groundcover to those conditions, and it will knit in fast, reduce weed growth, and hold up with little fuss.

Start with the light and the soil

Note sun vs. shade by time of day, then feel the soil. Well-drained soils and dry soils favor drought-tough spreads; moist pockets need species that don’t sulk after rain.

In part shade or under trees, look for native groundcovers that move in gently: Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica) for a lawn alternative that minimizes mowing, wild ginger and wild geranium for a leafy carpet with spring flowers, and white wood aster where you want something that can control erosion on a bank.

In sunnier beds, phlox stolonifera (for light shade) or low evergreen junipers can keep the ground covered without constant tending.

Default to native plants when performance matters

Pennsylvania native plants bring deeper roots and fewer inputs. They’re a great ground cover choice because they settle quickly, compete with weeds, and handle local swings.

Examples you’ll see throughout PA landscapes: golden groundsel (Packera aurea) for bright spring white/yellow flowers and quick fill in late spring, common blue violet (Viola sororia) for dry or average soils, and hay-scented fern (a deciduous fern) for broad, feathery coverage under shrubs and trees.

Use clumping species where you want tidy edges, or selections that spread quickly by runners when you’re stabilizing a slope and need faster erosion control.

Choose by grass vs. ferns vs. flowers depending on the look—fine clumps for a lawn-like feel, leafy mats for shade, bloomers for seasonal interest.

Plant at the right moment and skip the fabric

Plant in early spring or early fall so roots establish before heat or deep cold. Set young plants on 12–18 inches centers (adjust by species and mature size), then mulch 2+ inches to hold moisture and block light to weed growth.

Skip landscape fabric under organic mulch; it sits between the soil and your plants and slows the exchange that builds rich organic matter.

Tune in to the trouble spots

Where winter salt is a factor (lot edges, mailbox islands), favor tough, tolerant choices and keep delicate selections away from the splash zone. In heavy-use areas, pick sturdy, low groundcover that stays below a few inches so it doesn’t get trampled—save delicate bloomers for spaces with fewer feet on them.

If you want seasonal punch, tuck in small drifts of blue mistflower for late summer color, but give it room (it can move); where you need order, lean on steadier mats like phlox and sedges.

With a few minutes of site reading and a short list of Pennsylvania-proven natives, you’ll land on the right mix of plants that establish quickly, provide coverage, and are easy to keep looking good.

The Shortlist: Ground Covers That Earn Their Keep in PA

Here’s a tight list that actually works in Pennsylvania yards—what each plant does well, where to use it, and the simple care that keeps it looking good.

Dry/Part-shade champions

Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)

A true lawn alternative for dry shade: low growing, soft texture, and very light mowing once established. Use it under mature trees where turf struggles or in woodland edges that see light foot traffic. It handles poor soil, knits into gentle clumps, and stays tidy with a spring trim.

Wild ginger (Asarum canadense)

Dense, heart-shaped dark green leaves form a living mulch that starves weeds of light. Tuck it beneath shrubs and along shady paths; it likes moist, well-drained soils and rewards you with a seamless garden carpet. Care is simple: plant, water to establish, and let the foliage grow.

Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)

Bright spring white flowers float above patterned leaves, then the foliage spreads to cover the soil. Ideal for woodsy beds with dappled sun where you want early interest and easy fill. Shear the spent stems after bloom and divide every few years if you want more plants.

Moist shade & rain-garden edges

Golden groundsel (Packera aurea)

Semi-evergreen rosettes with gold daisy-like blooms in early spring/late spring. It’s a quick knitter for damp shade and the shoulder of rain gardens where you need erosion control. Give it space to spread; a light edge trim keeps the range contained.

Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

An evergreen fern that holds texture through autumn and winter. Pair it with sedges to build a layered, weed-resistant floor in shade. Water to establish, then it’s largely hands-off—no fuss, just reliable fronds year-round.

Full sun, heat, and salt-splash

Creeping juniper (low Juniperus selections)

Tough as they come for hot slopes and parking-lot edges, with sprawling mats that anchor soil and shrug off salt. Use where turf burns out; the needles stay neat with almost no grooming. Keep the crown out of soggy spots and you’re set.

Sedum (stonecrop) mats

For thin, fast-draining banks, sedums are a great ground cover: drought-savvy, low growing, and colorful from late spring through early summer and beyond. Plant in full sun, ignore between rains once established, and clip stray shoots if they wander.

Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera for part shade; P. subulata for sun)

A spring color blanket that also grips slopes. Use stolonifera in light shade and subulata on sunny, well-drained soils; both reduce weed growth once filled in. Shear lightly after bloom to keep the mound tight.

Native grasses for big slopes (Low, tidy massing)

Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

Blue-green clumps turn copper-orange in late summer and hold through winter, perfect where you need movement and roots that control erosion. Cut back in late winter; otherwise, it asks for little and handles drought well.

River oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)

Graceful seedheads sway in mid to late summer, and the colony slowly expands to lock in banks. Use on part-shade slopes or along woodland edges; it’s adaptable and easy. Trim in late winter and thin or divide if you want to slow its propensity to spread quickly.

If deer pressure is high, check local resources for deer-resistant cultivars or pairings; thoughtful mixing (sedge with fern, phlox with juniper) keeps beds full and maintenance light without inviting browsing.

What to Skip (and Safer Substitutes)

Some evergreen classics look tidy at first, then creep beyond beds and into woodlands. In Pennsylvania, steer clear of English ivy, periwinkle (Vinca), and Japanese pachysandra—they spread aggressively and outcompete native groundcovers.

Better choices that stay in bounds:

• Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) — A native pachysandra for shade; it slowly forms a soft, mottled carpet without running wild.

• Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) — Heart-shaped leaves create a dense, weed-blocking mat in moist shade under trees and shrubs.

• Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) — Spring bloom plus a spreading foliage cover that knits woodland beds and edges without taking over.

Planting and After-Care (Kept Simple)

Give plants room to fill

Space ground covers so they knit together in one to two seasons (check mature spread on the tag). Tight spacing closes gaps faster and reduces weed growth, but you still want enough room for air flow and easy maintenance.

Help young roots settle

Water consistently until plants are established—think steady moisture at the soil line, not daily soakings. After the first few weeks, taper to deeper, less frequent watering so roots chase moisture down and handle dry spells better.

On slopes, lock it in

For banks and tricky grades, set plugs through biodegradable coir netting to hold soil as roots grab. Top with 2+ inches of mulch (wood chips or shredded bark) to hold moisture and shade the surface. Skip landscape fabric under organic mulch; it slows soil–mulch contact and can trap weeds on top.

Mix, don’t monocrop

Blend two or three compatible species in soft drifts instead of a single-species carpet. Mixed plantings spread at different rates, shrug off pests and disease more easily, and keep seasonal interest rolling from spring bloom to fall texture.

Fast Match Guide (Use-Case Snapshots)

Need a quick pairing for a tricky spot? Start with the condition, then grab one of these proven combos.

Dry shade under trees: Pennsylvania sedge, wild ginger, foamflower — soft texture, low water needs, and steady cover where turf struggles.

Damp, shady edges: Golden groundsel, Christmas fern — fills in fast, tolerates moisture, and stays tidy through the season.

Hot, sunny slopes and lot edges: Creeping juniper, sedums, creeping phlox (subulata) — tough, low-growing mats that handle heat and salt.

Large, low-care slopes: Little bluestem, river oats — deep roots for erosion control with four-season texture and minimal upkeep.

Cover More Ground With Less Work

We’re Landscape II, and we design, install, and care for landscapes across Centre County. If you’re ready to use ground cover plants that thrive in Pennsylvania, we’ll walk your site, recommend native, non-invasive options, and install them with clean edges and the right mulch so they settle fast and look natural.

Tell us what you want the area to do, and we’ll map a simple plan and schedule. Contact us for a quick consultation and estimate.

Conclusion

Ground covers earn their keep when you treat them like problem-solvers, not decorations. Read the site, pick plants that fit those conditions, and give them a calm season to settle. The result is steadier moisture, anchored soil, and beds that look intentional all year.

Start small if you like: claim one slope or shady strip, watch how it fills, then repeat the recipe across the property. With the right mix of Pennsylvania-proven plants, the fussy corners of your landscape turn into low-care, high-impact spaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are deciduous fern options good ground covers in Pennsylvania?

Yes. A deciduous fern like hay-scented fern creates a broad, weed-blocking carpet in shade and on slopes. Give it consistent moisture while it establishes, then let fronds die back naturally each fall; new growth fills in spring.

Which native groundcovers should I consider for a low-care, PA-friendly bed?

Look at native groundcovers such as Pennsylvania sedge, wild ginger, foamflower, golden groundsel, and creeping phlox (P. stolonifera). They knit together quickly, handle local weather swings, and reduce weeding without heavy inputs.

Is Carex pensylvanica a real lawn alternative?

Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge) works well in dry shade to part shade where turf struggles. It forms a soft, low mat, needs minimal mowing, and tolerates light foot traffic—space plugs, keep soil evenly moist at first, and give it a light spring trim.

When should I plant ground covers in PA, and how do I help them take root?

Plant in spring or fall so roots settle before heat or deep cold. Space for quick fill, water consistently until established, use 2"+ mulch on slopes (skip fabric), and mix a couple of compatible species for better coverage and season-long interest.